The next wave of digital technology has the potential to transform Vietnam into Asia’s next developed economy, Dr. Lucy Cameron, senior research consultant of Data61 under the Australian National Science Foundation, has said.At the conference titled "Science, Technology and Innovation - A pillar for Vietnam’s socio-economic development" in Hanoi on May 15, Cameron said the next wave of digital technology includes artificial intelligence, block chain, Internet of Things, platform-based services and cloud computing, adding that Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and one of the most dynamic countries in East Asia.
Dr. Lucy Cameron, senior research consultant of Data61 under the Australian National Science Foundation speaks at the conference. Anh Kiet
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She gave a number of key trends and major scenarios that could have a great impact on Vietnam’s economy, including export scenario (translating in annual GDP growth of 0.45%), digital consumption scenario (0.63%), traditional scenario (0.38%), among others.
Ousmane Dione, country director for the World Bank in Vietnam, said in terms of the rate of mobile and Internet usage, Vietnam is on a par with other countries. This is the basis for developing digital infrastructure.
Vietnam needs to restructure research institutes, reduce quantity and increase quality. Human resources training should also be emphasized because Vietnam lacks a skilled workforce. Vietnam’s workforce quality is lagging behind, comparing to other countries, Ousmane Dione noted.
People are the core of creativity
Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that creativity must be from people and for people. People must be the core of creativity.
"The Vietnamese have full innate qualities for creativity, I believe that if there are enough good conditions, there will be excellent and dedicated people for the country’s prosperity," PM Phuc expressed.
A view of the conference. Photo: Quang Hieu
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According to the Minister of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh, Vietnam's sci-tech policy has been improved with many regulations on innovation which are built and focuses on businesses.
Minister Anh quoted the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)’s report as saying that in recent years, Vietnam has consistently increased in the ranking of the Global Innovation Index, leading the group of low-income countries.
In recent years, the Vietnamese government has had policies to strengthen cooperation with scientific and technological advanced countries in consulting and developing policies for Vietnam, he added.
However, Vietnam needs to remove difficult issues and find feasible solutions to attract leading sci-tech staffs, so that science really becomes a driving force and a foundation for the country’s socio-economic development, Ngoc Anh stressed.
For his part, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy commented that this is the first time international senior experts have come to Vietnam at the conference "Science, Technology and Innovation - A pillar for Vietnam’s socio-economic development” to discuss sci-tech innovation.
"Digital transition and digital economy development will create many opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to promote economic growth. However, challenges and social issues need to be taken into account. During the digital transition period, Vietnamese people’s creative skills need to be trained, so that they can receive technology and advance to technology innovation, to bring science, technology and innovation to become the pillars for Vietnam’s socio-economic development," Duy told Hanoitimes.
The conference "Science, Technology and Innovation - A pillar for Vietnam’s socio-economic development”, attracting some 250 local and international delegates, is part of the national sci-tech and innovation week that is taking place between May 13 and 17, held by the Ministry of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Australian embassy in Vietnam and the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA).
