Partnerships with universities, institutes, enterprises as key priorities for Hanoi, vice chairman says

THE HANOI TIMES — Hanoi will partner with universities, research institutes and companies to promote science, technology and innovation while launching a network of innovation hubs by the end of this year, said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Truong Viet Dung.

These efforts align with the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on science and technology development, he said during a meeting with Vu Duc Loi, President of the Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST), on October 31.

“Hanoi is also studying more flexible management mechanisms, particularly in salary structures, to attract talents and high-quality experts,” the vice chairman said.

According to Dung, Hanoi has approved six specialized resolutions offering tax incentives for individuals and businesses engaged in innovation, funding for equipment procurement and operations and policies to support the city’s startup ecosystem.

The city is also developing a smart city centered around the Yen Xuan – Tien Xuan Urban Area near the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park on expectations that it will become a new growth driver and help the city achieve double-digit economic growth.

“In addition, Hanoi is considering introducing semiconductor education into the lower secondary school curriculum to help students build technological thinking and skills from an early age,” said Dung.

At the meeting, VKIST President Vu Duc Loi shared information about the institute’s formation, goals and initial achievements after nearly a decade of operation.

The institute focuses on eight main research areas aligned with national strategic technologies, including environment, energy, biotechnology, mechatronics and information technology.

Each year, VKIST develops new inventions, many of which have been commercialized to generate sustainable funding for research activities.

The institute also emphasizes training specialized researchers. Since 2017, it has cooperated with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) to train semiconductor experts in design, fabrication, testing and packaging.

“This trained workforce will form the core team for VKIST’s semiconductor laboratory once it is completed,” said Loi.

He added that the institute is implementing a corporate innovation partnership program in which researchers work directly with businesses to analyze production processes and propose technological solutions to improve productivity.

Initial results show that participating enterprises have increased productivity by several hundred percent thanks to the application of research results.

This year, VKIST plans to pilot the model with five high-tech enterprises and expand it in the coming years.

Vice Chairman Truong Viet Dung praised VKIST’s vision and achievements, expressing hope that the institute will continue to contribute to training high-quality labor and supporting Hanoi’s development goals.

Earlier, the Hanoi delegation visited key science and technology facilities at the Vietnam National University – Hanoi (Hoa Lac Campus) and other research institutes in the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park.