On November 23, Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VinIF) under Vingroup awarded 293 scholarships worth nearly VND40 billion to graduate and doctoral students in science and technology. Vingroup has awarded scholarships to Vietnamese master's and PhD students in domestic training programmes for two consecutive years to contribute to the development of high-quality scientific human resources for the country of Viet Nam.

PhD scholarships worth VND150 million per year and master's scholarships of VND120 million per year were awarded to 293 outstanding graduate and doctoral students in 2020. Specifically, in 2020, VinIF awarded 95 new doctoral scholarships and 127 new master's scholarships in addition to awarding scholarships to 71 graduate and doctoral students winning scholarships in 2019.

Professor Vu Ha Van, Scientific Director of Vingroup Innovation Foundation - Vingroup.

To win a VinIF scholarship, graduate and doctoral students must have specific and meaningful study plans and research directions. In addition, priority is given to candidates with awards and achievements in scientific and technological research within two years of applying. The selection process is open, competitive and transparent. The Selection Committee includes more than 80 prominent and experienced professors and doctors at leading universities and research institutes in Viet Nam. The applications are appraised by the Foundation's Selection Committee before the official announcement.

After the Initial Application Screening round, the Foundation awarded scholarships to 293 most excellent graduate and doctoral students among 577 applications majoring in key fields in universities and research institutes such as mathematics, materials physics, chemistry, biology, medicine - biomedical engineering - pharmaceuticals, electrical engineering - electronics - telecommunications, construction - traffic - mechanical engineering, automation, information technology, natural resources - environment - geology, etc. Many candidates had particularly impressive achievements including international scientific publications, winning many national awards, and Scientific Research Students Awards. Some candidates were poor students who overcome difficulties and those in special difficult circumstances but achieving good academic results and research achievements.

Pham Dinh Nguyen, a lecturer at the University of Engineering & Technology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi)

Professor Vu Ha Van (Scientific Director of Vingroup Innovation Foundation - Vingroup) spoke at the Scholarship Award Ceremony, saying that: “Instead of spending money to buy foreign products at high prices, Viet Nam needs high-quality human resources to promote further and more sustainable development of science and technology field. Therefore, VinIF always tries our best to accompany young scientific researchers. That’s also why we awarded 293 scholarships today.”

2020 is the second year the domestic master's and doctoral training scholarships by Vingroup Innovation Foundation have been awarded. Previously, in 2019, VinIF awarded nearly 160 scholarships worth VND23 billion to graduate and doctoral students. Many students winning this scholarship have completed their training programmes and become young lecturers and researchers in many large domestic and international organisations.

“It’s my honour to be selected and awarded the scholarship by VinIF. This is a source of both material and spiritual motivation enabling us to be wholeheartedly devoted to scientific works and projects as well as forming a solid foundation for us to pursue our dreams in the laboratory. We hope the programme will be expanded and spread strongly, forming a solid foundation for the research team in addition to promoting the development of science and technology in Viet Nam,” said PhD. candidate Pham Dinh Nguyen, a lecturer at the University of Engineering & Technology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) - representative of scholarship winners in mechanical engineering and automation.

Besides awarding scholarships, VinIF Foundation also builds science and technology research support programmes, matser's training co-operation and sponsor science and technology conferences and seminars, etc., to help promote the development of Viet Nam’s science and technology./.