Participants at the three-day VCCA which opened in Gia Lai Province on Thursday. — Photos courtesy of organisers

HÀ NỘI — The eighth Vietnam International Conference and Exhibition on Control and Automation (VCCA) opened on Thursday in Gia Lai Province, bringing together researchers, universities, businesses and policymakers to present research, promote technology transfer and strengthen cooperation in control systems and automation. 

In his opening remarks, Phạm Anh Tuấn, chairman of Gia Lai People's Committee, said Việt Nam is seeking to make science, technology, innovation and digital transformation the foundation of a new growth model, with artificial intelligence, automation and other advanced digital technologies expected to improve productivity and competitiveness.

Gia Lai plans to leverage science and technology to support sustainable economic growth following an expansion of its development space.

The province aims to build a growth model centred on science, technology, innovation and digital transformation to raise labour productivity, improve governance, strengthen business competitiveness and enhance living standards.

Tuấn said Gia Lai intends to develop a science and innovation ecosystem by strengthening cooperation among government agencies, universities, research institutes and businesses while encouraging companies to adopt new technologies.

He added that automation, AI, big data and IoT could support the development of high-tech agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, smart cities and digital government.

Tuấn said hosting the event would also help Gia Lai strengthen cooperation with the Vietnam Automation Association, research institutes, universities, businesses and international partners to expand the application of science and technology to local development.

Hí-tech products are showcased on the sidelines of the VCCA.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Lê Quân said the conference came as Việt Nam accelerates implementation of Politburo Resolution 57 on science, technology, innovation and digital transformation amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and other digital technologies.

He said countries' competitiveness increasingly depended on scientific and technological capabilities, innovation and a highly skilled workforce, urging businesses to compete through technology and value creation rather than low costs while calling for closer cooperation among government agencies, universities and businesses to accelerate research commercialisation.

He said Việt Nam should prioritise the development of foundational technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, semiconductor technology and advanced materials, describing them as essential to digital transformation, green growth and the digital economy.

Quân also highlighted the importance of developing high-quality human resources, saying universities were expanding training in AI, data science, robotics, semiconductors, cybersecurity and other advanced engineering fields while improving digital skills across the workforce.

He added that a stronger national innovation ecosystem, supported by research and development funding, technology commercialisation, intellectual property protection and innovation infrastructure, would help bring new technologies to market more quickly. — VNS