A local resident in Hưng Nguyên Commune, Nghệ An Province is scanning a QR code for information related to the coming National Assembly 16th elections. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Party has underscored human resource development in science and technology, including those engaged in research, innovation, teaching, management and the operation of science and technology activities, as a decisive task, describing it as the foundation for mastering and advancing strategic technologies in the years ahead.

One year after the implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo, the Central Steering Committee for science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation has acknowledged notable progress but also identified persistent shortcomings. Chief among them is a shortage of high-quality human resources in strategic technology fields.

Shortage of high-level scientists

Nearly four decades after the launch of Đổi mới, Việt Nam’s science and technology workforce has expanded significantly in both size and capability, with several fundamental science disciplines building research teams approaching regional and international standards.

However, as the country shifts towards a growth model driven by science, technology and innovation, the pool of scientists remains limited, particularly in strategic and high-tech sectors.

Academician Professor Lê Trường Giang, Vice President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, cited a 2025 study by the Ministry of Science and Technology and data from the Ministry of Education and Training showing Việt Nam has around 1,300 researchers per million people, a modest figure compared with many regional peers.

Although the number of professors and associate professors has increased, it remains disproportionate to the scale of higher education and the demands of science and technology development. The average number of senior scientists per research sub-discipline is still low, reflecting a shortage of core experts to lead research, training and succession.

This shortfall constrains the development of new research directions and creates structural imbalances within the scientific workforce. Some basic science fields are experiencing a decline in successors, raising concerns about potential disruption and gradual erosion of key disciplines.

Training efforts and emerging challenges

Between 2020 and 2025, training at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology expanded in both scale and quality. The University of Science and Technology of Hanoi has emerged as a model of internationalised education, with more than 4,000 students, programmes taught in English, seven international dual-degree schemes and a focus on strategic areas such as semiconductors, space technology and aviation. Its integration of teaching with laboratories and international research projects allows students to participate directly in major scientific work.

The Graduate University of Science and Technology, operating under an institute–university model within the academy, offers 48 doctoral and 18 master’s programmes, enrolling about 500 PhD candidates and 200 master’s students each year. Many doctoral theses are defended with at least two international publications, while the Institute of Mathematics and two UNESCO-affiliated centres continue to serve as hubs for international academic cooperation.

However, according to Vice President Trần Tuấn Anh, training of science and technology human resources, both within the academy and nationwide, continues to face significant challenges. Enrolment in science and technology disciplines remains limited, falling short of demand in strategic technology fields. Amid digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, demand for talent in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, advanced materials and renewable energy is rising rapidly, yet domestic training capacity has not kept pace in either quantity or quality.

At the same time, the absorption and effective use of high-quality domestic talent remains constrained. The innovation ecosystem is not yet sufficiently developed to create seamless linkages between training, research and production. As a result, some highly skilled professionals have not fully realised their potential or have moved to the private sector or overseas.

Another bottleneck lies in governance mechanisms, particularly autonomy in managing and exploiting assets derived from scientific research, including intellectual property, equipment and facilities. These constraints reduce the attractiveness of the research environment and affect the ability to attract and retain top science and technology talent, Anh said.

Removing bottlenecks

Limitations in developing the scientific workforce have been acknowledged in various Party and State resolutions. Issues relating to remuneration, financial mechanisms, working conditions, research infrastructure and linkages within the science and technology ecosystem require further reform.

Anh said that without decisive change, Việt Nam risks a persistent paradox: soaring demand for high-tech talent but limited enrolment in science and technology fields, well-trained personnel but insufficient enterprise capacity to absorb them, valuable research outputs but weak commercialisation due to institutional barriers.

He added that mastering strategic technologies will require coordinated reforms, with training aligned to adequately funded national programmes, stronger cooperation between the State, scientists and enterprises from research planning to commercialisation and the removal of institutional bottlenecks to ensure genuine autonomy and clear benefits for scientific institutions and researchers.

In the current context, developing a high-calibre science and technology workforce is seen as pivotal for Việt Nam to master strategic technologies and achieve sustainable growth. Comprehensive and coordinated solutions will determine the effective implementation of Resolution No. 57 and its contribution to national development. — VNA/VNS