The national Eureka Award competition is open for entries from all Vietnamese and foreign students who have a passion for scientific research by September 25. — VNS Photo Nguyễn Diệp

HCM CITY — The Hồ Chí Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) of HCM City on Monday (August 7) launched the 25th Eureka Award competition for all Vietnamese and foreign students who have a passion for scientific research and are studying at universities, colleges and institutions across the country.

The annual competition was co-organised with the Việt Nam National University-HCM City. The Science and Technology Development Centre for Youth under HCYU of HCM City is the standing body of the competition's organising board this year.

Đoàn Kim Thành, head of the Science and Technology Development Centre for Youth, said the Eureka Award competition encourages students to propose their own ideas, new inventions, and specific solutions for the country’s socio-economic development.

In the Industry 4.0 era, research is very important and helps train young people to high levels of expertise.

“The competition is an academic playground for students nationwide, offering them chances to learn, be creative and do research, and fosters their creative capacity,” he said.

This year, it is looking for the best scientific research works in 14 fields, including pharmaceutical chemistry, medical and pharmaceutical science, biology, information technology, food technology, scientific education, administration - legal, economy, technology, agricultural science, planning - architecture – construction, resources and environment, culture and arts, and social science.

The candidates’ research works should be new and creative, and offer solutions for real-world problems.

Students can join the competition as an individual or in groups of no more than five members.

Each individual or group can register one or more research works. Each school can select and submit a maximum of research works of students for a field.

Registration for the competition is open until September 25.

From October 1 to 20, the competition’s organisers will set up a scientific council to select outstanding research projects for the final round.

The final round and the awards ceremony is expected to be held in November at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in HCM City.

A scientific council of examiners will be established, including scientists and experts.

The awards for each field include one first prize worth VNĐ10 million (US$420), one second prize worth VNĐ5 million ($210), one third prize worth VNĐ3 million (US$126), and consolation prizes worth VNĐ1 million ($41) each.

The competition’s organisers may adjust the number of prizes.

After the awards ceremony, the Science and Technology Development Centre for Youth will assist winners to register their copyrights and intellectual property.  

The winners’ research will be supported and introduced to enterprises and organisations for real-world application.

They will also be introduced to the Technological and Scientific Incubation Programme for Young People and the city and National Technical, Scientific, and Creative Award in 2024.

In addition, a scientific research camp and exchanges with former winners in previous competitions will be held for students participating in the competition.

This year, the competition received the companionship of Tâm Nguyện Việt Social Charity Fund, the city’s Department of Science and Technology and Vingroup Innovation Foundation.

The 2022 Eureka Award competition attracted 1,231 scientific research topics of more than 5,000 students from 119 universities, colleges and institutions nationwide. — VNS