Nguyễn Trung Kiên, Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spoke at the opening of the Việt Nam Research and Development Forum 2025 on July 30. — VNA/VNS Photo

NINH BÌNH — The Việt Nam Research and Development Forum 2025 opened in the northern province of Ninh Bình on Wednesday, aiming to support the development of an effective national R&D strategy grounded in international collaboration and innovation-driven policies. 

Co-organised by the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVSE Global) and the Ninh Bình Province People’s Committee, the two-day event brings together around 100 domestic and foreign scientists and experts, policymakers, and representatives from local and international agencies and businesses.

Themed 'Advancing Việt Nam’s Future through Strategic R&D Investment', it was also seen as a strategic step to promote the transition to a knowledge-based economy and strengthen the country’s internal innovation capacity—a key driver for sustainable development and for increasing Việt Nam’s global standing.

Prof Dr Nguyễn Đức Khương, Chairman of AVSE Global, said the Việt Nam R&D Forum 2025 focuses on actionable solutions for transforming global knowledge into concrete initiatives tailored to Việt Nam’s context.

Khương underscored the vital role of science and technology in driving innovation to drive national growth and development. He expressed his hope that with its wealth of intellectual and expert resources, the forum will serve as a platform for idea exchange and a space for action, where scientists and experts can identify a distinct path for R&D in Việt Nam, ultimately proposing a policy framework to translate R&D into practical application, empowering businesses to grow stronger and expand globally.

At the forum, Nguyễn Trung Kiên, Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted that the forum takes place at a pivotal time as the country undertakes strong political system reforms, with science, technology, innovation and digital transformation identified as key pillars of a new economic development model in the country.

The goal of increasing R&D investment to 2 per cent of GDP by 2030 reflects Việt Nam’s strategic direction in building a knowledge- and innovation-based economy, he added, noting that without R&D, scientific advances cannot be effectively applied in practice or generate real value.

The forum offered a good chance for localities to engage in dialogue, share practical lessons, and identify suitable models to effectively connect research, development, and application in ways that align with Việt Nam’s specific conditions, he said.

Participants focused their discussion on the Việt Nam R&D roadmap 2025–2030, which emphasises financial incentives, expert networking, and industry–university collaboration; a national R&D policy framework, with proposals to establish a national R&D council, implement talent incentives and offer tax breaks for businesses investing in R&D; and sector-specific investment action plans that aim to develop dedicated special economic zones for R&D, support professional training, and develop specialised investment funds.

Việt Nam R&D Forum 2025 aims to achieve five core goals – establishing long-term connection mechanisms for R&D cooperation, promoting the transfer and commercialisation of research outcomes, developing a national R&D strategy grounded in practical initiatives, positioning Việt Nam as an emerging R&D hub in ASEAN and fostering a dynamic, integrated and sustainable R&D ecosystem.

The event is also expected to serve as a strategic bridge connecting policymakers, businesses, research institutes, universities, investors, and experts, thus promoting dialogue, cooperation, and concrete action.

Data from the World Bank shows that spending on R&D in Việt Nam increased to 0.43 per cent of GDP in 2021 from 0.3 per cent in 2013, considered a positive improvement but still low compared to the average of 2–4 per cent of GDP in developed countries. — VNA/VNS