Võ Trọng Khải (third, left), a Year-12A1 student at Phan Bội Châu High School for the Gifted in Nghệ An Province, wins a gold medal at the 2025 International Mathematical Olympiad, and his teammates in the 2025 IMO.— VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam should establish a strategic national scholarship fund to support students who win international competitions, enabling them to study priority fields such as fundamental sciences, artificial intelligence (AI) and biotechnology at the world’s leading universities.

The proposal was made by teacher Nguyễn Văn Đóa from Bắc Giang High School for the Gifted at a national conference held in Hà Nội on Friday by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).

The conference was held to review training and coaching activities for national teams competing in regional and international Olympiads from 2016 to 2025.

Đóa said many Vietnamese students who achieve outstanding results at international contests still have to find scholarships and fund their studies abroad by themselves.

“Many of them have the potential to become leading scientists, yet there is still no sufficiently strong mechanism to support their long-term development within the country,” he said.

He added that such scholarships should include binding policies requiring recipients to return to Việt Nam to work at research institutes, universities or key State-owned technology corporations for a certain period.

The State should also create favourable employment, research and remuneration policies to attract and retain talent, including seed funding for research groups led by young scientists.

Expanding opportunities

Associate Professor Nguyễn Thị Thu Hà, head of Việt Nam’s Chemistry Olympiad team to the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) for 2023–25, said that Việt Nam should continue participating in and expanding reputable regional contests such as the Mendeleev and Uzbekistan Olympiads.

The competitions, co-organised by educational institutions and ministries of participating countries, provide valuable opportunities for international exchange and help strengthen academic excellence among high school students.

“In reality, many Vietnamese students who achieved top results in these regional Olympiads went on to succeed at the IChO, which served as an essential stepping stone,” she said.

Hà also emphasised the need for greater investment in laboratory infrastructure, aiming to build internationally standardised laboratories to support the training of gifted students.

“We must ensure modern, safe and standardised conditions for study, practice and research,” she said.

This also requires developing a new generation of lecturers and young experts to maintain continuity in teaching and research, while expanding international cooperation in science education.

According to Hà, most Vietnamese Chemistry Olympiad medallists continue their academic pursuits at top universities in countries such as Singapore, the United States and Australia.

Others have returned to contribute to domestic education and research, working at leading institutions such as the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hà Nội; Hà Nội University of Science and Technology; and Hà Nội University of Pharmacy.

However, she pointed out that there is still no unified or official platform connecting generations of Olympiad alumni.

“We currently lack a dedicated information channel or forum that links former contestants, allowing them to share experiences and support one another,” she said.

To address the problem, she proposed establishing a national alumni network and communication platform for Olympiad laureates, both to promote their achievements and to create opportunities for exchange and mentorship.

She also recommended forming collaborative research groups involving Vietnamese and international scientists, where these young talents could take part directly in projects and gain valuable research experience.

“Effectively harnessing this pool of young talent will strengthen Việt Nam’s next generation of scientists, driving long-term development in education and research amid deepening international integration,” she said.

Although challenges remain, the initiatives offer practical pathways to link talent cultivation with national scientific advancement, building a strong foundation for Việt Nam’s future generations.

Lê Công Lợi, Principal of the High School for Gifted Students under the University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hà Nội, also called for expanding opportunities for Vietnamese students to compete in prestigious international academic Olympiads.

He suggested that the MOET should work with relevant authorities to allow Vietnamese students to officially represent the country with State funding and formal recognition at competitions such as the Asia-Pacific Mathematical Olympiad, the International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad, the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Mendeleev International Chemistry Olympiad and the International Economics Olympiad.

Future direction

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Phạm Ngọc Thưởng congratulated and commended the achievements of Vietnamese Olympiad teams in recent years, describing them as “a source of immense pride not only for the students themselves but also for their families, teachers, schools and the nation.”

He attributed the accomplishments to several key factors such as the steady improvement of Việt Nam’s education system from early years to high school, the intelligence and dedication of students and the increasing attention and investment from the Party, the State and society in education, particularly in specialised high-achieving programmes.

Thưởng said as Việt Nam implements Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in education and training, the identification, training and nurturing of talented students will become even more favourable.

“Gifted students are the ‘red seeds’, the foundation of the country’s future high-quality human resources,” he said.

He thus called for continued innovation in identifying and nurturing young talent, training teachers, improving transparency in examinations and aligning testing standards with international benchmarks.

A key priority, he added, is developing a strategic framework for discovering, nurturing and rewarding young talent through breakthrough mechanisms and policies.

From 2016 to 2025, Vietnamese teams competing in regional and international Olympiads won 362 medals, including 112 gold, 140 silver, 89 bronze and 21 certificates of merit, 48 more than in the previous decade.

For many consecutive years, Việt Nam has ranked among the top ten countries worldwide in subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and informatics.

Several teams, notably in mathematics, chemistry, physics and informatics, have maintained consistently high performances and international standings. — VNS