Delegates visit the Automation Technology Exhibition (AT Expo) held on the sidelines of the conference on July 16. — VNA/VNS Photo Quang Thái

GIA LAI — The 8th International Conference and Exhibition on Control and Automation (VCCA-2026) opened at Quy Nhơn University in the central province of Gia Lai on Thursday, as policymakers, scientists and businesses gathered to discuss the role of automation in implementing the Party’s Resolution 57 on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation.

Held in two days, the event is jointly organised by the Việt Nam Automation Association (VAA), Quy Nhơn University, the Gia Lai Department of Science and Technology, as well as other partners.

Under the theme “Smart automation – strategic technology of the digital era”, VCCA-2026 features a scientific conference, a business forum, the Automation Technology Exhibition (AT Expo) and an exhibition of One Commune One Product (OCOP) goods.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyễn Quân, former minister of science and technology and chairman of the Việt Nam Automation Association, said automation technologies were entering a period of major opportunity as Việt Nam advances towards the digital era and pursues its goal of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income nation by 2045.

He noted that the Party and State have consistently identified science and technology as a key pillar of national development. In recent years, the Politburo issued Resolution 57, while the National Assembly adopted the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, introducing new mechanisms and policies to foster scientific and technological development.

According to Quân, automation is not a standalone technology but an integrated field combining breakthroughs in materials science, semiconductors, precision engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

Thanks to its ability to bring together multiple technologies, automation is now present across most sectors of the economy, from manufacturing and public services to government administration, he said.

This is also why robotics and automation have been designated among Việt Nam’s strategic technologies under Decision No. 21/2026/QĐ-TTg, which sets out priority areas for development.

Delegates participating in the 8th International Conference and Exhibition on Control and Automation (VCCA-2026). — VNA/VNS Photo

Chairman of the Gia Lai People’s Committee Phạm Anh Tuấn said the conference held special significance for the locality. It was not only an honour to welcome the domestic and international scientific community, but also an opportunity to strengthen connections, learn from others’ experience, expand cooperation and gain access to new scientific and technological achievements in support of local development.

The event also offers a chance to deepen cooperation with the Việt Nam Automation Association, research institutes, universities, businesses and partners at home and abroad, Tuấn remarked, adding that such partnerships would facilitate research, technology transfer and the application of science and technology to address the province’s practical development challenges.

Organisers said 157 of the 178 scientific papers submitted this year passed peer review and will be presented across 22 specialised panels, an increase from the previous edition in 2024.

Key topics include industrial robots, autonomous vehicles, soft robotics, smart factories and cities, biomedical electronics, and automation applications in healthcare and agriculture.

The business forum and technology exhibition will also showcase solutions in artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, digital transformation and green transition, while promoting investment links and technology transfer. — VNS