The Ministry of Science and Technology proposed that Australia establish a joint research fund
This is one of five major cooperation directions discussed by Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan in a working session with Senator Tim Ayres, Australian Minister of Industry, Science and Natural Resources, on August 11 in Canberra.
According to Minister Vu Hai Quan, Vietnam is focusing resources on 10 strategic technologies, including AI, semiconductors, quantum, energy and biology. These are identified areas that need large investments in research, development and technology mastery.
From the Joint Statement of the leaders of the two countries on strengthening cooperation, including content on science, technology and innovation, the Minister proposed that the two sides could move towards establishing a joint fund to sponsor long-term research programs, similar to the model Australia has implemented with some partners such as India and China.
"Such a fund will serve more long-term and sustainable research," he said.
Previously, in the first proposal, the Minister emphasized the desire to shift from training cooperation to creating research results. According to him, in the past, Vietnam-Australia cooperation mainly focused on higher education and human resource training, thereby creating many talents. The next stage needs to convert these human resources into research results, aiming to master strategic technologies.
"Moving from cooperation in higher education and talent training to linking training with research and mastering strategic technologies," the Minister affirmed.
The second proposal is to move from individual research projects to a common research ecosystem. Instead of each group or organization implementing each project independently, Vietnam wants the two countries to invest together, connecting universities, research institutes and businesses to form a common research ecosystem, thereby creating results of greater scale and impact.
He said that the science, technology and innovation cooperation program between the two countries in the first call for projects received more than 100 proposals and chose to sponsor 10 joint projects.
The third proposal is to maintain TechConnect as an annual forum for scientists from the two countries. From the success of TechConnect held at the Sydney University of Technology on August 10, the Minister raised the issue of turning the event into an annual activity, creating a space for scientists from the two countries to meet, share research results and orient new cooperation and research. If jointly sponsored by the two ministries, the forum can become an important information bridge between the two countries' research communities.
The fifth proposal is to expand cooperation on marine technology. Referring to the fact that Vietnam is implementing its development orientation to become a strong maritime nation, the Minister said that he wants to promote cooperation with Australia in areas such as ocean exploration, marine environmental protection, seafood development and related technologies.
"Australia has great strengths in this field," he said, and asked the Australian side to share experiences and strengthen joint research programs.
Responding to these suggestions, Australian Minister of Industry, Science and Natural Resources Tim Ayres said that the national priorities shared by Minister Vu Hai Quan are also "similar to Australia's".
According to Mr. Ayres, the two countries have many similar priorities in science, technology and industry, and need to identify areas with the potential to create the greatest impact to focus resources. He said Australia is also having to balance the development goals of science, trade, industry and security... Science cannot be developed in isolation but needs to connect with many other fields to form an ecosystem that serves national goals.
"Having trusted partners will lead to stronger research and development. And the cooperation of the two countries is very important," he said.
He cited the example of agriculture and food security. Australia has experience in rice production in dry areas, while Vietnam has its own challenges in terms of land and water. This can be an area for scientists from both countries to research together, share experiences and find solutions.
The Australian Minister also assessed that Vietnam's desire to shift the focus of cooperation from training to research is the appropriate direction. Universities have two important functions: teaching and research, while previous Vietnam-Australia cooperation focused heavily on teaching and left room for research.
Regarding building a joint research fund, Mr. Ayres said he really likes this idea and will soon work with the team to come up with a suitable direction.
The meeting ended with an agreement to continue exchanges between the two Ministries. Minister Tim Ayres said the two sides will continue to identify high-impact areas of cooperation to prioritize implementation.
Luu Quy