Vietnam - Australia cultivate seeds for strategic technology

(Dan Tri) - The Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technology Center is forming a research network on 5G/6G, AI, quantum, cyber security..., opening up many opportunities for young scientists.

On June 11, 2025, the Australia - Vietnam Strategic Technology Center (AVSTC) was officially opened at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) with the goal of promoting research cooperation, innovation and development of strategic technologies between the two countries.

The Center was formed from a cooperative initiative between the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology, jointly implemented by PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Nokia technology group participates as a founding partner from the business side.

Talking with Dan Tri reporter, representative of the Australia - Vietnam Strategic Technology Center, Associate Professor Dr. Dang The Ngoc - Deputy Dean in charge of the Faculty of Telecommunications, Center Research Director and Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Deputy Head of the Department of Science and Technology Management and International Cooperation, Center Operations Director said that through the coordination between Vietnam - Australia and activities at AVSTC, the Center has become a focal point connecting scientists, universities and research institutes. Research and enterprises of the two countries in researching, testing and transferring new technologies.

Vietnam - Australia technology bridge

Dear Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, in the context of science and technology cooperation between Vietnam and Australia being increasingly expanded, how is the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technology Center positioned in this cooperative relationship?

- Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung: Since its establishment, the Center has been identified as a strategic technology hub between Vietnam and Australia. The Center's main role is to create a bridge for research groups, experts, universities and businesses of the two countries to exchange knowledge, develop technology and implement joint research projects.

Activities do not stop at academic exchanges but also aim at forming sample products, technological solutions and the ability to transfer research results to businesses.

Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung said that international experts and scientists regularly have seminars and discussions at AVSTC, thereby expanding professional exchange and technological cooperation opportunities between research groups (Photo: Minh Nhat).

Universities and scientists have strengths in research, while businesses hold the infrastructure, underlying technology and understand market needs. Nokia's companionship as a main partner helps the Center have more infrastructure, tools and experimental environment for teams to develop applications on new technology platforms.

As a founding partner from the business side, how is Nokia technology group supporting the Center in testing and developing new technology applications?

- Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung: Currently, Nokia is deploying a private 5G network system (Private 5G) at the Center, serving research and application development based on this new technology.

Unlike the widely used 5G network, which is built to serve a large number of subscribers over a wide area, the private 5G network is designed for an area or organization with specialized needs, such as factories, seaports, industrial parks, mines, research facilities...

Because it is built to serve a defined range, private networks allow users to be more proactive in designing coverage areas, allocating resources, managing data and ensuring information security.

Private 5G is deployed by Nokia at the Center for testing new technology solutions (Photo: Minh Nhat).

Nokia has supported the construction and installation of hardware and software systems at the Center. On that foundation, research teams can access technology, test solutions and build sample products suitable for each specific problem.

Cooperate and cultivate technology seeds

Dear Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, how are the specific connection activities of the Center being organized?

- Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung: After more than 1 year of operation, AVSTC has become a space for knowledge exchange through seminars, discussions and professional programs, where domestic scientists, research groups, and students can access new research directions and directly exchange with foreign experts, especially experts from Australia.

The Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technology Center plays the role of connecting Vietnamese research groups with Australian training units and businesses, implementing joint research and developing technology products towards practical applications (Photo: AVSTC).

These include seminars on 5G and cybersecurity co-organized by PTIT, UTS and Nokia, attracting a large number of engineers, students and experts; Summer Research School "Advanced Technology for a Connected Future" with more than 200 delegates, professors, experts from Nokia, Deakin University, UTS and the University of Luxembourg discussing 5G/6G, AI, cybersecurity, quantum technology and sustainable digital infrastructure.

From initial connections, the Center directs research groups to form joint proposals, implement projects and jointly develop research results between the two countries.

AVSTC also gradually expanded its network to scientists from many international universities and research organizations, connecting training and research units with partners in fields such as 5G/6G, artificial intelligence, network security, quantum technology, IoT and other strategic technologies.

Dear Associate Professor Dr. Dang The Ngoc, besides organizing professional exchange activities and connecting units, does the Center have any specific research programs? By what mechanism is this program implemented and what results is it aiming for?

- Associate Professor, Dr. Dang The Ngoc: One of the outstanding results in the first phase is the program to support seed research projects on strategic technologies. From more than 200 dossiers and nearly 30 research proposals, 8 "seed" topics were selected, each receiving support of 15,000 AUD from UTS, with funding from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The topics are implemented at many universities, research facilities and businesses in Vietnam such as Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, VinUniversity, Van Lang University, University of Natural Sciences (Hanoi National University) and technology enterprises.

These topics focus on strategic technology areas such as 5G/6G networks, quantum communications, artificial intelligence, IoT, blockchain, cybersecurity and sensor-integrated communications.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Dang The Ngoc, the 8 "seed" topics focus on the new technology fields of 5G/6G, AI, IoT, quantum communications and sensor integrated communications, aiming at product development and transfer to businesses (Photo: Minh Nhat).

The important point of the program is that each Vietnamese research group must have a partner that is an Australian university, business or research organization. This mechanism helps the coordination between the two parties to be formed right from the time of developing proposals, determining research methods to the implementation process and evaluating results, creating products with practical applications.

Seed projects are expected to create initial research results, serving as a basis for groups to continue perfecting technology, developing products and transferring results to businesses in the next stages.

Create opportunities for young scientists

What opportunities is the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Technology Center creating for students, graduate students and young scientists?

- Associate Professor, Dr. Dang The Ngoc: An important goal of the Center is to help young scientists participate in applicable projects and build a long-term cooperation network between Vietnam, Australia and international partners.

AVSTC is implementing sponsorship and tuition exemption programs for graduate students and full-time graduate students.

Most recently, the Center and the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology are co-sponsoring full-time graduate students in the fields of computer science, electrical engineering, telecommunications..., waiving all tuition fees and supporting 20 million VND/month so that graduate students can focus on research.

During that time, PhD students are trained by lecturers and scientists from PTIT and UTS; Worked in both Vietnam and Australia.

Scholarship and research support programs coordinated between Vietnam and Australia will create conditions for young scientists to feel secure in developing long-term projects (Photo: Minh Nhat)

After graduating with a doctorate, young researchers can continue to participate in post-doctoral programs with higher levels of support to attract young scientists to Vietnam to continue research and development.

In addition, the Center also pays special attention to promoting gender equality in the field of technology. In the first phase, the Center awarded 19 awards to female scientists, thereby encouraging women to continue pursuing strategic technology fields.

Based on the results achieved, what specific results does the Center expect to create for the research and technology ecosystems of the two countries in the next period?

- Associate Professor, Dr. Dang The Ngoc: The next phase will focus on 5G/6G, AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum computing and other strategic technologies. The goal is to bring results from the laboratory to solve real-life problems, especially in telemedicine, education in remote areas, supporting people with disabilities and adapting to climate change; At the same time, advise and develop policies on 5G/6G, AI, data and network security to serve Vietnam's development needs.

"Seed" research support and scholarship programs will continue to be implemented, with priority given to young and interdisciplinary research groups; At the same time, enhance training, academic exchange and research capacity development through summer schools, seminars, professional discussions, short-term exchange programs...

Sample products are developed from research activities, aimed at testing in practice, perfecting the technology and gradually transferring it to businesses (Photo: Minh Nhat).

Regarding cooperation with businesses, the Center continues to act as a bridge between research groups and industrial partners of the two countries, including Nokia, VNPT, Viettel, FPT, Vingroup/VinUni in Vietnam and Optus, Telstra, Ripper Corp, YooTek in Australia.

Through this network, conditional research results are verified according to actual needs, developed into application solutions and gradually transferred to businesses; connecting Vietnamese scientists with international experts and businesses.

- Thank you for the sharing of Associate Professor, Dr. Dang The Ngoc and Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung!

Photo: Minh Nhat