V-KIST to be built

V-KIST is where new policies are piloted

This construction is the next step following Decree 50/2015/ND-CP on May 18, 2015 on the establishment of the V-KIST, which already took effect on July 15. The decree allowed the establishment of the joint Vietnam-Korea V-KIST organization under the MoST.

The V-KIST will operate largely autonomously in terms of finance and encourage domestic, overseas Vietnamese and foreign scientists who are engaged in scientific and technological activities at the institute. It will focus on multidisciplinary application and technology-oriented industrial research based on an internationally qualified staff and modern technical infrastructure and equipment.

According to Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan, while Vietnam currently has two national research institutes that are widely regarded as failing to boost national scientific and technological development and establish key sectoral links due to limited scales, outdated equipment and technologies and a lack of quality staff.

The V-KIST by contrast is viewed as a way to pilot new policies and mechanisms to boost national scientific and technological development. If these policies and mechanisms prove effective, the MoST will propose to the Vietnam National Assembly and the government to apply these policies and mechanisms where suitable across the country.

The Republic of Korea (RoK) will provide US$35 million as non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) for the V-KIST with Vietnam matching the funding. “We will invite some overseas Vietnamese and foreign scientists to assist the V-KIST in the first phase of operation,” Nguyen Quan said.

Expectations for the V-KIST

The RoK is Vietnam’s first choice in its national scientific and technological development strategy in the future as it became one of the world’s leading industrially-developed countries after 55 years of development, with the continual and significant contribution of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST).

Via the V-KIST, Vietnam expects to achieve the same successes as the RoK, contributing to boosting the local socioeconomic growth and national scientific and technological development as well.

“To rank among the world’s leading industrially developed countries after 2020, we must have international-level institutes of science and technology and scientific and technological flagship products. So, the V-KIST should well play its role in this context,” Nguyen Quan said.

Quynh Nga