Vietnamese universities are weak in solving practical problems.

Vietnamese universities and Korean universities, two contrasting pictures of university participation in innovation in the two most dynamic cities of Vietnam and Korea.

On the afternoon of November 26, in Hai Phong, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the People's Committee of Hai Phong City organized a high-level policy forum on innovative startups "From local to international". This activity is part of the series of events of the national innovation startup festival TECHFEST Vietnam 2024. At the forum, the role of universities in the startup ecosystem was one of the topics that speakers focused on discussing. The current situation of Vietnamese universities being weak in solving practical problems was also analyzed.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City (middle) talks about the role of Vietnamese universities in building and developing the startup ecosystem.

Vietnamese universities are weak in their ability to keep up with market demand.

According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City, for Ho Chi Minh City, a dynamic locality with many universities, building and developing a startup ecosystem still faces many challenges. Notably, the ability to cooperate and closely follow market demand from universities and research institutes is still very weak. Facilities (for research) of universities are also very lacking.

"We focus too much on training, focusing on theory... Universities are still weak in connecting to solve practical problems of society and the market. Our research activities, to have many transferable results, turn them into technology and transfer them, are still weak. The role of universities with startups is currently limited," Mr. Dung shared.

According to Mr. Dung, the Ho Chi Minh City government also realized that the core issue to build and develop the startup ecosystem is how to connect the components of the ecosystem: universities/research institutes, businesses, and the state.

Therefore, Ho Chi Minh City is simultaneously implementing programs in which the solutions are aimed at directly impacting the development of scientific research at universities/research institutes.

For example, a program to support businesses when they cooperate in research and development with universities; or a program to promote the commercialization of university research through the Ho Chi Minh City technology exchange as well as open innovation events; or support to promote universities in Ho Chi Minh City to develop according to the startup university model; or policies to help universities form strong research centers...

Lessons from the "Silicon Valley of Asia"

At the forum, Mr. Park Dae Hee, Director of the Daejeon Center for Creative Innovation (Daejeon CCEI), also shared experiences to help this locality become the "Silicon Valley of Asia", one of the key economic development areas of Korea.

According to Mr. Park, Daejeon City currently has 26 state-run research centers and more than 200 research centers belonging to universities. But to get to where it is today is a journey of efforts to build a friendly environment for startups and creative research.

First of all, Daejeon CCEI regularly invites researchers and professors from universities to give lectures and discuss current issues of science and technology. Whenever local issues arise, researchers are invited to research and find solutions with the locality and businesses. Each institute and school has its own tasks and functions, but under the coordination of Daejeon CCEI, all have the same goal of solving practical problems of Daejeon City in particular and of Korea in general.

In particular, Daejeon CCEI coordinates and develops a program for students preparing to graduate to do internships at businesses. After participating in the program, students will gain practical working skills and in-depth professional knowledge so that after graduation, they can quickly integrate into their future jobs.

"One of our successes in developing the startup ecosystem is developing cooperation between units, between research institutes, universities, with centers and policy-making agencies, state management agencies on startups and the startup ecosystem," said Mr. Park Dae Hee.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dai-hoc-viet-nam-yeu-trong-giai-quyet-van-de-thuc-tien-185241126201429908.htm