Quickly form 9 priority technology industries at the National Innovation Center

On the occasion of Vietnam Innovation Day 2024 and the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the National Innovation Center (NIC) which will be held over 2 days (October 1-2), Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung shared with the press about the outstanding marks that NIC has left in the past time as well as the Center's planning orientation in the coming time.

Could you please share about the establishment process of the National Innovation Center (NIC)?

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: Talking about the birth of NIC, it was on the occasion when the Ministry of Planning and Investment was assigned the task of researching and advising the Party and State on the 10-year socio-economic development strategy of the country 2021-2030, in which the country's development goals set for the period 2030-2045 are very high.

Accordingly, Vietnam strives to become a developing country with modern industry and high average income by 2030, and a developed country with high income by 2045. Thus, our remaining time is very short. In the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution developing rapidly, to overcome challenges and achieve that goal, what is the new growth driver for Vietnam?

We have researched and believe that the root nature of growth is still science, technology and innovation. Based on that, we have advised the Party to include this in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress, considering it a strategic breakthrough, along with the 3 breakthroughs in institutions, infrastructure and human resources. The 14th National Congress of the Party is also preparing in that spirit, the spirit of preparing the country to enter a new era, an era of the Vietnamese people's rise.

We must use science, technology and innovation as the driving force for our breakthrough development. And only then can we seize the opportunity of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to break through to rapid and sustainable development and narrow the development gap with other countries. There is only that path and no other path or opportunity. If we do not seize it, we will lose a very valuable opportunity that takes many years to obtain.

In that spirit, we have thought about immediately forming a modern, synchronous, regional and world-class National Innovation Center, in order to build an innovation ecosystem that promotes scientific and technological research and leads the spread, bringing the Vietnamese economy to a higher level in the value chain.

Based on the Resolution of the Party Central Committee and the experience of other countries, we have coordinated with a leading consulting firm in the world to research and develop a project to establish this center. During the process of collecting opinions from ministries, branches, businesses and organizations at home and abroad, the Project was welcomed and highly appreciated. On October 2, 2019, the Prime Minister decided to establish the National Innovation Center - NIC.

After 5 years of establishment, what marks has NIC left in connecting components of the innovation ecosystem, Minister?

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: NIC is the core of building, developing and leading Vietnam's innovation ecosystem. The main purpose of NIC is to combine the State, enterprises, institutes - schools, research centers, financial institutions, incubators... to support research on new technologies, startups and support businesses.

Over the years, Vietnam’s innovation has always been highly appreciated and ranked well by the international community. Never before has this field received such strong attention and development support from the Government, ministries and sectors as it does today.

NIC was born in extremely difficult circumstances, with many challenges. To innovate, there must be a specific mechanism and competition. However, when the Center was established, there was nothing, in terms of resources, human resources and experience. We had to ask the Government to issue a separate decree to regulate the activities of NIC in the direction of giving priority and special support to the Center.

There are many similar centers in the world, but they are all owned by economic corporations. None of them are owned by the State, invested in, managed by the State, and serve the interests of the State. This is the first center in the world, and that is the fundamental difference compared to the rest of the world.

Later, the global consulting firm BCG assessed that it wanted to replicate Vietnam's model in other countries to lead national innovation.

After 5 years of operation of NIC with many difficulties, but with the support of the Government, Prime Minister, ministries and branches, up to now there have been initial institutions for innovation in general, the Ministry of Science and Technology is still continuing to research and do more. We have transformed some contents into the Capital Law, Decree 94 (currently being revised again).

In terms of facilities, two facilities have been established, one in Ton That Thuyet building, operating very effectively, considered one of the best centers in Vietnam today. Hoa Lac facility has been built on a large scale with foreign funding, with 9 priority technology industries gradually taking shape. This building has been voted by a world ranking organization based in Singapore as one of the two best commercial buildings in Asia 2024.

NIC’s activities are very new, doing many things, forming institutions, facilities, and apparatus. The most important thing is that we do not wait until one thing is finished to do another, but do it in parallel. While building facilities, we still organize activities related to innovation, conferences, consulting workshops, incubation, support... for startups, organize forums for investment funds, especially support for businesses.

Overview of the National Innovation Center (NIC) Hoa Lac facility.

Hundreds of large and small enterprises have benefited from the Center, especially in supporting digital transformation of enterprises. In a short time, NIC has effectively implemented many tasks, but that is only the initial result. We cannot be satisfied, because the challenge placed on NIC is very heavy, how to become a modern center, international standards; how to connect with international and domestic centers, be a bridge between the State and enterprises, institutes and schools in research, technology transfer, product commercialization; how to develop to regional standards, turning Vietnam into an innovation destination of the region and the world.

That is the vision and ambition that we are trying to realize every day, every hour, first of all, forming 9 technology industries that have been identified as priority choices. This is a huge challenge that the Center is trying to overcome in order to help Vietnam make the best use of the opportunities of the 4th Industrial Revolution, promoting innovation for the country.

Can the Minister provide more information about the specific policies we have designed over the past time for innovation?

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: Among the policies, NIC's support for startups is the clearest. Startups will be consulted and supported to connect resources, funds, and businesses to see what the needs of businesses and localities are; what the ability of startups or ecosystem participants to solve those challenges is. From there, they can connect and support localities and businesses in solving problems.

The breakthrough mechanism is a common problem but will be solved first at this NIC. We have the facilities but cannot decide on leasing, business, association, lending, etc. The procedures are very complicated due to the provisions of the Law on Public Asset Management.

We have reported to the Government to submit to the National Assembly for permission to include in the Capital Law, allowing NIC to decide on its own use of its facilities, without having to follow the procedures as prescribed in current regulations. That is the proactive opening of NIC to flexibly and effectively use assets.

To promote the development of innovation activities in general and of NIC in particular, what strategies and plans do we have in the coming time, Minister?

Minister Nguyen Chi Dung: First of all, it is necessary to form a complete, synchronous, and unified policy mechanism to operate best according to international standards.

Second, the infrastructure must be complete, including research centers, labs, and housing for experts. Currently, Hoa Lac is lacking in facilities. Without these facilities, how can we retain experts? If people do not come and stay, we cannot attract domestic and foreign resources.

Third is to quickly form 9 technology industries there, including smart manufacturing, smart cities, digital media, cyber security, environment, healthcare, semiconductors, hydrogen... We are promoting this, currently promoting semiconductors the most, opening research and training centers.

In the near future, NIC will also be assigned an important task of managing the training program to develop human resources for the semiconductor industry. This is a very ambitious and strategic goal, striving from now until 2050, to train at least 50,000 semiconductor engineers, supplying the Vietnamese market and possibly foreign markets, taking advantage of the opportunity immediately.

We have a very strong human resource, but we must exploit it thoroughly, otherwise we will not have the skills to meet the demand. The demand is very large, and human resources are very available. I believe that we will be able to train and quickly rise up, occupying the global value chain in the semiconductor industry. NIC is organizing and implementing this content very strongly.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nhanh-chong-hinh-thanh-9-nganh-cong-nghe-uu-tien-tai-trung-tam-doi-moi-sang-tao-quoc-gia-post833964.html