Opening a new page for the quality measurement standards industry

On March 28, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung chaired a working session with the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality (hereinafter referred to as the Committee).

Taking place in both direct and online formats, this is the second working session of the head of the science and technology sector with units under the Ministry to outline goals, directions and new approaches for stronger development in the coming time.

Also attending the meeting were Deputy Ministers of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh and Hoang Minh; representatives of leaders of a number of agencies and units in the Ministry and the staff of the Committee.

W-BoTruong_KHCN_Nguyen_ManhHung 3.jpg
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung chaired a working session with the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality. Photo: The Bang

Emphasizing the importance of the quality measurement standards industry for the country's socio-economic development, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung pointed out that quality measurement standards activities are part of the trio of science and technology (S&T), innovation (I&T) and digital transformation (DTM), and are the driving force behind this trio. Not only that, it also contributes to enhancing competitiveness, economic growth and improving people's quality of life.

The head of the science and technology sector analyzed: The story of quality measurement standards is closely related to the development perspective, the governance perspective and the country's innovation. Therefore, the activities of the Commission must be based on these perspectives for development, specifically: High-quality development, standing shoulder to shoulder with the great powers; improving the quality of people's lives, making decisions based on more data...

The direction of a country must be reflected in small units and organizations. With the Committee, when relying on the perspectives of development, governance and innovation of the country, the unit will have many directions and "rays of light" for development.

In addition to national goals, the Committee also aims to make organizations and businesses see that standards - measurement - quality are the way for their units to improve, helping to create prestige and honor for the organization, instead of just compliance costs.

“If businesses only think of this as a costly place to comply with state management regulations, they will be very upset. But if they think it is their job, they will do it voluntarily,” Minister Nguyen Manh Hung noted.

Standards are a guiding tool for countries and businesses. Standards are not only a technical framework but must play a role in guiding the development of technology, products and markets. Minister Nguyen Manh Hung

Spending a lot of time analyzing specific evidence and discussing to clarify the definition and correct understanding of the three main keywords in the functions and tasks of the Committee, including "Standards", "Measurement" and "Quality", the head of the science and technology sector also conveyed the message: If you want to open a new page, create new developments, and contribute more to your country and people, you need to return to the root and foundation. When you understand the root and the true nature, it is very easy to do the work, but if you do not understand the root, it will be very difficult to do it.

The staff of the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality were also reminded that in order to succeed, they need to look both near and far, go “from near to far”, “from the ground to the sky”, and do well from small things. Along with standardizing all activities of their units, the Committee must also focus on measuring and quantifying the unit’s contribution to the country’s socio-economic development.

W-BoTruong_KHCN_Nguyen_ManhHung 1.jpg
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung directed: The first task of the Committee is to look closely and standardize all activities of its unit, the deadline for completing this is April 15. Photo: The Bang

Besides unifying the understanding of standards as requirements, measurement as assessment and quality as implementation, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung also outlined the contents that the Committee needs to pay attention to in each area of ​​work.

In which, standards are the guiding means for countries and enterprises. Standards are not only a technical framework but must play a role in guiding the development of technology, products and markets. In particular, wherever a country wants to go, it must use standards to lead there. This is a major task of the Committee.

Measurement is to serve decision-making, improve and enhance the quality of products and services. It is necessary to build a verification system; build a culture of data-based decision-making; build a reliable and easily accessible measurement ecosystem to serve all levels of decision-making, from people, businesses and the state. At the same time, support Vietnamese businesses to easily access measurement, testing and evaluation services.

Measurement is to serve decision-making, improve and enhance the quality of products and services. It is necessary to build a verification system; build a culture of data-based decision-making; build a reliable and easily accessible measurement ecosystem to serve all levels of decision-making, from people, businesses and the state. Minister Nguyen Manh Hung

Notably, the head of the Ministry of Science and Technology also requested that all public policies must have output indicators and measurement tools. The committee needs to focus on creating a standard stating that when announcing a public policy, there must be output indicators and measurement tools.

Commenting that state management must pay attention to cultural factors, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung said that quality creates trust, however, in Vietnam, we need to focus on prestige, honor, and pride, because this is the culture of honor of Vietnamese people.

“Quality is the number one competitive factor, the survival of enterprises, the sustainable development of organizations and leads to sustainable national development. Quality is consumer protection, the balance between voluntary and compulsory” , the Minister emphasized.

Focusing standardization activities on national issues

At the meeting, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung affirmed that standardization is an important tool to support and promote the development of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation. In turn, developing these three will help standardization activities better.

In which direction a country wants to develop, standards must lead the country in that direction. Therefore, standards must be comprehensive, covering all 5 areas: Politics, economics, culture, society, environment and covering all industries. Minister Nguyen Manh Hung

Standardization aims to enhance national competitiveness, promote high-quality development based on science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, promote new development models, contribute to economic growth and improve people's quality of life.

The standards must guide the country in whatever direction it wants to develop. Therefore, the standards must be comprehensive, covering all 5 areas: Politics, economy, culture, society, environment and covering all industries.

Standardization needs to shift from state-led to a balance between state and market; from a few sectors to the entire economy.

Suggesting a focused approach in implementing standardization, the head of the science and technology sector said: where is the national strategy focusing on, where is the focus of the Party and State, what are the outstanding problems in society, then standardization activities need to focus on that.

Accordingly, at this time, the focus of the Party and State is on double-digit growth, high-quality growth based on science and technology, innovation and national digital transformation; mastering strategic technologies; improving the quality of life for people; streamlining the apparatus; solving problems of the two major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City; environmental pollution... "These are major national issues that the Committee must participate in," the Minister requested.

Hanoi Road 1 1 184.jpg
The problems of the two big cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City such as environmental pollution, traffic congestion... are big problems of the country, the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality needs to participate in solving them. Photo: Pham Hai

A series of tasks that need to be focused on in the coming time have also been outlined for the Committee, namely: Innovating standardization activities; promoting enterprises to make standards; integrating standards into measurement and quality; enhancing the application of standards in daily life; digital transformation of standardization activities; integrating standards - measurement - quality into the activities of the Ministry of Science and Technology...

Within the framework of the meeting, the head of the science and technology sector also thoroughly answered questions from the officials and employees of the Committee such as how to quantify the contribution of national standards to the country's socio-economy; main orientations in drafting the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation; the policy of the Ministry of Science and Technology in developing high-quality human resources for research institutions...

“Talent comes from work, the more you do, the better you become. To create talented people, the first thing is for the leader to think of challenging tasks. If the Committee has great tasks, tasks to change the country and has a good leader to show feasible ways to do challenging tasks, I think many personnel in the unit will become talented people,” Minister Nguyen Manh Hung answered concerns about the story of high-quality human resources.

The ultimate goal of science and technology, innovation and digital transformation is to increase national competitiveness . Minister Nguyen Manh Hung said that science and technology, innovation and digital transformation must aim at the ultimate goal of improving national competitiveness, contributing to socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security and improving people's quality of life.