Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Education and Training hold a working session with HUST

On the afternoon of July 4, the Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Education and Training co-chaired a working session on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation at Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST).

Participants in the working session included:

From the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST): Comrade Nguyen Manh Hung, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Science and Technology; Comrade Bui The Duy, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of MOST; Comrade Hoang Minh, Deputy Minister of MOST; Comrade Le Xuan Dinh, Deputy Minister of MOST; along with leaders and representatives from agencies and units under MOST.

From the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET): Comrade Nguyen Kim Son, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Education and Training; along with leaders and representatives from agencies and units under MOET.

Representing the leadership of Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) were: Prof. Le Anh Tuan, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the University Council; Assoc. Prof. Huynh Quyet Thang, President of the University; and over 80 officials, lecturers, and scientists.

HUST's highlights in science & technology, innovation, and digital transformation

As the country faces demands for rapid, sustainable development and a strong push in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, HUST has actively responded to the spirit of the Politburo's Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW (December 22, 2024), the Politburo's Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW (August 12, 2024), and the National Assembly's Resolution No. 193/2025/QH15 (February 19, 2025). The university has undertaken comprehensive restructuring and implemented key projects, striving towards the goal of developing HUST into one of Asia's leading higher education institutions, as per the Prime Minister's Decision No. 663/QD-TTg dated March 25, 2025.

At the meeting, Assoc. Prof. Huynh Quyet Thang, President of HUST, presented a report on the university's performance in S&T, Innovation, and Digital Transformation.

Regarding research organization, HUST has streamlined its structure and promoted decentralized autonomy in managing S&T activities across its 6 research institutes. The university is developing and planning a network of research labs in strategic S&T fields, including AI and Data Science; Intelligent Systems and Robotics; Energy and Sustainable Environment; Health Sciences; New Materials and Nanotechnology; and Microelectronics and Semiconductors.
  In terms of S&T human resources, HUST brings together many scientists whose expertise covers nearly all core industrial sectors. The university has 1,069 lecturers, of whom 797 hold PhDs (75%)—primarily trained in advanced countries—and 299 are professors and associate professors (28%). Additionally, HUST's 40,000 students are deeply passionate about learning and research.

In scientific publications, HUST leads the nation in the number of Intellectual property rights in science, engineering, and technology (achieving 20-25 intellectual property rights per year) and publishes over 2,000 scientific papers annually, with about 1,400 indexed in WoS/Scopus.

"Made by HUST" technology products span nearly all strategic technology fields, including many dual-use technologies that can effectively serve national security and defense in areas such as telecommunications, maritime and island affairs, energy, information technology, AI, engineering physics, chemistry, and aerospace engineering.

HUST's research and innovation ecosystem is another notable highlight, featuring an extensive alumni network, the BK Fund for student startups, a network of corporate partners including major domestic and international corporations, and an international cooperation network with over 300 universities and international research institutes.
  On governance, the university is actively promoting digital transformation in its administrative management and developing a digital university model with platforms like eHUST, BK-Office, BK-Sign, and daotao.ai. "Building and developing a shared digital university model" is one of the key tasks and solutions for implementing the project to develop HUST into one of Asia's leading higher education institutions, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 663/QD-TTg on March 25, 2025.

HUST: Dares to think, dares to act, dares to experiment

This was the commitment HUST made during the working session with the leadership of MOST and MOET.

Assoc. Prof. Huynh Quyet Thang, HUST President, affirmed:

HUST dares to think, dare to act, and has the courage to experiment to develop into a center of excellence for talent training, research, and innovation. The university plays a pioneering and leading role in fields that serve strategic technology and industrial development, including: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Electronics, Semiconductors and Chips, Digital Technology, Robotics and Automation, Energy, Environment, Biotechnology, and Advanced Materials. It is also developing HUST's Innovation Center to be modern and integrated with domestic and international innovation and startup networks.

Presenting proposals and recommendations to MOST and MOET, the HUST leadership raised two main points:

1. On technology development: Propose a mechanism for placing orders and assigning key, priority tasks based on the capacity of science&technology organizations, with guaranteed medium- and long-term funding. This would support the development of research programs for high-tech, strategic, and commercially viable technologies that bring significant economic, social, and human benefits. Research organizations and enterprises would proactively coordinate and organize implementation forces.

2. On building a Deep-Tech Research Center: Establish a center for creative, core technology research that aligns with the national strategy in HUST's areas of strength: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Blockchain, Electronics, Semiconductors and Chips, Digital Technology, Robotics and Automation, Energy, Environment, Biotechnology, and Advanced Materials. This would be modeled after leading international examples such as HighTechXL, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the Stanford Research Institute (SRI), and Berkeley Lab.
  Reporting to the MOST and MOET delegation, HUST scientists presented summaries of three research outcomes from the list of 11 strategic technologies outlined in the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1131/QD-TTg dated June 12, 2025:

1. A high-performance, small-sized electric motor drive system for robots and automated equipment (Robotics and Automation group).

2. Harmonic: A multi-scale weather forecasting system for Vietnam using foundational models and big data (Cloud Computing, Quantum Computing, Big Data group).

3. AI Camera, AI Microphone, and a Vietnamese-language virtual voice assistant (Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twin, Virtual/Augmented Reality group).
MOST Minister: By 2045, HUST must have 1 unicorn and 3 "mini-unicorns"

In his directive remarks, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung highly praised the university's serious, urgent, and responsible working spirit and the frank, dedicated feedback from HUST's officials and lecturers.

According to the Minister, MOST prioritizes funding for research projects that involve businesses, emphasizing that research outcomes must be commercialized. He expressed hope that through commercialization, businesses will generate economic growth and social impact.

Leaders from MOST and MOET further discussed with HUST's faculty and scientists the university's research strategy to meet national development needs, priority policies for research task groups, issues surrounding national-level science and technology programs, policies for commissioning science and technology tasks to higher education institutions, and policies to attract the development of strategic dual-use technologies.

According to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, HUST is a cornerstone of Vietnam's science and technology and innovation ecosystem, possessing significant internal capacity. He also set high expectations for the future, not just at the national level but also reaching a regional scale.
  The Minister commended the outstanding achievements the university has made, such as building research and technology transfer centers, forming interdisciplinary centers in high-tech fields, and successfully implementing numerous technology transfer projects. Notably, HUST was the first public institution to establish an applied research institute for artificial intelligence.

"Not many universities in Vietnam have spin-off companies that operate as effectively as HUST's," the Minister remarked, also praising HUST's role in training high-quality human resources for national digital transformation and innovation.

Despite its many achievements, HUST still faces some challenges, such as a limited number of technology transfer contracts and modest revenue from technology commercialization. The main causes are an unclear intellectual property mechanism, a lack of flexible financial mechanisms, and a weak intermediary force for technology transfer.

The Minister stated that the fundamental institutional frameworks have been stipulated in the Law on Science, Technology & Innovation, and detailed guiding decrees will be issued in the third quarter, creating conditions for higher education institutions to proactively adjust their internal mechanisms.

According to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, HUST is in a period of strong transition—from a research university to a flagship university in the national innovation ecosystem. The university needs to promote open incubation and attract national-level projects, especially key technology projects.

HUST can explore becoming an "intellectual prime contractor" and pilot an industry-specific innovation ecosystem where each field has its own laboratory and allied enterprises operating within the university itself.

To become a leading innovation hub in the region and the world, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung proposed several solutions: building a national technology and engineering university complex with core universities and technology testing zones, in which HUST is not just a nuclear component but a complete technology ecosystem; and researching a mechanism for the university to protect patents and provide technology guarantees for its spin-off companies.

Stressing the role of S&T in national prosperity, the Minister assigned a mission for 2045: HUST must create three unicorn companies and numerous "mini-unicorns."

Concluding the session, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized: "Science and technology are the foundation of a nation. For Vietnam to be powerful, S&T must flourish. S&T must be oriented towards innovation, application, creating material wealth, increasing competitiveness, and contributing directly to economic growth."

"HUST must be different from its former self, developing at a better pace."

According to Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, the working session was an important opportunity for MOST, MOET, and HUST to better understand each other. The Ministries need to listen to understand what higher education institutions desire, so they can provide support, coordination, and solutions that are practical and meet development needs.
"With the favorable context of Resolution 57 and the passage of several major policies, this is a precious opportunity for universities, especially in the engineering and technology block. If we fail to seize this opportunity and effectively leverage the new resources opening, it will be our own failing," the MOET Minister told HUST's officials and lecturers.
  The Minister believes that to innovate, one must first start with mindset—the mindset for conducting science, for using research funds effectively, and for understanding roles and organizing work.

He also noted that while the efficiency and quality of scientific products are top requirements, they should not be the sole objectives. S&T activities not only serve economic development but are also crucial tasks for developing faculty, enhancing training, and building university autonomy. Correctly identifying the "problem statement” that is, posing the right research questions and addressing the right societal and market needs—will be the decisive factor in the success of research and technology transfer.

Highlighting the "State-University-Enterprise" triple helix model that HUST is implementing, the Minister suggested that all three parties should be involved from the very beginning of formulating research tasks to create a common "problem statement," ensuring synchronization and practicality in implementation.

The MOET Minister also proposed that HUST explore the new-generation technology university model as directed by Party General Secretary To Lam.

"HUST must be different from its former self, developing at a better pace," Minister Nguyen Kim Son directed.