Australia shares experience in innovation with Vietnam

Lucy Cameron, a senior expert of Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), gave insight into the innovation-based economy, and stressed that Vietnam is making efforts in innovation to create changes in its economy that relies on tangible products.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bui The Duy told the workshop that the Vietnamese Government, ministries and agencies, including the MoST, have constantly updated and adjusted policies to promote science-technology and innovation in industrial production.

In the field of innovation, the government has cooperated with a number of partners like the World Bank, Finland, and then Australia, he said. Cooperation with Australia has helped Vietnam adapt very quickly to the world's digital transformation, especially in wood processing, and build a policy system on science-technology and innovation that is up to date with world practice.

Nguyen Duc Hoang, deputy head of the MoST’s State Agency for Technology Innovation, noted that in a developing country like Vietnam, innovation should go with the application of research and development achievements, as well as existing technologies.

The participants looked into Aus4Innovation - a development assistance programme that aims to strengthen Vietnam’s innovation system, prepare for and embrace opportunities associated with the fourth Industrial Revolution, and help shape Vietnam’s innovation agenda in science and technology.

They shared the view on the need to roll out mechanisms and policies, and supplement solutions to complete the national innovation system, thus making science-technology and innovation an engine of national development.