Ministry enhances public awareness of creativity and innovation

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat addresses the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) held an event in Hanoi on April 19 to respond to the World Creativity and Innovation Day (April 21), aiming to enhance public awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in socio-economic development and calling for organisations and individuals to join hands in promoting innovation activities.

Through the event, the start of a series of creative and innovation encouragement activities, the ministry also aims to promote the development of the national innovation system with close links between the public sector, manufacturers, investors, and research, education and training facilities.

Addressing the event, MoST Minister Huynh Thanh Dat noted that Vietnam has continuously climbed up the Global Innovation Index (GII) from the 59th position in 2016 to the 46th position in 2023.

Vietnam has always maintained the second position in the group of lower middle-income countries and is one of the seven middle-income countries that have achieved the most progress in innovation over the past decade, he said.

The launch of the Provincial Innovation Index (PII) in 2023 have provided the grounds and evidence on strengths, weaknesses, potential and necessary conditions for the country to promote socio-economic development based on science, technology and innovation of each locality, said the minister.

However, Minister Dat said that Vietnam needs to continue improving its creativity and innovation capacity more strongly to increase labour productivity and product quality, protect the environment and strengthen sustainable development.

He called for stronger guidance from the Party, Government and National Assembly, stronger cooperation from ministries, sectors, localities as well as the deeper engagement of research institutes, businesses and the whole society in scientific research, technological development and innovation activities.

Meanwhile, UN Resident Coordinator in Vietnam Pauline Tamesis said that innovation can help speed up the realisation of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the UN 2030 Agenda. She cited the National Report of Vietnam in 2023, which showed that Vietnam had achieved five out of 17 SDGs.

She advised Vietnam to speed up this process through innovation and creativity, inspiring activities to promote green technologies and solutions, thus contributing to reducing carbon emissions as well as enhancing environmental sustainability, improving people's lives, and bringing economic opportunities.

Tamesis held that Vietnam can achieve its goal of becoming a high-income developed country by 2045. The UN hopes to accompany and support Vietnam during this journey, she stated.

On this occasion, the MoST launched a number of activities in response to the World Creativity and Innovation Day, including a National Innovative Entrepreneurship Day 2024 (Techfest 2024), the start of PII 2024, and innovation and startup activities for women.

Following the event, a conference on creativity and innovation was held, discussing creativity and innovation situation in businesses in Vietnam, policies and orientations for developing the national innovative startup ecosystem, industry-level innovation measurement tools, and innovation activities and startups.