Building mechanisms, environment, and trust for Overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and entrepreneurs: Associate Professor
WVR - Towards the 14th National Congress of the Party, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Le Hung, currently teaching at the Paris School of Engineering - Gustave Eiffel University (France), shared his heartfelt insights on leveraging the role of overseas Vietnamese intellectuals and entrepreneurs.
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The Party and the State have identified the private economy as one of the key drivers of the national economy. In your opinion, in which areas can the community of overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs and intellectuals play a role to help promote the private economy in Vietnam, especially in technology transfer, innovation, and participation in the global value chain?
I believe it is necessary to establish and operationalize "research and development" (R&D) centers within public service units, state-owned and private corporations, particularly in strategic industries, high-tech sectors, and connected industries.
The goal of the R&D model is to directly address practical issues in production, exploitation, and digital transformation, contributing to the modernization and optimization of production processes.
This also provides a favorable environment to harness the intelligence of Vietnamese people globally, helping domestic experts approach international scientific standards and gradually achieve technological autonomy.
More importantly, this model creates opportunities for Vietnamese experts and intellectuals abroad to collaborate with domestic scientists in solving national issues, thereby strengthening national unity and igniting national pride.
Attracting overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to R&D activities also paves the way for international experts and friends to come to Vietnam for research collaboration, reflecting the spirit of multilateral diplomacy and scientific diplomacy – a direction emphasized by our Party in Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on international integration in the new context.
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| Associate Professor Dr. Tran Le Hung takes a commemorative photo with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang. (Source: State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese) |
Could you elaborate on the role of R&D in connecting the state, academia, and enterprises, as well as in training high-quality human resources?
R&D centres need to closely link with universities and research institutes to train the next generation with high capabilities and qualifications, ready to contribute to the nation's construction and defense.
This is a concrete step to realize the spirit of Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW dated August 22, 2025, by the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development, emphasizing the "State – academia – enterprise" connection model.
Research projects from R&D will be coordinated, monitored, and funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology to ensure quality and practical application.
This also contributes to the early implementation of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, aiming to allocate 3% of the budget for science, technology, and innovation, and to increase the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) to over 55%, on par with countries in the region.
Products from R&D – including scientific publications, patents, and technical innovations – will help increase the application of knowledge in production, directly enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnam's private economy.
Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW, our Party identifies education and training as a strategic breakthrough. In your opinion, what should Vietnam do to connect domestic schools, institutes, and enterprises with the network of Vietnamese intellectuals and students abroad?
Our Party always considers people as the center, subject, and goal of development. Therefore, the work of discovering, nurturing, and training young talents; attracting, utilizing, and retaining talents needs to be strengthened, especially in the context of globalization.
The government has issued Decree No. 179/2024/NĐ-CP on policies to attract talents, along with the policy to attract at least 100 top experts to return to work in the country, demonstrating the strategic vision and strong determination of the Party and the State.
However, alongside financial incentives, it is essential to create an attractive working environment, opportunities for advancement, and integration to ensure long-term commitment from talents.
Particularly, attention should be paid to discovering and nurturing the young Vietnamese generation abroad (F1, F2...), as they are a valuable resource capable of connecting Vietnam with the world.
Besides knowledge, it is crucial to emphasize education on patriotism, national consciousness, and the preservation of Vietnamese culture, helping the younger generation stay connected to the homeland and take pride in their roots.
Competitions and awards in science, technology, innovation, and culture organized regularly can become important channels to discover talents and inspire the creative spirit of young Vietnamese globally.
These intellectuals and young talents are not only ambassadors of Vietnam but also pioneers on the ideological front, contributing to spreading the country's image, countering false narratives, and promoting people-to-people diplomacy, scientific diplomacy, and cultural diplomacy in the digital age.
I believe that wherever Vietnamese people are, if given the opportunity to contribute to the country, they will be ready. The important thing is that we create mechanisms, environments, and trust for Vietnamese intelligence to converge and shine.
When the Party, the State, and the people share the same aspiration, when Vietnamese people inside and outside the country connect into a global creative network, Vietnam can fully achieve its goal of becoming a developed and prosperous nation by the mid-21st century.
