Minister Nguyễn Quân made a speech at the Announcing ceremony

Making a speech at the ceremony, Minister of Science and Technology (MOST) Nguyễn Quân said that on May 18, 1963, in the National Congress of Vietnam Science and Technique Dissemination Association, President Hồ Chí Minh had said “Tasks of science and technique branch play extremely important roles so every branch and person need to participate in science and technique activities in order to improve labor productivity, produce many wealth and materials to successfully build the socialism”.

The teaching of Uncle Ho has become the lodestar for Vietnam’s S&T during the process of the country’s protection and construction over the past 50 years. On June 18, 2013, our National Assembly approved the Science and Technology (S&T) Law, in which it is stipulated that the May 18 annually is “Vietnam Science and Technology Day”. Vietnam S&T Day is aimed at not only honoring scientists and S&T achievements, advocating, disseminating scientific knowledge but also improving awareness and raising the pride of Vietnamese intellect, spirits of addicting to innovative work among social classes, especially Vietnamese young generations in the process of the nation’s construction and protection. This year Vietnam S&T Day is organized for the first time with the theme “S&T – The motivation for the fast and sustainable development".

Delivering a speech at the ceremony, on behalf of the Government, Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng officially announced “May 18 is Vietnam S&T Day”, at the same time emphasized that S&T has been the leverage for the process of restructuring the economy, shift the growth model, improving the productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy towards the objective of making Vietnam to soon become an industrial country.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng delivered a speech in the Announcing ceremony

The Prime Minister has emphasized that Vietnam S&T Day is aimed at not only honoring scientists and S&T achievements, advocating, disseminating scientific knowledge but also improving awareness and raising the pride of Vietnamese intellect, spirits of addicting to innovative work among social classes, especially Vietnamese young generations in the process of the nation’s construction and protection.

Prime Minister has highly appreciated significant S&T achievements in all fields of social sciences and humanities, natural sciences, technical sciences and technology for the revolutionary cause of our nation in the past and our country’s protection, construction and development. On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister has praised generations of officials, permanent personnel and staff in S&T branch, especially silent sacrifice, contribution and enthusiastic work of generations of Vietnamese scientists over the country and oversea, who are enthusiastic and patent to pursuit their dreams and ambitions on research and innovation. The Prime Minister has also praised branches and levels which support S&T forces to successfully complete tasks assigned by the Party and State.

On behalf of the Party’s and State’s leaders, Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng awarded the First Ranking Independence Medal to Ministry of Science and Technology.

Prime Minister has clearly stated that we have been living in the era of the globalization and international integration. A nation with high competitiveness would have more opportunities to go ahead and develop in a fast and sustainable manner. The competition among nations is actually the competition on knowledge, which can be showed through the quality of human resources and S&T level. The Statement of the 6^th session (the 11^th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam) on the S&T development has emphasized the use and development of S&T is the first national policy, which is one of the most important motivation for the social and economic development and the country’s protection. S&T is the leverage for the process of restructuring the economy, shift the growth model, improving the productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy towards the objective of making Vietnam to soon become an industrial country.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, Prime Minister has proposed that S&T activities for the coming time should be focused on some following directions:

Implementing effectively the Statement of the 6^th session of the 11^th Central Committee on the S&T development, special attention is paid to the implementation of prioritized tasks for objectives of industrialization, modernization, construction and protection of the country.

Strengthening the national S&T potentials. Developing strongly and effectively social sciences and humanities, developing and implementing basic science development programs in some fields at which Vietnam has its strengths as Mathematics, Physics, life sciences, marine sciences. Paying special attention to fields of high application, some inter-sectoral fields between natural sciences with techniques, sciences and technologies. Establishing some S&T institutes, research universities of advanced models in the world. In addition to the State budget, it is necessary to mobilize social resources, firstly investments from enterprises on applying S&T in their production and business.

Continuing strongly and systematically mechanisms for managing S&T activities. Following the mechanism in which the State assigns S&T tasks to responsibilities of using S&T results for demands of the nation, enterprises, branches, fields and localities.

Urgently issuing and specifying policies on treating well staff, paying attention to leading scientists and those who are assigned to chair extremely important national tasks. Having practical and effective mechanisms and policies to attract Vietnamese scientists in foreign countries and foreign experts who cooperate to participate in S&T activities in our country.

Promoting the development of S&T market towards directions of developing the network of organizations which focus on technical and service, technology broker, transfer, consultancy, evaluation and valuation. Establishing the national database on technology, technology experts to connect the demand and supply of new products.

Strengthening cooperation and international integration towards directions of expanding S&T cooperation at the national scale, joint research cooperation with strategic partners, advanced countries; strengthening the efficiency of Vietnam’s network of S&T representatives in key locations of source technologies, high technologies...

Thành Nam