The information was shared by Professor Dutta, Dean of the Saïd Business School, Oxford University, UK, with the press on the morning of December 18 when he arrived in Hanoi to attend a seminar before the award ceremony of the VinFuture Global Science and Technology Prize 2023. He is a new member of the VinFuture Prize Council since 2023, and is the co-founder of two prestigious innovation/technology indexes (Global Networked Readiness Index (NRI) and Global Innovation Index (GII).

He assessed that both the NRI and GII indices are important. They show the overall picture of each country, helping the Government understand how the issued innovation policies have impacted the economy. From there, policy makers can see what specific actions to support the development orientation according to the goals set by each country.

According to the Global Innovation Index 2023 Report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization on September 27, Vietnam rose 2 places compared to 2022, ranking 46/132 countries and economies. In 2021, this index was 44.

The increase in ranking is recorded in the innovation input index, which includes 5 pillars: Institutions; human resources and research; infrastructure; market development level; business development level. Innovation output increased by one rank compared to 2022, including 2 pillars: Knowledge and technology products, Creative products.

According to Professor Dutta, Vietnam is attracting the attention of many countries in the world and has great opportunities to develop industries. The government needs to create basic conditions to attract foreign investment, invest in domestic production resources, especially the readiness to develop and innovate for the future of Vietnam.

Given that the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology is in charge of technology development and policies to support science development, he suggested that when giving directions for technology development and innovation, it is necessary to consider how current human resources meet the requirements. When thinking about innovation, each country needs to think about each component, including human resources, infrastructure, support conditions, etc. "The ultimate goal is to aim at the impact of technological innovation, how it will affect the environment and the development of society," said Professor Dutta.

He said that most economies require innovation. In the context of the fourth industrial wave, countries need to invest and promote new technology more strongly. These two indicators help countries see their strengths and weaknesses in preparing for the future.

Looking at these factors, he said, "Vietnam is fortunate to have a large pool of talent, always ready to adapt to new circumstances, and a leadership team that is eager and willing to invest in the technology sector," said Professor Dutta, appreciating the way Vietnam has been recognized in the Global Innovation Index in recent times.

Accordingly, to continue to increase the GII index, Professor Dutta suggested that "Vietnam must continuously invest in technology, create new needs and new products for the future". He explained that when thinking about innovation, many people may think of innovation arising from market needs. In the short term, technology can be used to solve internal needs. This is happening in many developing countries. But more importantly, it is necessary to create new technology to open up new areas for the economy. "Vietnam needs to invest more in this new technology, invest in research and development", he said, to do this requires a strong commitment from the Government to invest in quality human resources.

He believes that the GII can take place in all areas of society, not just the technology sector. For example, a farmer does not have a PhD but they are still innovators. Or artists, media... they are not scientists but can still be creative. Thus, the Global Innovation Index allows countries to assess how economic components of society participate in the innovation process, not just focusing on pure academia.

Phuong Nguyen