The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the issue of developing human resources into endogenous strength and new resources will create new momentum for the country's socio-economic development. Therefore, the process of summarizing Resolution 29/NQ-TW on fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training needs to redefine the system of viewpoints and thinking on education and training in the context of many changes in the world, so that the education sector can meet the goals, political tasks and expectations of the country.

Accordingly, the model of the two national universities also needs to be thoroughly summarized and evaluated, as a basis for proposing new thinking to continue to promote democracy, intelligence, and the leading pioneering position in innovation; solve the "problem" of university autonomy, and attract talent. At the same time, redefine the role and position of the national universities in training and basic research activities; and the relationship with scientists, businesses, and major training and research centers in the world.

Pilot site for many policies on innovation in higher education

Reporting to Deputy Prime Minister and Director of VNU Hanoi Le Quan, the university's training scale is more than 55,000 students, 488 training programs, 34 strong and potential research groups with 210 laboratories. VNU Hanoi continues to shift to a model of a university with high social responsibility, directly serving the development of society by promoting innovative start-up activities and knowledge transfer. Overall, VNU Hanoi is in the 401-600 group in the world.

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City National University has a training scale of more than 103,000 students and trainees with 3 levels: undergraduate (139 majors), master's (141 majors) and doctoral (98 majors), 119 training majors.

Director of VNU-HCM Vu Hai Quan expressed: Connecting and serving the community is one of the core values ​​that VNU-HCM builds.

From 2016 to present, VNU-HCM has implemented over 3,000 technology transfer contracts with an average annual revenue of about 250 billion VND. With a network of international academic partners including leading educational institutions from Asia, Europe, America and Australia, VNU-HCM has proactively updated the most progressive educational trends in training and scientific research activities, aiming to enhance its position and prestige in the international academic community.

The leaders of the two national universities believe that in order to develop into prestigious universities, on par with the region and the world, there needs to be appropriate policies and resources, especially in terms of organizational structure, human resources, and financial resources. "VNU-Hanoi and VNU-HCM are piloting many policies to innovate higher education, so we hope to be facilitated to implement new, different, and effective training models and regulations for replication," said VNU-Hanoi Director Le Quan.

Focus on training and research in high technology and cutting-edge technology

At the meeting, a number of scientists and leaders of member schools of VNU-HCM raised many opinions and recommendations on difficulties and problems in research and management activities.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Phuong Thao (International University) shared about the difficulties and obstacles in technology transfer through the spin-off company model (technology companies that implement applied research results of scientists with the form of co-ownership of the research facility and the inventor, and are managed independently from the research facility).

Prof. Dr. Phan Bach Thang (Center for Research on Nanostructured and Molecular Materials) said that to create a breakthrough in the quality of basic research and move to invention and application, it is necessary to have long-term financial resources of 5-10 years, reform administrative procedures when selecting, evaluating, and accepting scientific and technological topics based on products, accepting the possibility of errors, focusing on synchronous investment according to key scientific programs, laboratory systems, equipment, machinery, human resources, etc.

From a management perspective, Mr. Mai Thanh Phong, Principal of the University of Technology, and Ms. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan, Principal of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, hope to simplify the mechanism for exploiting public assets to have more resources for universities outside of the state budget and tuition fees; have policies to encourage training in fields of study in basic scientific research or necessary for socio-economic development but few people study.

Speaking with scientists and managers, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son affirmed that the responsibility of the two national universities is to carry out strategic tasks of training and scientific research. The biggest problem of VNU-HCM is building a team of staff and lecturers, while VNU-HN is infrastructure and teaching. "We need to focus resources on making a decisive investment," said Minister Nguyen Kim Son.

Agreeing with Minister Nguyen Kim Son's opinion on the need to strengthen human resource training and research for high-tech and cutting-edge technology fields, Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung cited the example of the huge demand for human resources in information technology, semiconductor and microchip industries in the country to accelerate the national digital transformation process. This is a huge responsibility of the two National Universities. "The Ministry of Information and Communications is preparing to submit to the Government a strategy for developing the semiconductor industry with a focus on chip design," Minister Nguyen Manh Hung informed.

In his speech, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat said that the Prime Minister has directed the Ministry to urgently review and identify 13 issues that need to be resolved regarding the selection, bidding, acceptance, and settlement procedures for science and technology tasks. The Ministry of Science and Technology is also developing incentive mechanisms for strong research groups in universities; proposing a pilot mechanism for the establishment of spin-off companies.

Minister Nguyen Manh Hung said it is necessary to consider mechanisms to increase revenue from scientific research, allow business on some public assets; invest in modern laboratories to attract research to the two national universities.

Providing more information about the investment direction of key laboratories, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Do Thanh Trung said that there needs to be a connection between scientific topics and the development and commercialization of research products.

Shaping the National University "ecosystem" to make a difference

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha affirmed that in September 2023, the Prime Minister will issue a new decree on National Universities as a legal basis for the two National Universities to continue to develop strongly.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, after 30 years of operation, the two National Universities need to summarize and identify outstanding issues in development orientation, vision, organizational structure; the relationship between training and research, between basic research and application and implementation; the relationship between the National University and its member schools, businesses, and affiliated innovation and startup centers... thereby shaping the "ecosystem" of the National University to create a difference.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the two national universities must set out a vision for the future, have a comprehensive project based on scientific and practical foundations to propose to the State on investment mechanisms and policies, training orders, operating models, and attracting socialization to carry out strategic tasks on human resource training, basic scientific research, key technology and engineering fields, and new technologies, instead of focusing on industries that are attracting many students.

The National University needs to join with ministries and sectors to innovate in science and technology management, investment, and organizational structure, thereby ensuring the connection and continuity between general education and vocational training; college, university and postgraduate training.

On this occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha and the delegation also offered flowers in memory of Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet and planted a memorial tree in the campus of the administrative building of Ho Chi Minh City National University.