Vietnam – A Digital Society: Prospects and Challenges

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Professor Hoang Anh Tuan (Rector) congratulated and highly appreciated the success of the authors in completing the National Report: Vietnam – A Digital Society; and also thanked the Hanns Seidel Foundation and Justus Liebig Giessen University (Federal Republic of Germany) for their cooperation and support in the research and publication of this Report and subsequent issues.

The Annual National Report Project on Vietnam aims to provide in-depth insights into modern Vietnamese society. The research is conducted by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and Justus Liebig Giessen University (Germany), with funding from the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The report, “Vietnam – A Digital Society,” is the third publication in the project's series, following “Vietnam as an Aging Society” and “Environmental Policy in Vietnam,” published in 2021. A special digital report – an in-depth publication – on the theme “Addressing the Legacy of War in Vietnam” will be released in 2022 (expected to be published in June 2022).

Attending the in-person seminar were Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh (former Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities); Dr. Detlef Briesen (Justus-Liebig University Gießen); Mr. Truong Quoc Hung (Deputy Director – Deputy Chief of Office of the Institute for Legislative Research, Standing Committee of the National Assembly); Ms. Thao Griffiths (Director of Public Policy, Vietnam Market, Asia-Pacific Office, Meta Group). In addition, several speakers participated online: Mr. Pham Giang Linh (General Director of Galaxy Education, also CEO of HOCMAI); Dr. Sarada Prasanna Das (Institute for Governance, Policy and Politics (IGPP), Vivek Manthana Foundation, New Delhi, India),...

In addition, the panel discussion was also broadcast live on two channels: the Vietnamese channel.https://www.facebook.com/ussh.vnuand the English channel:https://www.facebook.com/HSF.VietnamIt attracts many scholars from both within and outside the country to follow and interact.

In his speech at the seminar, Professor Pham Quang Minh (Co-editor of the Report) emphasized: Digitalization has become an important part of our daily lives, and it is unimaginable what life would be like without technology in the current era. Therefore, the goal of this digital report is to provide an overview of the issues arising during the digital transformation process in Vietnam, viewed from a social science perspective.

Michael Siegner, Head of the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Vietnam, stated: “Alongside the many benefits and opportunities that digital transformation brings to millions of Vietnamese people, there has also been growing concern about Vietnam’s readiness—in terms of institutions, policies, skills, and resources—for a robust digital transformation. This national report addresses the potential benefits and challenges of digitalization in Vietnam from various perspectives.”

On behalf of the research team, Dr. Detlef Briesen presented the main research findings in the report: “Vietnam – A Digital Society”. Through 14 studies with updated data and in-depth analysis, it was shown that Vietnam has achieved many remarkable results in the digital revolution in recent years. Especially in the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic, with its extremely severe consequences, has also contributed to accelerating the digital transformation process in many countries around the world and in Vietnam. Alongside these achievements, Vietnam also faces many challenges: cybersecurity, personal data protection, cybercrime, online behavior, etc.

Speaking at the seminar, the delegates unanimously highly appreciated the scientific quality of the reports and the significance of the recommendations made by the experts and authors of the studies. The "National Report: Vietnam – A Digital Society" is the first report to provide a comprehensive overview of the truly existing and rapidly developing digital society in Vietnam, especially in recent years, across all social activities such as education, healthcare, employment, communication, entertainment, and culture. The results and in-depth analyses in the articles provide very useful information for state management agencies in policy planning.

Many delegates also shared information about the practical development of the digital revolution in other countries around the world and affirmed that the challenges (or downsides) posed in the digital transformation process are not unique to Vietnam but are common to all countries. Therefore, many policies, measures, and mechanisms are needed to facilitate the acceleration of the digital revolution while minimizing negative impacts.

Concluding the seminar, Professor Pham Quang Minh affirmed that a digital revolution has been and is taking place at an extremely rapid pace worldwide, profoundly affecting all aspects of social life. The theme "Vietnam – A Digital Society," within the framework of the Vietnam National Report Project, has received attention and recognition from scholars, managers, and businesses both domestically and internationally. We hope to continue receiving this valuable support and cooperation in the research and publication of subsequent issues. Based on the research results presented in the Report, along with the valuable contributions at today's seminar, we are confident that, with the government's determination through concrete policies, the support of domestic and international organizations and businesses, learning from the experiences of other countries, and with its abundant human resources, Vietnam will advance even faster and stronger in the digital age.

Interested readers can refer to the report for further details.here.

Some photos from the seminar.