Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc: Confident in the success of the Science and Technology Program serving sustainable development of the Northwest region.

This workshop is an important component of the National Key Science and Technology Program plan, 2013-2018:"Science and technology serve the sustainable development of the Northwest region", with Vietnam National University, Hanoi as the Lead Agency and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phung Xuan Nha - Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi - as the Program Director.

The purpose of the workshop was to exchange ideas on the methodology and structure of an integrated interdisciplinary database and policy analysis tools for sustainable development in the Northwest region. Simultaneously, the workshop provided an opportunity for scientists involved in the Northwest Program to meet and exchange ideas with leaders and managers from the 14 provinces in the Northwest region and relevant ministries and agencies, thereby reaching consensus on the methods of organizing, implementing, transferring, and applying the program's results.

The results of five research projects in Phase I were announced at the workshop, including: A framework for an interdisciplinary database system serving sustainable development in the Northwest region; Building and proposing the application of a competency framework for developing leadership and management human resources in the public administration sector of the Northwest region; A framework for analyzing and evaluating the suitability of currently effective policies in the Northwest region; A framework for assessing the impact of national target programs on education and training in the Northwest region; A framework for analyzing, reviewing, and evaluating the suitability and effectiveness of national target programs implemented in the Northwest region from 2001-2015.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the seminar/Photo: Bui Tuan

After listening to the reports and the exchange of opinions from the delegates, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc gave some important directives at the workshop.

The Deputy Prime Minister assessed that the Northwest region is a particularly important strategic area in terms of economy, society, national defense, security, and foreign relations, and is home to more than 11.6 million people belonging to 34 ethnic groups of Vietnam. Despite its important strategic location, enormous and diverse potential, the Northwest remains a region facing extreme difficulties in all aspects, with the highest poverty rate in the country. The reason for this situation is that the resources for sustainable development in the Northwest region have not been fully and effectively utilized, including resources in science and technology.

In this context, the State-level Key Science and Technology Program on Sustainable Development of the Northwest Region, assigned to Vietnam National University, Hanoi for implementation, is expected to be a comprehensive, interdisciplinary research program that provides scientific arguments and solutions to directly address the issues facing sustainable development in the Northwest region.

Conference scene/Photo: Bui Tuan

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the significance and initial research results presented at the workshop. As a leading training and research institution, home to the largest concentration of highly qualified scientific staff in the country, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) has demonstrated seriousness, meticulousness, and high determination in successfully implementing the research objectives.

The Deputy Prime Minister said:I commend the daring and innovative spirit of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), which is the spirit of revolution and innovation. VNU's scientists have dared to tackle challenging realities to apply scientific theories and methods to practice, thereby demonstrating the role of science and technology in the country's development."

The Deputy Prime Minister also emphasized the fundamental requirement of the Northwest Sustainable Development Research Program: effectiveness and practicality:Research products should not be overly academic but must be relevant to the practical development of each locality. The effectiveness of the Program must be reflected in the transfer and application of research results into practice."

To continue the effective implementation of this Program, the Deputy Prime Minister requested:

Firstly, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) should continue to coordinate more closely with the Northwest Steering Committee, ministries, agencies, scientific institutions, and localities in the region to organize and implement the program's tasks in a practical, feasible, and effective manner. The Government Office, the Northwest Steering Committee, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and other relevant ministries and agencies need to closely monitor the program's implementation progress, promptly recommend and propose solutions to overcome difficulties and obstacles, helping VNU successfully implement the program.

Secondly, the scientists participating in the Program need to enhance their responsibility, utilize their intellect and dedication to effectively solve practical problems in the Northwest region. The results of each research topic and project must answer the question: what contribution will be made, and to what extent, to help the Northwest region achieve sustainable development and alleviate the difficulties faced by the local people?

Thirdly, the Provincial Party Committees and People's Committees of the provinces in the Region must regularly coordinate with Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) in implementing the Program's tasks. This is because the localities in the Region are the ones who "order," propose, and submit the tasks that the Program needs to research, and are also the beneficiaries of the Program's results. Coordination with VNU will also help to gradually improve the scientific and technological capacity of the localities.

With that spirit in mind, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stated:I am confident that the Science and Technology Program for Sustainable Development in the Northwest Region will be successfully implemented, making practical and effective contributions to the cause of national construction and defense, improving the material and spiritual lives of the people, and meeting the expectations of tens of millions of people of ethnic groups in the Northwest region."

Photo: Bui Tuan

Also at the workshop, the Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Phung Xuan Nha, shared more about the results that the program has achieved to date.

Firstly, Vietnam National University, Hanoi has developed a comprehensive plan for organizing and implementing the Program based on the objectives, content, and expected outcomes approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Secondly, VNU has established an advisory council comprising representatives from ministries, sectors, and localities in the region to provide consultation on identifying tasks that align with local practical needs and to coordinate implementation to avoid duplication with existing and ongoing science and technology tasks in other ministries and sectors.

Thirdly, the program will implement the first five projects, focusing on building an integrated, interdisciplinary database and reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating the system of policies and targeted programs currently being implemented in the Northwest region. The implementation of these tasks is of significant importance, directly helping central and local leadership and management agencies gain an objective and realistic view of the effectiveness, strengths, and weaknesses of leadership, management, and implementation of Party and State policies in the Northwest region.

In addition, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and the units in charge of the projects have actively coordinated with the Northwest Steering Committee, the Central Economic Committee, and the People's Committees of Bac Kan, Ha Giang, and Tuyen Quang provinces... in identifying and coordinating the implementation of several tasks according to the practical needs of the localities, such as: developing ecotourism models associated with natural heritage in the Northwest; exploiting geothermal energy in Tuyen Quang and Dien Bien; exploiting medicinal plants to develop medicines; developing regional linkages based on commodity value chains; and identifying hot issues related to culture and society...

In 2014 and subsequent years, the Program Steering Committee focused on organizing research and technology transfer to exploit the potential and strengths of the region, thereby developing technological processes and several livelihood models for the people, suitable to the specific conditions of each locality in the region; at the same time, organizing research tasks to provide a scientific basis and comprehensive solutions to contribute to ensuring security and national defense in the border region.

The workshop attracted the attention of many media outlets. (Photo: Bui Tuan)

The Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Phung Xuan Nha, also affirmed:Vietnam National University, Hanoi is determined to effectively implement this Program.byWe are fully aware of our great responsibility to the Party, the Government, the provinces in the Northwest region, and especially our affection and responsibility towards the people of the ethnic groups in the Northwest region."