Enhance connectivity and information sharing among scientists.

In his opening remarks, Associate Professor Hoang Anh Tuan stated that the current context presents challenges for researchers. Most recently, Circular 08 (dated April 4, 2017) of the Ministry of Education and Training, promulgating the Regulations on Doctoral Admission and Training, and Decision No. 4555/QD-DHQGHN (November 24, 2017) on the Regulations on Doctoral Training at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, have tightened the entrance and exit standards for doctoral programs and set higher requirements for doctoral dissertations and supervisors. Accordingly, the new regulations introduce strict and specific criteria regarding the international publication capacity of doctoral candidates and their supervisors. In the trend of international integration in science, domestic scientists will have to increasingly seek scholarships or research funding from international funds to have the opportunity to enhance their research capabilities abroad. However, not everyone has access to information about these scholarship funds or can meet their requirements.

As a scientific representative of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany) since 2012 and the Gerda Henkel Foundation (Germany) since 2017, Associate Professor Hoang Anh Tuan shared a lot of information about the research funding programs of these two foundations for Vietnamese and international scholars. Currently, Germany remains one of the leading countries in Europe that pays close attention to and invests heavily in science and education. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation offers a variety of short-term and long-term scholarship programs for various groups such as postdoctoral researchers, renowned scholars, and visiting professors. With a philosophy of investing in people and a long-term vision, the Foundation not only provides quite good material support for researchers but also has flexible mechanisms to encourage them to complete their research. Projects with outstanding results are also awarded prizes by the Foundation. In 2016, the Foundation's investment budget for research projects was approximately 116 million Euros. Since its establishment in 1953, over 50 years ago, the Humboldt Foundation has provided funding to 58,000 individuals across 140 countries, including Vietnam. Currently, the Foundation awards approximately 700 scholarships annually. The Foundation has an independent application review board and does not allocate quotas by country, but rather bases its decisions on the quality of the submitted applications. Research in the social sciences and humanities accounts for approximately 25% of the Foundation's funding. Over time, the number of researchers from Asia receiving funding has steadily increased.

To increase the chances of success in securing funding from international foundations, Associate Professor Hoang Anh Tuan believes it is essential to connect scientists to form research groups, especially on topics with high interdisciplinary relevance. Collaboration on joint projects helps scientists maximize their expertise, contributing to improved research quality and faster project implementation. Such joint research is also more likely to impress the funding committees.

Agreeing with the above viewpoint, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Hanh (Lecturer at the Diplomatic Academy) believes that there can be no more delay; domestic scientists need to establish an information network with strong connections and sharing. Those who have gone before and have experience should share and help those who follow. The current context is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for young researchers to participate in the international academic environment.

Also at this meeting, lecturers and scientists from various universities and research institutes exchanged specific experiences on: skills in preparing grant applications, how to impress the selection committee, how to conduct research according to international standards, how to seek collaborative funding sources domestically and internationally, etc.

See detailed information about the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Federal Republic of Germany)