Professor Ngo Bao Chau, the first Vietnamese mathematician to win theFields Medal, talked to Lao Dong Cuoi Tuan (Weekend Labour) newspaperabout how Vietnam can draw more researchers.
*What is the role of science and technology in the country's socio-economic development?
Inrecent years, Vietnam's economy has gained significant progress.However, in order to maintain and develop such achievements, we need todevelop our science and technology sector. An economy can't have abreakthrough without the science and technology pillar.
It's theway that all developed countries in the world have chosen to developtheir economies. I think the Government needs to have more appropriatepolicies to attract experts – Vietnamese and foreign scientists as wellas investment projects and enterprises with much creativity in scienceand technology – to invest in Vietnam.
*What do you think are the appropriate policies?
Ithink many scientists who are working abroad will want to contribute tothe country if the Government has open policies that create favourableconditions for them to work in the proper working environment.
Regardingpolicies to attract human resources, we can start with activities andprojects that bring about practical products to the community.
*Can you talk a bit about the Fostering Innovation through Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) project?
TheFIRST project aims to support science, technology and innovation (STI)in Vietnam by designing and piloting STI policies, enhancing theeffectiveness of project-aided research and development institutions andencouraging the development of innovative technology enterprises.
Ibelieve the project will be successful. Once you've decided that youwant to work in science research, you have to take all the difficultiesand challenges and you've got to try and try consistently. I starteddoing science research 10 years ago. What I've learnt is that manyVietnamese living abroad still want to contribute to the country'sdevelopment with what they've learnt abroad.
However, thereality is that they have to come across quite a number of difficulties.The biggest hindrance is the income policies and the workingenvironment. We have a huge number of topnotch Vietnamese scientistsworking abroad now, but we have wasted quite a lot of time onachievements that could have been done much earlier.
With theFIRST project, we hope that those who wish to contribute to thecountry's development will have the chance to come back and do so.However, we should focus on specific and leading industries of thecountry. This can be considered the first hope for the science andtechnology of our country to develop.
*In order to develop,enterprises need to themselves be innovative. What do you think canencourage enterprises to have more innovations and incentives?
FIRSTis a big project. We have done surveys with big enterprises which havethe tendency to innovate on their operations through science andtechnology research. But only a few have done this.
I thinkthere is a lack of trust between scientists and enterprises and viceversa. The FIRST project is the first attempt to address this problem.This is a chance to gather devoted scientists and science managers whohave the same will to work out a practical solution.
In theimplementation process, with initial efforts, the product might have notbeen made. This will be a big pressure for leaders in science research.This phase will need a lot of encouragement and support from theGovernment, so that participants can have the motivation to continuewith their work to make high-quality practical products.
Ibelieve the project and the Government's support will create suchproducts for society in the future, as well as the motivation forsustainable development for enterprises themselves.-VNA
*What is the role of science and technology in the country's socio-economic development?
Inrecent years, Vietnam's economy has gained significant progress.However, in order to maintain and develop such achievements, we need todevelop our science and technology sector. An economy can't have abreakthrough without the science and technology pillar.
It's theway that all developed countries in the world have chosen to developtheir economies. I think the Government needs to have more appropriatepolicies to attract experts – Vietnamese and foreign scientists as wellas investment projects and enterprises with much creativity in scienceand technology – to invest in Vietnam.
*What do you think are the appropriate policies?
Ithink many scientists who are working abroad will want to contribute tothe country if the Government has open policies that create favourableconditions for them to work in the proper working environment.
Regardingpolicies to attract human resources, we can start with activities andprojects that bring about practical products to the community.
*Can you talk a bit about the Fostering Innovation through Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) project?
TheFIRST project aims to support science, technology and innovation (STI)in Vietnam by designing and piloting STI policies, enhancing theeffectiveness of project-aided research and development institutions andencouraging the development of innovative technology enterprises.
Ibelieve the project will be successful. Once you've decided that youwant to work in science research, you have to take all the difficultiesand challenges and you've got to try and try consistently. I starteddoing science research 10 years ago. What I've learnt is that manyVietnamese living abroad still want to contribute to the country'sdevelopment with what they've learnt abroad.
However, thereality is that they have to come across quite a number of difficulties.The biggest hindrance is the income policies and the workingenvironment. We have a huge number of topnotch Vietnamese scientistsworking abroad now, but we have wasted quite a lot of time onachievements that could have been done much earlier.
With theFIRST project, we hope that those who wish to contribute to thecountry's development will have the chance to come back and do so.However, we should focus on specific and leading industries of thecountry. This can be considered the first hope for the science andtechnology of our country to develop.
*In order to develop,enterprises need to themselves be innovative. What do you think canencourage enterprises to have more innovations and incentives?
FIRSTis a big project. We have done surveys with big enterprises which havethe tendency to innovate on their operations through science andtechnology research. But only a few have done this.
I thinkthere is a lack of trust between scientists and enterprises and viceversa. The FIRST project is the first attempt to address this problem.This is a chance to gather devoted scientists and science managers whohave the same will to work out a practical solution.
In theimplementation process, with initial efforts, the product might have notbeen made. This will be a big pressure for leaders in science research.This phase will need a lot of encouragement and support from theGovernment, so that participants can have the motivation to continuewith their work to make high-quality practical products.
Ibelieve the project and the Government's support will create suchproducts for society in the future, as well as the motivation forsustainable development for enterprises themselves.-VNA
