According to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, changing mindsets and shifting to a new growth model based on science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation can help Vietnam achieve double-digit growth and elevate its position in the new era.
On the occasion of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam – a significant milestone opening a new phase of national development – Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung shared his views on the role of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation in becoming the central driving force for Vietnam's rapid and sustainable development.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung at the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Post and Telecommunications sector and the 66th anniversary of the Science and Technology sector, September 29, 2025. Photo: Giang Huy
- Minister, looking back at the 2021-2025 term, what changes do you assess as having become substantial, creating a foundation for enhancing the competitiveness of the economy?
- I believe that the most outstanding results of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation in recent times are not in isolated achievements, but rather a shift in awareness, thinking, and approach. We have laid the foundation for a new development frame of reference, in which science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation are oriented towards output results, with socio-economic development efficiency as the central criterion. The entire research-application-commercialization chain is placed within a logical framework for solving development problems, rather than operating in a fragmented manner.
These changes have become substantial, most clearly demonstrated in three aspects.
Firstly, the institutional framework is constructive, focusing on removing bottlenecks to enable science and technology to quickly enter daily life, production, and business. In the final year of the term (2025), the volume of work in lawmaking was enormous and left a clear mark. The Ministry of Science and Technology has chaired and coordinated the drafting, amendment, and submission to the National Assembly of 10 laws and 1 resolution; at the Government and Prime Minister levels, 23 decrees, 1 resolution, and 5 decisions drafted by the Ministry have been signed and promulgated. This policy system demonstrates a determination to "unlock" institutional bottlenecks, one of the biggest obstacles to the development of science, technology, and innovation for many years.
Secondly, digital infrastructure and digital governance capacity have been significantly improved and recognized internationally. According to the United Nations, Vietnam rose 15 places in the 2024 E-Government Development Index, ranking 71st out of 193 countries. Regarding telecommunications, Vietnam's internet speed has improved dramatically, ranking among the leading countries in the region and in the top 10-15 according to international assessments; 4G coverage has reached over 99.8%, 5G coverage over 91% of the population, 100% of communes and wards have fiber optic broadband infrastructure, and fiber optic coverage to every household has reached 87.6%; the smartphone user rate is estimated at over 85%. These figures show that Vietnam has shifted from "digitalization" to "data-driven operation," with digital infrastructure becoming the foundation for improving governance efficiency and reducing costs for citizens and businesses.
Thirdly, the capacity for innovation and the startup ecosystem contribute to raising the country's competitiveness. Vietnam's innovation index ranks 44th globally, and it is recognized as one of the nine middle-income countries that have improved their ranking fastest in the past decade.
In my opinion, the most valuable aspect of the 2021-2025 period is not just the numbers, but the momentum that has been formed: innovation is integrated into business operations; digital transformation is integrated into the operation of the economy; and results-based management is gradually becoming the norm.
- Scientific and technological achievements are often difficult to see immediately in daily life. From the Minister's perspective, in the past five years, what specific changes have people and businesses benefited most clearly from, from administrative procedures and public services to production capacity and product quality?
- In my opinion, there are three most specific groups of changes. First is the change in how the State serves the people and businesses. Administrative procedures and public services are more convenient and transparent thanks to digital transformation. Paperwork is reduced, travel is reduced, and waiting times are shortened. By 2025, the percentage of online applications across all online public services is expected to reach nearly 78%; the percentage of public services with online applications is projected to reach nearly 84%. These figures show that the process of handling procedures is shifting significantly from "queuing and waiting" to a digital environment.
The capacity and productivity of businesses are also significantly improved and enhanced through the application of technology and process innovation. Automation, digital management, and data mining help businesses optimize operations, shorten production time, reduce errors, save materials and energy, and improve the efficiency of supply chain management.
From the perspective of the people, when digital transformation takes place comprehensively, the digital space becomes a new living space where essential services in education, healthcare, finance, commerce, etc., are provided quickly and personalized, ensuring that everyone can participate in and benefit from the digital environment.
People benefit from convenience, businesses benefit from productivity and quality, and the State benefits from governance capacity. This is the most authentic measure of science, technology, and innovation in life.
- The Minister once emphasized that a major difference of Resolution 57 is management based on output results. Could you provide specific goals and targets to demonstrate this?
- Previously, we managed science with an administrative mindset: tightly controlling inputs, down to every document and invoice, while the requirements and evaluation of outputs were not clear or strong enough. As a result, the space for creativity was narrowed, and scientists spent more time on procedures than on research. Resolution 57 re-established priorities: shifting from management based on methods and procedures to management based on goals and final results. The resolution also emphasized pilot mechanisms and the acceptance of controlled risks. Without accepting risks, there can be no innovation. (Image caption:
Cleanroom, Nano and Energy Center at the University of Science - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, where semiconductor training and research is conducted. Photo: Giang Huy)
This is quantified by "telling" goals and indicators. Firstly, a measure of growth quality, through the goal of the contribution of total factor productivity (TFP) to economic growth exceeding 55%. This is a very important indicator, confirming that Vietnam's growth in the coming period must be based primarily on productivity, science, technology, and management innovation, and cannot continue to rely heavily on capital and labor expansion as before.
Secondly, the goal is to establish at least five digital technology enterprises on par with advanced countries. This means that science, technology, and innovation cannot develop haphazardly; there must be a focus, with strong "leading forces" to guide the ecosystem and create a ripple effect throughout the entire economy.
Thirdly, the resolution measures research results by their marketability. It sets a target of 8-10% commercial exploitation of research and invention results. This clearly demonstrates a shift: from a mindset where "acceptance is the end" to viewing acceptance as a technical milestone, with the true value lying in application and commercialization. The output of science is not measured by the number of report pages, but by the number of "Make in Vietnam" technologies and products that are put into operation, sold on the market, and solve the country's problems.
Fourthly, the goal is to allocate at least 3% of the total annual budget to science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, gradually increasing this amount according to development requirements; simultaneously shifting from a detailed control mechanism to a results-based expenditure mechanism; from recovering research results for the state to leaving ownership rights to research organizations for commercialization; and from researchers receiving only fixed remuneration to a mechanism of fair benefit sharing upon successful commercialization.
A scientific field is only truly vibrant when nurtured by the market. Therefore, the Resolution sets a target of 2% of GDP for research and development (R&D), with over 60% coming from private funding. The State plays the role of "seed capital." When businesses invest in science, they will demand tangible results. This market pressure is the most natural and effective monitoring mechanism to realize a results-oriented management approach.
- In 2025, the Ministry of Science and Technology will lead the drafting, amendment, and submission to the National Assembly of 10 laws in the field of science, technology, and innovation, considered a crucial step in removing institutional bottlenecks. Could the Minister please explain how these bottlenecks have been "unlocked" for research, innovation, and technology commercialization, especially for businesses?
- The term "institutional bottleneck" essentially refers to long-standing barriers: numerous procedures, a management style focused on process control, limited experimental space, insufficient ownership and exploitation of research results to create incentives, and a technology market that hasn't yet become a mainstream flow.
Therefore, the National Assembly's approval of 10 laws in the field of science, technology, and innovation is not just adding more documents, but creating a new framework, opening up new development space for science, technology, and innovation. Many of these laws put us at the forefront of the world, such as the Artificial Intelligence Law and the Digital Transformation Law.
This institutional unlocking is most evident in the innovation of thinking about science and technology management. For the first time, many regulations are designed to acknowledge the inherent risks and failures in science, technology, and innovation, requiring experimentation, but emphasizing that these risks must be managed, not suppressed through bureaucracy.
Businesses are also established as the center of the innovation ecosystem. They are not just recipients of technology, but are given the opportunity to participate from the outset: leading research projects, commissioning research, collaborating with universities, and, importantly, having clearer mechanisms regarding ownership, exploitation, and commercialization of research results, including those funded by the state budget, based on the principle of transparency. When businesses have rights and benefits, they will dare to invest in R&D and persevere in innovation.
Technology commercialization is freed from technical bottlenecks: procedures for technology transfer, intellectual property valuation, investment in patents, technical know-how, and research results are simplified and made more streamlined. This shortens the path from the laboratory to the market, transforming knowledge into products, services, and added value.
The next crucial point is to open up the legal framework for new technologies and models through controlled testing mechanisms (sandboxes). Many new things cannot be licensed under old laws, but they also cannot be left unregulated. Sandboxes create a policy space for businesses to conduct legal, limited, and risk-monitored testing, before expanding, thereby promoting innovation among businesses and startups.
Finally, research should be linked to the market and development needs through commissioning mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and linkages between the State, universities, and businesses. When a problem originates from practical applications and has a clear "buyer," research will be applied more quickly, and social resources will be drawn in more effectively.
Luu Quy
According to VnExpress