Vietnam’s 10 outstanding science-technology events in 2022

The Vietnam Science and Technology Journalists Club under the Vietnam Journalists Association on December 26 announced 10 outstanding science and technology events in 2022, covering aspects of policy, social science, natural science, research and application, and outstanding scientists.

Following is the list of the top 10 events:

1. Issuing the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation Development until 2030. The Prime Minister on May 11 issued the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation Development until 2030. The strategy holds a vital role for the science and technology sector but also for the entire political system.

It was developed on a scientific and practical basis in sync with relevant contents in documents promulgated by the Party and State on economic development orientations, especially the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, and the Socio-economic Development Strategy in the 2021 to 2030 period.

2. The Law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on Intellectual Property was approved The Law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the Law on Intellectual Property was adopted at the third session of the 15th National Assembly on June 16.

The document will officially take effect from January 1, 2023. This law project requires knowledge related to the field of intellectual property, practical application and understanding of international commitments related to intellectual property to ensure that after it is promulgated, the law will be closer to international practices, meeting practical requirements, and those to ensure rights and interests of the people and businesses.

3. Piloting local innovation index The Vietnam Institute of Science, Technology and Innovation collaborated with units of the Ministry of Science and Technology to develop an index framework and contents to instruct localities to collect data serving the pilot of local innovation index.

2022 is the first year that the ministry implements and pilots the application of the index with 20 localities, thus learning from experience to better methods of implementation and evaluating the impact of the index on localities. The index frame consists of 51 indicators. Local departments of Science and Technology in are focal points for collecting and synthesising data related localities

4. The national seminar on the value systems of the country, culture and family as well as the Vietnamese human standard in the new period. The Party Central Committee's Commission for Information and Education hosted a hybrid seminar on November 29 in Hanoi, which aims to concretise the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress and the direction of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the National Cultural Conference in 2021, in association with the implementation of cultural and human building and development tasks meeting the country’s sustainable development requirements.

5. Mastering CRISPR/cas9 gene-editing technology Since it has been discovered in 1987, CRISPR/cas9 has been widely applied to many research subjects such as microorganisms, plants, animals and even human cells. The research was published in the International Journal of Scientific Reports in August 2022.

The technology has been applied in improving resistance to powdery mildew on soybeans and cucumbers; enhance salt tolerance or nutritional deficiencies of paddy; and improve the nutritional value of tomatoes.

6. INTECH Group successfully builds global-standard highest grade cleanroom. The engineered space meets the criteria established by NEBB, the US-based international certification association for firms that deliver high performance building systems.

A cleanroom is well isolated and controlled to maintain a very low concentration of airborne particulates. Such rooms are commonly needed for scientific research and high-tech industrial production serving aerospace, semiconductor, electronics, optics, and biotechnology, among other sectors.

The making of a super clean environment by INTECH Group has contributed to affirming and enhancing Vietnam's scientific and technical position in the world. The Hanoi-based company, established in 2012, is specialised in factory solutions, electrical engineering, automation, import and export.

7. FPT Semiconductor debuts integrated circuit (IC) applied in Internet of Things (IoT) products for the medical field. The IC, launched in September, was the first of its kind in the sector.

As planned, the company – a member of the FPT Corporation – a leading ICT firm in Vietnam – will introduce seven more types of ICs to the market next year, serving a wide range of fields of technology, telecommunications, IoT, lighting equipment, smart devices, automotive technology, energy, electronics and refrigeration.

8. Vietnam’s largest cloud computing ecosystem is officially launched. With its preparation beginning in 2018, Viettel Cloud is considered among the largest, most modern and safest ecosystems in Vietnam with 13 data centres spreading across three regions; more than 9,000 racks; and 60,000sqm of floor area.

It includes data centres, technology platforms, cloud software and services, security technologies, management and operation services. By 2025, Viettel Cloud will get an additional investment of 10 trillion VND (424.17 million USD) to expand its scale to 17,000 racks.

9. Sixth Ho Chi Minh Awards and State Awards on Science and Technology announce winners. The awards took place in Hanoi on December 23, honouring 29 research projects. These works have great and long-lasting effects on people's life, making important and practical contributions to the country’s socio-economic and sci-tech development, national defence and security.

10. 2022 VinFuture Prize presented The award ceremony took place in Hanoi on December 20. At the event, five scientists won the VinFuture Grand Prize, worth 3 million USD. The VinFuture Prize was set up by the VinFuture Foundation, a non-profit organisation established on December 20, 2020, by billionaire and founder of Vingroup Pham Nhat Vuong and his wife, Pham Thu Huong.

The prize aims to honour remarkable scientific and technological studies by global inventors and researchers who make meaningful changes to the daily life of millions of people./.