Positioning basic scientific research
Regarding the General Secretary and President’s suggestion on the role of basic research in national development in the new era, Professor, Dr. Tran Tuan Anh, Vice President of the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, shared that for a nation to develop and achieve high income, Viet Nam cannot simply be a country that processes technology but must have the capacity to create new knowledge.
The role of basic research in national development is clearly demonstrated when it creates new knowledge, forming the basis for the development of modern technologies. Basic research is also the source of innovation and future technologies.
In addition, basic research contributes to enhancing the nation’s self-reliance. By mastering knowledge and new research directions, Viet Nam will gradually develop endogenous economic capacity through science and technology, reducing dependence on imported technology.
Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Minh, former Rector of Ha Noi Pedagogical University, believed that basic science is like the “foundation” of a building, the basis for all progress in science and technology. Basic scientific research may not produce products immediately, but it lays the foundation for knowledge and methods for future applications. The results of basic research not only create “raw materials” but also “nurture” innovation and creativity.
The results of basic research also create momentum for innovation and creativity; breakthrough technological inventions such as semiconductors, AI, quantum computing... are all results of basic research. Basic science has also driven innovation and creativity, such as the invention of new materials and clean energy. This leads to core technologies such as semiconductor technology, biomedical technology, and many other fields.
Basic scientific research is the best way to train a high-quality workforce that contributes to solving a nation’s core problems and is an effective path to integration. Therefore, developing basic scientific research is a trend, and Viet Nam cannot be left out.
According to many scientists, basic scientific research is a very important aspect, not only for the science and technology sector, but also a strategic issue directly related to Viet Nam’s development model, self-reliance, and national position in the coming decades.
Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW clearly states the requirement to promote applied research, focusing on basic research; while the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation 2025 also defines basic research as the activity of discovering the essence and laws of nature, society, and thought.
In particular, in the concluding remarks at the meeting on basic scientific research, the General Secretary and President provided clear direction, creating a great impetus for basic research activities to develop to a level commensurate with their potential.
Renewing research thinking
From the perspective of linking research institutes, universities, and businesses, Professor, Dr. Tran Dai Lam, Director of the Institute of Materials Science (Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology), believes that this is a bottleneck in scientific and technological research that the General Secretary and President pointed out and analyzed very deeply.
According to Professor, Dr. Tran Dai Lam, there are two reasons, both from the side of scientists working in institutes and universities as well as from the side of businesses. Scientists are accustomed to a bottom-up approach; in the laboratory, they proactively propose research directions based on their passions, without paying too much attention to the needs of society or businesses.
On the business side, there aren't many companies actively involved in science and technology; most focus on manufacturing, assembly, and importing existing foreign technologies. Therefore, the demand for innovative inventions and collaborations with scientists is limited. Consequently, the link between these two groups is relatively weak.
Therefore, in the future, with Resolution No.68-NQ/TW, one of the four pillars of science and technology, it is hoped that the scientific community and businesses will collaborate more closely, forging closer ties. Scientists will find research problems within businesses, while businesses will partner with scientists from the very beginning, from laboratory results to the final product that can be useful to the business.
Emphasising the view that basic scientific research should build the nation’s knowledge base, rather than focusing on narrow specialised fields where scientists freely pursue their passions, Professor and Doctor Tran Dai Lam stated that the difference compared to the past is that scientists pursue their passions but need to be oriented towards serving the development of strategic technologies and core national technologies.
International publication remains necessary, but scientists also need to understand the country’s needs in order to focus their intellectual efforts on that research direction. This will make the needs of the country and businesses more effective and practical. Furthermore, basic science researchers need to work interdisciplinaryly to create larger-scale connections, build a larger scientific community; develop interdisciplinary, transnational, and cross-border capabilities, and build the capacity for greater technological success, leading to technological self-reliance.
Innovating research thinking with a more decisive, vigorous, and long-term vision for basic science research will not only address the current challenges of the scientific sector but also prepare the knowledge foundation for the country’s future development for many decades to come.
