However, in the face of new development requirements, these activities still reveal limitations, requiring comprehensive and effective solutions to further harness the potential and intellectual capacity of the intelligentsia in the coming period.
Lacking depth and substance
Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo clearly defines the tasks and role of the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA), particularly its consultancy, social criticism, and assessment functions with regard to major policies in the context of rapid scientific and technological development and the increasingly urgent requirements of green transition, digital transformation, and climate change adaptation.
In addition, Government Decree No. 126/2024/ND-CP on the organisation, operation and management of associations has concretised the Party’s guidelines, creating a legal foundation and favourable conditions for associations to engage in consultancy and criticism of major programmes, projects, and proposals.
In practice, consultancy, social criticism, and assessment activities have gradually affirmed their role while promoting the intellectual contributions of the science and technology community both within and outside the VUSTA system.
Many valuable scientific opinions have been provided to leadership and management bodies, helping to clarify the theoretical and practical foundations of guidelines and policies.
The content of criticism has increasingly gone into greater depth, focusing on key areas; some opinions have promptly identified shortcomings, contributing to adjustments and improvements of draft policies as well as enhancing their feasibility during implementation.
Alongside these achievements, a number of shortcomings and obstacles remain. In some places, activities have not been truly proactive and remain formalistic; the quality of criticism is uneven; coordination, feedback, and response mechanisms are unclear; and resources and incentive policies for experts remain limited.
According to Nguyen Van Phuoc, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Union of Science and Technology Associations, criticism in many places remains largely formalistic, focusing mainly on technical details, wording, and procedures, without truly addressing macro-level development issues and urgent challenges. Many opinions stop at reviewing legality and conformity rather than fully performing a policy “constructive” role.
Dr Bui Thanh Tung, President of the Hai Phong Union of Science and Technology Associations, noted that consultancy and criticism work has yet to fully meet the increasingly high practical demands. Many assignments allow very limited preparation time — sometimes only a few days — despite requiring in-depth content, mobilisation of appropriate experts, organisation of seminars, consolidation of opinions, and completion of reports under pressing conditions.
At the same time, financial mechanisms have been slow to adjust and are not commensurate with assigned tasks, creating barriers to attracting highly qualified experts for regular and long-term engagement.
In certain areas, the consultancy and criticism activities of VUSTA and its member organisations overlap with the social criticism work of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front, requiring stronger coordination and clearer delineation of functions to avoid duplication and enhance overall effectiveness.
In many localities, advisory capacity and the organisation of consultancy and criticism tasks remain limited. Provincial unions lack sufficient specialised staff to handle complex projects, while officials and civil servants in departments and sectors have not been sufficiently active in participation.
From sectoral practice, Pham Thi Ngoc, Head of the Consultancy and Criticism Board of the Viet Nam Association of Food Safety Science and Technology, pointed out that genuine scientific criticism is inherently constructive, aimed at refining policies on the basis of sound arguments. However, in some places such efforts are still misconstrued as mere fault-finding or criticism for its own sake.
This requires intellectuals engaged in consultancy and criticism to possess strong scientific integrity and a high sense of social responsibility. At the same time, a culture of constructive criticism needs to be gradually built and embedded in policy formulation and implementation processes.
Renewing methods of organisation and implementation
Consultancy, social criticism and assessment are not only tasks but also a mission of the intelligentsia towards the country. This calls on local unions to continue refining and strongly renewing their awareness, content, and organisational methods in order to further improve the quality and effectiveness of these activities.
Le Cong Luong, Vice General Secretary and Head of the Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation of VUSTA, stressed the need to fundamentally renew implementation methods. The focus should shift from a mindset of “participating when invited” to proactively proposing and offering criticism. Specifically, consultancy and criticism activities should be closely linked with building and developing the intellectual workforce, regarding them as an environment for intellectuals to cultivate their capacity, assert their role, and demonstrate social responsibility.
The scientific intelligentsia are irreplaceable actors in consultancy, social criticism, and assessment. If this work is viewed as a “special scientific project”, then intellectuals are the “architects” who create its value and quality.
Assoc Prof, Dr To Ba Truong of the Institute for Education Development Cooperation Research emphasised that, for intellectuals to fully play this role, an open and transparent environment that respects scientific debate in a constructive and responsible spirit is essential. To provide sharp, accurate, and well-targeted criticism, intellectuals must possess strong professional foundations and rigorous reasoning, and to ensure objectivity and independence, they must demonstrate scientific integrity, with sincerity and responsibility towards the nation as the core.
Le Thanh Tung, Head of the Knowledge Dissemination Board (VUSTA), stressed the need to continue raising awareness among Party committees and authorities, as well as within the VUSTA system itself, of the particularly important role of consultancy, social criticism, and assessment.
The implementation of key central resolutions such as Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW will entail amendments and promulgation of numerous laws and sub-law documents. This represents both an opportunity and a responsibility for the intelligentsia to contribute to and improve the Party and State’s policies.
To meet these requirements, VUSTA should continue reviewing and updating expert databases by sector and region; establish mechanisms to encourage, honour, and provide appropriate remuneration; and build transparent coordination procedures with Party and State bodies in commissioning, organising, and receiving criticism, accompanied by clear responsibilities for feedback and explanation.
