This model helps to closely link training and scientific research with the labour market and the economy, thereby better meeting the requirements for high-quality human resources while developing science and technology and enhancing national competitiveness.
The "three-party" linkage contributes to improving the quality of scientific research and innovation, promoting the training of high-quality human resources in line with practical demands.
Effective models
According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc, in the current development trend, the "three-party " cooperation not only train human resource, but needs to be expanded to research activities, application, technology transfer, commercialisation of research products to bring scientific research results into production, innovation into the market and knowledge into development. "Three-party" cooperation is also a prerequisite for Viet Nam to build interdisciplinary innovation centres, industrial-academic linkage clusters, and form a national innovation ecosystem. This direction is in line with the requirements of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW as well as concretises the spirit of action in Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW on promoting private enterprises innovation and proactive and comprehensive international integration.
In fact, many "three-party" cooperation models and activities in higher education show effectiveness. According to Assoc. Prof., Dr. Pham Bao Son, Deputy Director of Ha Noi National University, thanks to the implementation of the "three-party" cooperation model, the unit has conducted 91 cooperation projects with large corporations, enterprises, and international partners in the 2022–2024 period. The total value of non-state budget investment from enterprises and other organisations in science and technology projects reached 252.53 billion VND.
Revenue from contracts on consulting, services, transfer, and commercialisation of science and technology products reached 130.432 billion VND with over 300 products proposed for commercial transfer. In the first six months of 2025 alone, 50 R&D projects in cooperation with foreign enterprises and partners have been implemented. Many fields cooperate with corporations and enterprises to solve practical problems, increase resources for research to master core technology, and develop strategic products for application, transfer, and commercialisation.
In the 2021-2024 period, Ho Chi Minh City National University signed 250 cooperation documents with 31 localities. Many greatly significant programmes and activities for development include: 41 activities providing comments on strategic appraisal, policy consulting, and socio-economic development models; and 67 training, fostering, and human resource development programmes carried out in provinces and cities. In addition, Ho Chi Minh City National University also signed with 100 enterprises and organisations to improve the ability of technology application in management and production.
Director of the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT), Assoc. Prof., Dr. Dang Hoai Bac shared that in order to effectively implement the "three-party" cooperation, the unit has built "priority career orientation" training programmes (sponsored by the state; trained by the university; used by society and enterprises); developed a program to jointly train talented students (the state and society provide scholarships; universities and businesses jointly train).
In addition, it is important to build incentive mechanisms that the university and businesses jointly train (the university recognises businesses’ subjects, authorises businesses to evaluate and pay salaries, supports scientists of businesses participating in training, and exempts taxes for businesses when combining training). Therefore, the institute's human resource training in recent years have achieved good results, contributing to the country's socio-economic development.
Removing "bottlenecks"
Although there are many good models providing positive results, it is still necessary to remove obstacles and difficulties to promote effectiveness of the "three-party" cooperation in training, research, innovation and development of high-quality human resources.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Bao Son, the country's investment in science, technology and innovation is still fragmented and unstable. Science and technology programmes and topics are scattered across ministries, branches, agencies and localities without a “chief architect”, leading to low, non-continuous and short-term investment for each programme.
Moreover, the programmes lack connectivity and synchronisation. R&D activities lack motivation due to loose connections, the low commitment to quality and progress of products by scientists and universities; entrepreneurs and enterprises are still worried about risks, while the inadequate division of rights and benefits when commercialisation of science and technology products.
Therefore, to promote the "three-party" linkage, the government, ministries and sectors need to issue guidelines to soon apply the advantages of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW and Resolution No. 68-NQ/TW into practice, unlocking resources for science and technology development and innovation; focusing on removing obstacles intertwined between laws, decrees and guidelines for implementing breakthrough policies.
It is essential for university to improve their autonomy and governance capacity, strongly develop research groups, innovate training programmes in line with social needs while building long-term cooperation contents suitable to business needs and national development orientation. At the same time, businesses need to proactively cooperate with universities, institutes and scientists in researching and developing strategic science and technology products.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Dang Chinh, Deputy Director of Ha Noi University of Science and Technology, said that to remove the bottlenecks in the "three-party" cooperation, the state needs to gradually shift its role from "funder" to "creator and supporter"; encourage businesses to proactively seek out higher education institutions, which is much more effective than pouring budget directly. Businesses must provide requirements, clearly defining the output products and the main source of finance, while higher education institutions act as professional R&D service providers. This relationship is bound by a fair economic contract with transparency over progress, quality and intellectual property rights, ensuring the highest commitment from all parties.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son said that it is time for higher education institutions to strongly innovate their strategic thinking and actions, shifting from quantity to quality; and enhance their role and position in research and innovation. Universities need to review and update their development strategies, clearly define their missions, focus on training quality and research results; and proactively develop research and training projects and programmes, based on the government's orientations and tasks according to competitive criteria, suitable to their capacity.
Furthermore, it is necessary to perfect mechanisms and policies strong enough to attract and retain lecturers and students, especially international human resources. Universities need to identify themselves as not only training places but also core forces in research and innovation, with the combination of training and research and innovation as a consistent orientation, which contribute to providing high-quality human resources, effectively transferring scientific research results, innovation, and contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.
