Vietnam needs more skilled workers

The science and technology sector had made great achievements in the last five years, but it needed to continue developing the country's professional workforce to meet the nation's socio-economic development demands, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan on Nov. 10.

Nhan made the comment at a national conference in Hanoi to review the development of science and technology from 2001 to 2010 and the sector's 2010-20 development plan.

He also said that the integration of science and technology in enterprises had been limited and researchers' salaries were still low.

"National research and technology application centres should focus more on developing science and technology that can be realistically applied," said Nhan.

In the last five years, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has researched and selected 14 projects that would receive funding and support. The ministry has also implemented projects to address urgent socio-economic issues, including programmes to develop genetically engineered crops, research avian influenza A (H5N1) vaccines, shipbuilding projects, and energy projects.

MoST deputy minister Le Huu Quoc said during the last five years, several projects dealing with digital telecommunications, optical fibre communication, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and third-generation (3G) technology had been successfully implemented in the country.

"Vietnam has made good use of the VINASAT-1 satellite and is preparing to launch VINASAT-2 in 2012," Quoc added.

In the agricultural sector, scientists had created 142 new plant breeds, 100 of which were productive rice breeds.

Quoc also reported that the highly educated workforce in the science and technology sector had grown in the last five years. There were more than 1,500 science and technology organisations in the country, and about 6,000 employees working in the science and technology sector.

He admitted that there was a lack of qualified engineers in the country. Many national science and technology plans had been carried out slowly because of bureaucratic red tape. The Government's investment in technology was still limited, Quoc said.

In the next five years, the Ministry of Science and Technology aims to improve the quality of national research projects in the natural sciences sector and will concentrate on developing applied technology./.

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VN faces old-tech dumping ground future

A public telephone booth located in Hoan Kiem District's Quan Su Street in Ha Noi. There are thousands of public phone booths that have been installed but no longer function. — VNS Photo Minh Tu

HCM CITY — It is time to tighten imports of technological devices because the practice is pushing Viet Nam into becoming a technology dump, experts say.

The Lao Dong newspaper cited an unnamed foreign telecommunications expert researching the Vietnamsese market as saying he was surprised that the USB 3G Internet connection, and high-end phones like iPhone and iPad were to be found in plenty.

But he was even more surprised that these products were used mainly as decoration by their owners who rarely used their technological features.

"It is amazing that Vietnamese could spend more than ten million dong to buy these products, then seldom use them.

"If they do use them, these products are utilised only to play games, listen to music, or surf Internet, instead of a device for work."

This is a reason why technological firms consider Viet Nam a lucrative market, he says.

Vietnamese information technology experts have asserted that the "wastage" of technological devices should be seen as a serious problem.

Mobile phone service providers have invested mountains of money in connection technology systems and terminal equipment including G-Phone, HomePhone, E-Com, E-Phone, beeper, and public phones.

But after a short time, the failure of these investments becomes obvious, the experts say.

Ten years ago, many Vietnamese people were proud of having a beeper.

Though it was uncomfortable to receive messages passively, Viet Nam imported this technology and its devices. But the product died a premature death.

The death of the City-phone service that was official announced by Viet Nam Post and Telecom Corporation (VNPT) in September this year is more bitter and painful.

The technological infrastructure that VNPT built over many years for the Citiphone and the terminal equipment needed for the device was not cheap, but the money has gone to waste because nobody uses it anymore.

Telecom service providers have raced to import terminal equipment and offer wireless telephone services such as G-Phone, offered by VNPT using GMS technology, HomePhone by Viettel and E-Com by EVN Telecom.

They have delivered these devices free to rural, mountainous and remote areas with high expectation of making profit from fees levied for their use. But an error in gauging the market has cost the enterprises dearly.

Many households in rural areas have devices given by all three providers but they do not have a need to use them. While many have chosen to return the devices, others have simply thrown them away.

Another product or service that is all but dead is the public telephone booth.

It is estimated that there are thousands of public phone booths that have been installed but do not function anymore.

The trillions of dong invested in all the above ventures has vanished.

The latest cause for worry is the import of cheap mobile phones from China. They are popular among consumers, but they break down easily and soon become a waste product.

The Government needs to find qualitative and other entry barriers to prevent a market glut of short-lived technological devices and make citizens more aware of the harmful impacts of their consumerist behaviour, experts say. — VNS

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Vietnam faces old-tech dumping ground future

A public telephone booth located in Hoan Kiem District's Quan Su Street in Ha Noi. There are thousands of public phone booths that have been installed but no longer function

Photo: VNA

It is time to tighten imports of technological devices because the practice is pushing Viet Nam into becoming a technology dump, experts say.

The Lao Dong newspaper cited an unnamed foreign telecommunications expert researching the Vietnamese market as saying he was surprised that the USB 3G Internet connection, and high-end phones like iPhone and iPad were to be found in plenty.

But he was even more surprised that these products were used mainly as decoration by their owners who rarely used their technological features.

"It is amazing that Vietnamese could spend more than ten million dong to buy these products, then seldom use them.

"If they do use them, these products are utilized only to play games, listen to music, or surf Internet, instead of a device for work."

This is a reason why technological firms consider Vietnam a lucrative market, he says.

Vietnamese information technology experts have asserted that the "wastage" of technological devices should be seen as a serious problem.

Mobile phone service providers have invested mountains of money in connection technology systems and terminal equipment including G-Phone, HomePhone, E-Com, E-Phone, beeper, and public phones.

But after a short time, the failure of these investments becomes obvious, the experts say.

Ten years ago, many Vietnamese people were proud of having a beeper.

Though it was uncomfortable to receive messages passively, Vietnam imported this technology and its devices. But the product died a premature death.

The death of the City-phone service that was official announced by Vietnam Post and Telecom Corporation (VNPT) in September this year is more bitter and painful.

The technological infrastructure that VNPT built over many years for the Citiphone and the terminal equipment needed for the device was not cheap, but the money has gone to waste because nobody uses it anymore.

Telecom service providers have raced to import terminal equipment and offer wireless telephone services such as G-Phone, offered by VNPT using GMS technology, HomePhone by Viettel and E-Com by EVN Telecom.

They have delivered these devices free to rural, mountainous and remote areas with high expectation of making profit from fees levied for their use. But an error in gauging the market has cost the enterprises dearly.

Many households in rural areas have devices given by all three providers but they do not have a need to use them. While many have chosen to return the devices, others have simply thrown them away.

Another product or service that is all but dead is the public telephone booth.

It is estimated that there are thousands of public phone booths that have been installed but do not function anymore.

The trillions of dong invested in all the above ventures have vanished.

The latest cause for worry is the import of cheap mobile phones from China. They are popular among consumers, but they break down easily and soon become a waste product.

The government needs to find qualitative and other entry barriers to prevent a market glut of short-lived technological devices and make citizens more aware of the harmful impacts of their consumerist behavior, experts say.

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Technology transfers debated

HCM CITY — Legal and trade experts from Australia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand, the United States, Viet Nam and the World Trade Organisation began a three-day conference in HCM City yesterday to discuss transfer of technology between developed and developing countries.

Sustainable Technology Transfer is being jointly organised by the Ha Noi University of Law, HCM City University of Law, Sweden's Lund University, Japan's Nagoya University, and Britain's Suffolk University.

The conference has been discussing and analysing the restrictions and hurdles to sustainable technology transfer and come up with solutions based on international accords like the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, which requires developed countries to support developing countries with technology transfer.

The conference focuses on health, environmental issues, and energy.

The delegates discuss the responsibilities of developed countries in the technology-transfer process, the laws related to transferring technology, and technology transfer in the fields of healthcare and environment.

Mai Hong Quy, rector of the HCM City University of Law, who chaired the conference, said: "Technology plays an important role in economic development not only for developed but also developing countries in a knowledge-based global economy.

"Access to technology helps developing countries like Viet Nam succeed in industrialisation and modernisation."

Participants agreed that technology is a key factor in economic development, especially for developing countries which import technologies. — VNS

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HCM City set to fund 12 modern bio-laboratories

HCM CITY — The Biotechnology Centre of HCM City will get subsidies from the city to build 12 advanced laboratories at a cost of US$24 million.

The first six will be built by 2012 and focus on research in agriculture and aquaculture.

The rest will be built by 2015 for research in healthcare and environmental applications.

Duong Hoa Xo, director of the centre, admitted that all 12 cannot be built at the same time because there are not enough professional staff.

He pointed to many other laboratories in the city into which millions of US dollars were sunk but are not fully utilised due to the lack of personnel.

The 12 laboratories will need 200 – 300 researchers and the centre plans to gradually increase the number of experts it can deploy, he said.

Since 2007 it has sent 17 people abroad to pursue master's degrees and doctorates in bio-technology and plans to send six more this year to Canada, South Korea, Japan and other places.

Achievements

Between 2006 and 2009, the centre opened a laboratory each for research in plant-cell technology, nano-bio-technology, and micro-organism technology.

It has also built a plant that makes bio-tech products for test purposes.

All of them are functioning successfully, according to Xo.

The centre has made a kit for PCR (polymerase chain reaction) that aids easy diagnosis of four shrimp diseases at 50 per cent cost of imported kits.

PCR is a technique in which a small fragment of DNA can be rapidly duplicated many times and used to quickly detect pathogens.

PCR applications are commonly used at research centres and hospitals around the country.

The centre has now developed a replacement for PCR kits called the lamp kit. It is a new technology that is simpler and cheaper since it does not need high-cost equipment to operate.

Lamp kits are likely to replace PCR kits in the near future, Xo said.

The centre's agricultural research has led to successful breeding of seven groups of orchids.

Between 2007 and 2009, it produced more than 300,000 seedlings of various groups of orchids, supplying most of them to HCM City and neighbouring provinces.

It is developing a programme to grow clean vegetables using technology to supply the city market and has transferred the technology required to make organic fertilisers.

The 23-ha Biotechnology Centre of HCM City, situated in District 12, was set up at a cost of $100 million in 2004 by the city People's Committee. — VNS

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Science key to development

Le Thi Thuy became one of just a few female researchers to have been awarded the Kovaleskaia Prize following her work in agriculture. The Ministry of Science and Technology has launched a five-year programme in which up to 10,000 businesses will participate in the application of modern science and technology. — VNA/VNS Photo Thai Binh

HCM CITY — Viet Nam will have up to 10,000 businesses that participate in application of modern science and technology achievements by 2015 if an action programme by the Government succeeds.

The programme, initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology, seeks to create an impetus for the development of science and technology in upcoming years.

It also seeks to help provinces and cities draft their own science and technology application development plans and provide financial support to 50 science and technology transfer centres to help them realise their business well.

To achieve the objectives, the ministry plans to set up a national fund to help small and medium-sized enterprises obtain and upgrade technologies and train their scientific and technical workforce.

The fund, to use money from the state budget and voluntary contributions by organisations and individuals, will also help speed up technology transfers in poor rural and mountainous areas.

It will offer loans at low or no interest to eligible enterprises and provide them guarantees if they borrow from other sources for renewing technologies.

Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Van Phong says to foster science and technology development, it is necessary to improve scientists' research capabilities and that of enterprises to obtain and apply technologies.

Science and technology will only develop when there is widespread use by enterprises, Phong says.

Innovation

According to the ministry, there are nearly 1,500 scientific research institutes and centres in the country which employ 2.6 million people, including 60,000 those who directly doing research.

They have made a significant contribution to the country's socio-economic development, defence, political security, and social order.

They have managed to make cutting-edge innovations, including diagnostic equipment for diseases caused by viruses.

They have also provided domestic shipyards the technologies required to build ships of up to 100,000 tonnes.

The country has managed to send the Vinasat 1 satellite into space and has become the world's second biggest exporter of coffee and rice.

Despite such successes, there are barriers to the transfer and application of scientific and technical advancements, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Dinh Tien says.

They are mainly the result of the low investment in science and technology by the Government while the corporate sector seems to ignore research and application, he says.

The quality of science and research personnel is modest, with the country having few top experts, he says.

Most science and technology research institutes lag behind international and regional standards, he adds. — VNS

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