On December 24, 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh signed Decree 106/2022/ND-CP regulating the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. Accordingly, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology is an agency attached to the Government, performing the function of basic research on natural sciences and technological development; providing scientific arguments for scientific and technological management and formulate policies, strategies, socio-economic development planning; training highly qualified scientific and technological human resources in accordance with law.
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has an international trading name in English: Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, abbreviated as VAST.
DUTIES AND POWERS
1. Strategies, programs and plans:
a) To submit to the Government and the Prime Minister development strategies, long-term, five-year and annual programs and plans, important projects and schemes of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and organize their implementation after being approved;
b) Participate in appraisal of technology level, consider economic-technical evidences of key and important works of the State and localities as assigned by competent state agencies;
c) Decide on investment projects under the competence of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in accordance with law.
2. Regarding scientific research and technological development:
a) Basic research in the fields of natural sciences, technological development and innovation in fields such as: mathematics; physics; chemistry; biology; biotechnology; information technology; electronics, automation; space technology; materials science; biodiversity and biologically active substances; earth sciences; marine science and technology; environment and energy; disaster forecasting, prevention, prevention and mitigation;
b) Integrated research on natural resources, natural conditions and environment;
c) Deploy, apply and transfer findings from scientific and technological research;
d) Propose and assume the prime responsibility for implementation of key science and technology tasks at national level as assigned by competent state agencies;
e) Propagation and dissemination of knowledge, findings from scientific research and technological development to meet the requirements of science and technology market development.
3. Regarding the performance of public services:
a) To organize the implementation of public services assigned by the Government in accordance with law;
b) To inspect and supervise the organization of the implementation of public services for subordinate units in accordance with law.
4. To decide and direct the implementation of the administrative reform program according to the objectives and contents of the state administrative reform program approved by the Prime Minister.
5. Training high-level scientific and technological human resources; organize university and university training in natural sciences and technologies within the scope of assigned functions and tasks as prescribed by law.
6. Advising on strategies, planning, plans, policies, programs and projects on important scientific and technological development within the scope of assigned functions at the request of the Government and the Prime Minister.
7. Regarding international cooperation:
a) Implement international cooperation on science and technology in accordance with law;
b) Propose the signing, amendment, supplementation, extension and termination of the validity of international treaties, temporary suspension of the implementation of international agreements in accordance with law;
c) Organize the implementation of international treaties as assigned by the Prime Minister;
d) Sign conclude, amend, supplement and extend international agreements, terminate the validity of, temporarily suspend the implementation of international agreements on behalf of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in accordance with law;
e) Organize the implementation and inspection of the implementation of programs, internationally funded projects in accordance with the provisions of law;
f) Organize and participate in conferences, seminars, programs and plans on international cooperation in accordance with law;
g) Organize research cooperation and associate training in science and technology with international organizations, foreign research institutes and universities in accordance with law.
8. Regarding information and reporting regimes:
a) Organize the work of information, propaganda and dissemination of political tasks, policies, regimes and laws of the State in their assigned branches and domains;
b) Implement the reporting regime to the Prime Minister or ministers in charge of branches and domains in accordance with law;
c) Reporting and provision of earthquake information, tsunami warning to the competent authority as prescribed.
9. Building a large database on natural science domains in service of application and innovation according to regulations.
10. Organization of the apparatus:
a) Cooperate with the Ministry of Science and Technology in submitting to the Government for decision the establishment, reorganization, dissolution or renaming of organizations and units under the organizational structure of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in accordance with law;
b) Management of the organization, apparatus, number of employees and employees, job positions, decisions on rotation, assignment, appointment, dismissal, resignation, dismissal, secondment, training, retraining, reward, discipline, severance, retirement, salary regime and remuneration policies for officials and employees under Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology shall be managed according to regulations determination;
c) To exercise autonomy mechanisms in accordance with law.
11. Financial and asset management:
a) Formulate annual budget estimates and 03-year financial and budgetary plans and submit them to competent state agencies for approval in accordance with the law on the state budget;
b) Manage assigned finances and assets of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in accordance with law.
12. To perform other tasks and exercise other powers assigned by the Government and the Prime Minister.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
According to Decree 106/2022/ND-CP, Article 3 stipulates the organizational structure of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology as follows:
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has 38 affiliated units including: 05 professional units assisting the President of the Academy; 26 public scientific and technological organizations and 07 other public non-business units.
Also, according to this Decree in Article 5 stipulates:
1. Nha Trang Institute of Technology Research and Application will continue to operate until the end of 2024, after which it will be merged into the Institute of Oceanography;
2. The Institute of Energy Science and the Institute of Environmental Technology will continue to operate until the end of 2023, then merge into the Institute of Energy and Environmental Science and Technology;
3. The Center for Hi-tech Development and the Center for Research and Technology Transfer will continue to operate until the end of 2023, after which it will be merged into a Hi-tech Research and Development Center.
FACILITIES
Over the years, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology has been gradually invested by the State to build relatively synchronous material and technical facilities, including 4 national key laboratories on Gene Technology; Network technology; Electronic materials and components; Plant cell technology, and many other institute-level research laboratories. Many laboratories of the Institute are equipped with modern research equipment to meet the requirements of scientific research and training of high-quality human resources of the Academy.
The Institute has experimental production zones to directly serve the development of technology, bringing scientific research results into practice. The Institute is actively submitting to the Government to build the Institute's Hi-Tech Park in Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park.
SCIENTIFIC MANPOWER
In general, the organizational structure of the Academy is quite stable, complete and synchronous; The force of highly qualified staff is quite large and uniform in almost all fields of natural science. The high qualified staff has always been the strength of the Academy in recent years (compared to research and implementation units, as well as universities throughout the country).
In recent years, the Academy has always paid attention to training highly qualified personnel (PhDs, Masters) for its units as well as general service to the country. Every year, dozens of new PhDs defend and train hundreds of masters in different specialties in the field of natural sciences. Units in the Academy also send many of their young staff to train abroad to supplement the force of highly qualified staff.
REGULAR ACTIVITIES
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology is focusing on implementing the science and technology plan according to Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Development Plan to 2020, vision 2030 approved by the Prime Minister in 2011 with the overall goal of building the Institute to become a leading science and technology center of the country, conducting multidisciplinary research, with a team of highly qualified scientific and technological staff, modern material and technical bases, reaching advanced levels in the world, having extensive international cooperation relations with many countries with developed science and technology, well meeting the requirements of scientific and technological development and sustainable socio-economic development of the country.
The focus of the Institute's work annually includes:
▪ Perform tasks of research and implementation of science and technology directly assigned by the Government, key state-level science and technology programs, state-level science and technology programs chaired by the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, basic research programs managed by NAFOSTED Foundation, science and technology tasks at the level of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
▪ Implement topics, tasks and projects under the programs of the East Sea – Island Program, the National Goals Program on rural water and sanitation, environmental causes, basic investigation projects and climate change.
▪ Promote the application of scientific and technological research findings to serve production and life practices, pilot production projects, production contracts and scientific and technological services of units and state-owned enterprises.
▪ Carry out the tasks of investment in the construction and development of scientific and technological research infrastructure, especially projects on building working facilities, strengthening research equipment and building laboratories, production and testing areas, natural resources and environment camp stations.
▪ Actively implement talent attraction programs, support young staff.
▪ Perform the regular tasks of the Institute, manage and properly and effectively use the state budget, expand and strengthen international cooperation, publish information, promote the combination of research with undergraduate and postgraduate training.
▪ Currently, the Academy is leading the implementation and active participation in some of the following important projects:
▪ The implementation of the Space Technology Research and Application Strategy to 2020 includes a number of large projects such as: Vietnam Small Satellite projects observing Natural Resources, Environment and Natural Disasters (VNREDSAT-1 and VNREDSat-1B), Vietnam Space Center project and Space Science and Technology Program.
▪ Project "Planning the system of Vietnam Museum of Nature": Upgrading the system of museums under the Vietnam Institute of Science and Technology, implementing the project "National specimen set of Vietnam Museum of Nature".
▪ The overall scheme on basic investigation and management of marine environmental resources, survey investigation in the East Sea, international cooperation in survey of the East Sea.
▪ Project "Strengthening the network of earthquake observation stations for earthquake reporting and tsunami warning": Building a system of seismic stations and earthquake data processing centers capable of fully recording and quickly determining earthquake parameters of magnitude below 3.5 on land and near shore, and earthquakes of magnitude below 6.5 on the Richter scale spread throughout the East Vietnam Sea.
▪ Assume the prime responsibility for the implementation of the state-level key science and technology program "Research and assessment of integrated environmental resources and socio-economic development in order to propose S&T strategies for sustainable development of the Central Highlands in the period of 2010-2020, vision to 2030" (Central Highlands Program III).
▪ Preside over the implementation of the Space Science and Technology Program.
The key science and technology directions of the Institute have been approved by the Government:
▪ Information technology, electronics, automation and space technology
▪ Biotechnology
▪ Materials Science
▪ Biodiversity and biologically active substances
▪ Earth Sciences
▪ Marine science and technology
▪ Environment and energy
Over the years, 4 major scientists of the Institute have been awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize by the State, many collectives and individuals have been awarded the State Prize for science and technology and other scientific awards. Many specialized research institutes have been awarded the Noble Order of the State.
Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology was honorably awarded the First-Class Independence Medal (2000), the Emulation Flag of the Government (2008, 2009) and the Ho Chi Minh Medal (2010).
