EU, Vietnam look to stronger cooperation in science, technology, and innovation

The seminar featured the participation of 140 Vietnamese experts and intellectuals working at leading research institutes, universities, and businesses in Belgium and Luxembourg.

The goal of this event was to mobilize the intellectual resources of the Vietnamese community abroad to contribute to national development and strengthen cooperation between Vietnam and the EU.

This event is also part of the activities to implement Resolution No. 57 of the Politburo, which aims to promote economic diplomacy and the development of science, technology, and innovation during the 2024-2026 period.

Experts focused on discussing two main topics: potential fields of science and technology and innovation that can bolster cooperation between Vietnam, the EU, Belgium, and Luxembourg, and the role and contributions of overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in these fields.

Speaking at the seminar, Ambassador Nguyen Van Thao, Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the EU, highlighted the importance of science, technology, and innovation cooperation in promoting Vietnam-EU relations.

The Vietnamese diplomat emphasized that the EU region is home to a large number of Vietnamese experts and intellectuals who have studied, are living, and working there, and called on them to contribute their knowledge, experience, and engage in national efforts to make breakthroughs in innovation, science and technology development, thus stepping up cooperation between Vietnam and the EU.

During the seminar, Vietnamese experts and intellectuals actively discussed, showcasing their deep expertise across a variety of fields, as well as their commitment and desire to contribute knowledge, intellect, and effort to strengthen cooperation between Vietnam, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the EU.

The experts suggested focusing on specific science and technology fields where Belgium and Luxembourg hold strengths, possess technologies that Vietnam needs for its development. Specifically, with Belgium, there should be a focus on augmenting cooperation in biotechnology – a strength of Belgium in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare; semiconductor technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital transformation; renewable energy, particularly hydrogen; nuclear reactor technology and the use of nuclear technology in healthcare.

For each of these fields, they expressed their willingness to contribute, from stages involving policy consultation, strategic planning, creating a legal framework for science development, sharing updated information and the latest technologies, and acting as bridges between Vietnam and local partners, with the possibility of directly participating in cooperation projects.

Experts and intellectuals expressed enthusiasm for the direction and determination of Vietnam’s leadership in leveraging the resources of overseas Vietnamese and international students. They also stressed that this highly qualified human resource is a great advantage, which should be effectively utilized to create breakthroughs in science, technology, and innovation.

The seminar was a great success, with diverse and insightful contributions creating a dynamic forum that opened new avenues for cooperation between Vietnam and the EU. With strong connections between the Vietnamese community in Europe and Vietnamese state agencies, practical results are expected to be achieved soon.

Based on the contributions from the seminar, the Vietnamese Embassy in Belgium and Luxembourg will build a database of Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in the region, categorize proposals by field, and facilitate their contributions to the development of the homeland.

This event marks an important step in mobilizing the intellectual resources of the overseas Vietnamese, creating momentum for stronger cooperation in science and technology between Vietnam and the EU.