(VOVWORLD) - The National Innovation Center (NIC) inaugurated its new facility at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Hanoi on Saturday. This marks an important step in building an innovation ecosystem, showing that Vietnam is focusing its resources on science and technology development to become a global innovation hub.
 Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates cut the ribbon to inaugurate the National Innovation center in Hoa Lac (Photo: VNA) |
The Ministry of Planning and Investment’s NIC Hoa Lac is tasked with developing and supporting a startup and innovation ecosystem and contributing to Vietnam’s shift toward a technology-based growth model.
Creating a new space for innovation
Covering more than 2 hectares, with two office buildings and one international convention building, NIC Hoa Lac is one of the world’s first innovation centers funded by the State. It serves the national goal of mobilizing mechanisms from social sources.
NIC is designed to help businesses find resources for innovation, build startup and innovation ecosystems, train and develop high-quality IT human resources, create innovation networks in Vietnam, connect Vietnam’s innovation networks with partners around the world, and make Vietnam an innovation hub of the region and the world.
Addressing the NIC Hoa Lac inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said innovation is an inevitable trend and a possible strategic breakthrough for Vietnam.
"The inauguration of the National Innovation Center in Hoa Lac is of great significance for the development of an innovation ecosystem. It is the first step in creating a coordinated infrastructure to strengthen Vietnamese innovation," said Chinh.
NIC is currently building a global Vietnamese innovation network, which now has 2,000 Vietnamese experts and intellectuals in Vietnam and 20 other countries and territories, including Germany, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Europe, Taiwan (China), and the US.
Comprehensive, sustainable, effective cooperation
The inauguration of NIC Hoa Lac marks the establishment of a national innovation space and demonstrates Vietnam’s determination to promote innovation toward rapid, sustainable development based on technology and innovation and build an independent, self-reliant economy, successfully implementing national industrialization and modernization.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said: "We need to pilot and implement specific mechanisms to strengthen innovation in order to create breakthroughs and momentum for the national economy. It’s important to develop strategies, plans, and action programs to boost the development of science and technology areas and add value to Vietnam in the semiconductor and green hydrogen technology industries. We need to prepare infrastructure and human resources to develop these industries and at the same time enhance comprehensive, sustainable and effective collaboration between actors in the innovation ecosystem."
The Prime Minister urged sectors at all levels to bolster international cooperation in innovation and science and technology and collaboration between domestic businesses and global technology corporations, and invite embassies, international organizations, and tech leaders to participate in programs promoting investment and business cooperation within Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem
He stressed the need to refine mechanisms and policies to effectively develop an innovation ecosystem in order to help Vietnam keep up with global development.