The Vietnamese government, through the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), is drafting an innovative financial policy to accelerate the development of national strategic technologies. This policy aims to break down bureaucratic hurdles that have historically hindered the research, development, and commercialization of core technologies within the country.
One of the most significant breakthroughs in the draft is the offer of highly competitive income incentives to attract high-quality experts. The Chief Engineer of a strategic technology project is proposed to receive an income of up to 300 million VND (approximately IDR 187 million) per month. Additionally, the Chief Architect position is projected to receive 250 million VND, and the Project Manager 150 million VND per month.
NAFOSTED Director, Dao Ngoc Chien, explained that the management paradigm must shift from merely managing research administration to outcome-based and market-driven project management. This step is taken to ensure that technology development does not stop at prototypes, but is capable of transforming into competitive products in the global market.
The program sets an ambitious target for 2030: to produce more than 30 strategic technology products, with 10 of them targeted to compete at regional and international levels. The government will also adopt a 'sandbox' mechanism that provides greater flexibility for researchers, including allowing research risks and granting full autonomy to project-executing organizations.
This change reflects a mindset shift from 'cost management' to 'strategic investment'. By providing a risk reserve fund of 10% of the project budget and simplifying financial procedures, Vietnam aims to create a more agile research ecosystem to master core technologies and strengthen the national tech industry's sovereignty.
