The Vietnamese government, through the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), is formulating a new progressive financial mechanism to accelerate the development of strategic national technology. This step includes a proposal to provide highly competitive compensation for experts, with the salary for the Chief Engineer of strategic technology development proposed to reach VND 300 million (approximately IDR 187 million) per month.
The Director of NAFOSTED, Associate Professor Dr. Dao Ngoc Chien, revealed that research funding models in Vietnam have so far been stuck in conventional, inflexible cost management patterns. According to him, to master core technologies and compete globally, the country must shift to an investment mindset focused on human resource welfare and project management efficiency.
The drafted circular includes six innovative mechanisms, including granting wider autonomy to researchers, output-based budget settlement, and providing a contingency fund of 10 percent of the total project budget. In addition to the Chief Engineer, this proposal also targets other strategic positions, namely the Chief Architect with a salary of VND 250 million per month, and the Project Manager who is planned to receive up to VND 150 million per month.
This incentive policy is part of a national blueprint aiming for the creation of 30 strategic technology products and the mastery of at least 12 core technologies by 2030. The Vietnamese government believes that this step will not only attract the best domestic talent but also build a strong foundation of innovation to support global technology partnerships, including potential strategic collaborations with the United States in the future.
