6 million USD and breakthrough funding thinking to promote the development of Science – Technology

In particular, it is VINIF’s breakthrough funding thinking that has made positive changes in investment in the research environment.

Creating a “launch pad” for Vietnamese scientists

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, in the period from 2018 to 2025, Vietnam needs to add 36,000 lecturers with doctoral degrees. From now to 2030, the number of missing PhDs is 7,300.

Starting in 2019, VINIF Fund has immediately implemented synchronously various scholarship programs, in which, Master and PhD scholarships are 120 million VND/year and PhD students are 150 million VND/year. . Not only targeting beneficiaries who are individuals doing scientific research, VINIF also connects with research institutes and universities in Vietnam to support financial and technological resources, knowledge and expertise networks. for training institutions.

Over three years, VINIF has sponsored a total of 6 million USD to build high-quality human resources for the development of science and technology in Vietnam.

In order to ensure that the appraisal process is scientific and transparent, and at the same time effective, close to the actual needs of researchers, from the very first days, VINIF has consulted with scientists, policy makers of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and a team of leading professors. Over the years, the set of criteria and program framework has been continuously supplemented and updated by VINIF to further improve and meet the new requirements of world science. In particular, VINIF focuses on appraisal and screening, provided that the candidate must meet international scientific standards, with at least 2 articles published in publications in the list of SCIE/SSCI journals and sponsor and cooperate with prestigious scientists. This approach is similar to that of prestigious foreign organizations such as the Humboldt Foundation (Germany), Sloan or Fulbright (USA) and Simons (Canada), to ensure that funding is used effectively, to the right people and right purpose.

“I think the current funding policy of VINIF is going in the right direction and perhaps this is the general consensus of scientists.” – GS. Dr. Nguyen Hai Nam – Rector of Hanoi University of Pharmacy affirmed.

GS. Dr. Nguyen Hai Nam – Rector of Hanoi University of Pharmacy commented on VINIF’s scholarship funding policy

With a large budget, VINIF focuses on long-term, continuous and methodical investments. Only for Master and Doctoral scholarships, for three consecutive years accompanying students and researchers nationwide, a total of 753 scholarships have been awarded by VINIF with an amount of VND 102 billion. Along with nearly 30 billion VND invested in the Master of Data Science training programs, the total funding of VINIF so far is about 132 billion VND (equivalent to about 6 million USD). “From the persistent efforts of VINIF, a network of young intellectuals, in diverse fields, is gradually forming and connecting, which is expected to be the quintessential resource to create the comprehensive development of the country.” – GS. Vu Ha Van (Scientific Director of VINIF and VinBigData) shared at the Ceremony of announcing and reviewing two years of scholarship and training programs.

Despite its young age, VINIF has initially successfully created an ecosystem of research – training – connection and sharing of scientific knowledge. Assoc. Dr. Huynh Quyet Thang, Rector of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, informed that sponsored research groups attract many good students to work. Scientific research publications at schools and institutes have increased markedly in both quantity and quality.

In the year 2019 – 2020, the Polytechnic students receiving VINIF scholarships have had about 50 articles published in prestigious scientific journals. Thanks to the cooperation with VINIF, member units such as the University of Information Technology have received adequate facilities for the master’s program in Data Science. “This is the first Foundation to directly accompany graduate students and contribute to the formation of strong research groups,” he said.

Especially, in the era of interdisciplinary science, it is the network connecting intellectuals with the participation of scientists – universities – research institutes and enterprises that is really a solid launching pad for science and technology to develop. Vietnamese studies go far and sustainably.

Breakthrough thinking creates new efficiency

With the overall investment for Master, Doctoral, Post-Doctoral scholarship programs and Master’s training cooperation, VINIF is one of the rare private funds in Vietnam with comprehensive interest. to graduate education. In particular, according to GS. Dr. Phung Ho Hai, Director of the Institute of Mathematics (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology), the meaning of the Vingroup Innovation Fund is not in the number of scholarships, the number of topics sponsored by the Fund, but in the number of projects funded by the Fund. in funding.

VINIF’s breakthrough funding thinking has made positive changes to the research environment and culture in the country, promoting the development of science and technology in the country.

The breakthrough in VINIF’s work is that: The Foundation realizes the true labor value of scientists, considers students or doctoral students as human resources, needs to be paid a salary or a scholarship; Master, PhD or post-doctoral research is a profession, not just a matter of going to school.

“In the US, going to graduate school is considered a “full-time” job. Learners only focus on research and receive subsidies from the government or businesses. In Vietnam, the majority of learners are Master’s and doctoral studies are only part of the time spent studying, so the quality is not guaranteed. That difference leads to a difference in the quality of training.” – GS. Vu Ha Van said.

Changing the mindset of training Master, Doctoral, and Post-Doctorate, VINIF has become a “godfather” for many young scientists. Accompanying VINIF, Duong Tien Anh, a 27-year-old doctor of pharmacology, who owns 4 patents and 14 published in international standard ISI journals, clearly sees the impact of the Scholarship on her research career. . Working as a “full-time” doctorate, Tien Anh completes her studies a year early and has the opportunity to participate in the 20th Health Science and Technology Conference at the end of this month. “VINIF’s scholarship helps me change my outlook on scientific research and doctoral studies. Dedicated to doing science, I can make a living by my profession, and moreover, maximize my ability to create produce research that is useful to society.” – Tien Anh shared.

Further, VINIF’s new thinking and directions not only remove the financial burden on scientists, but also change the research environment and culture in the country, creating a premise for businesses, Other private funds participate in promoting the sustainable development of science and technology in Vietnam.