Mid-term Workshop about Vietnam-Korean Institute of Science and Technology Establishment Project

View of the Workshop.
 

Attending the workshop, on Vietnam side, there were Mr. Bui The Duy, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Tran Viet Thanh, Former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Senior Advisor of VKIST Institute; Mr. Kum Dongwha, President of VKIST Institute, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Bao Son, Deputy Director of Hanoi National University. Together with representatives of functional units of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Health; VKIST Council members; Scientists at Universities, Research Institutes, and Enterprises working in VKIST's main research fields.

On Korean side, there were Mr. Park Noh Wan, Korean Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Cho Han Deog, Director of KOICA in Vietnam, Mr. Yoon, Sang Ho, Chairman of Korean Association in Hanoi, Mr. Kim, Han Yoong, President of Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam - KOCHAM, Mr. Yoon, Suk Jin, Acting President of Korean Institute of Science and Technology - KIST. In addition, there were also representatives of Korean organizations, researchers, enterprises in Vietnam participating in the workshop.
 

Dr. Kum Dongwha, President of VKIST Institute spoke at the Workshop.
 

Mr. Park Noh Wan, Korean Ambassador to Vietnam spoke at the Workshop.
 

At the workshop, Mr. Bui The Duy, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology affirmed that the cooperation project of Vietnam-Korea Institute of Science and Technology establishment is a symbol of scientific and technological cooperation between Vietnam and Korea. With the vision: "A leader in providing technology solutions to market winners in Vietnam", VKIST is expected to soon fulfill its mission to serve industrial technology industries. "The Ministry of Science and Technology expects VKIST to be a pilot model applying S&T development policies, thereby extending to the S&T research system nationwide." - Deputy Minister, Mr. Bui The Duy said.
 

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam Bui The Duy spoke at the Workshop.
 

After a period of operation, a remarkable point of the VKIST project is a close cooperation among experts, research institutes, and enterprises of Vietnam and Korea, which will become a foundation to build a network of activities on developing science, technology & innovation afterwards.

Vietnam - Korea Institute of Science and Technology (VKIST) is built on the model of KIST, a contract research institute in Korea. However, in the context of operating with mechanisms and policies which have a lot of differences from the "prototype" in Korea, therefore, since its establishment, in addition to basic construction as well as recruiting management and research employees, the Institute also proposes a number of scientific management mechanisms and methods, according to practices in Korea and European, American countries. By the end of 2019, VKIST has opened an on-site laboratory at KIST, recruited R&D leaders, and signed two research contracts in medicine to transfer products to pharmaceutical companies in Vietnam.

Thanks to these initial foundations, next year will be the time when VKIST conducts research projects that have been signed. This is a very important milestone because "it is the time to start testing the new financial system as the first contract R&D institute in Vietnam", said Dr. Kum Dongwha, President of VKIST. He expects that he and VKIST members will altogether make VKIST the most successful example of cooperation in science and technology through ODA projects as leaders of Vietnam and Korea expected.

At the workshop, the delegates listened to reports on VKIST Institute's activities since the beginning of project's implementation; introduction about research orientation in VKIST's priority areas in the near future, conducted by VKIST Research Team leaders. The research orientation is identified by Vietnamese and Korean delegates, researchers, enterprises and is expected to meet market demand.

Comments from the community of researchers and businesses and research results of KIST Institute will help VKIST's research groups be confident in each step and their research orientation.

The workshop ended successfully, and it is expected that in the future, VKIST will organize similar activities in Ho Chi Minh City to further promote the image of VKIST to the research community and businesses.
 

Delegates take photos together at the Workshop.