Standardizing the management of non-governmental aid in science and technology

On the morning of September 10, in Hanoi, VUSTA, in coordination with Oxfam in Vietnam, held a conference to disseminate VUSTA’s Regulations on science, technology and innovation activities and the receipt of non-refundable foreign aid.

Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh, President of VUSTA, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Ngoc Linh, Vice President of VUSTA, chair the conference

Delivering the opening remarks, Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh, Professor of VUSTA, said that in recent times, VUSTA has focused on gradually improving its system of regulations and procedures to enhance the effectiveness of managing and organizing international cooperation activities. The issuance of these regulations reflects the need to gradually standardize external relations and international cooperation work across the entire system, ensuring that activities are carried out in line with the Party's guidelines, the State's policies and laws, and VUSTA’s own regulations, while also creating favorable conditions for member units to be more proactive, active, and effective in their cooperation with international partners.

Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh asked delegates to focus on discussing, clarifying, and reaching a common understanding of the role and requirements of international cooperation work across VUSTA’s entire system; to ensure that member and affiliated organizations thoroughly grasp and strictly implement VUSTA’s regulations on external relations and international cooperation; and to strengthen the responsibility of heads of units and officials in charge of international cooperation at each unit.

Prof. Acad. Chau Van Minh, President of VUSTA, speaks at the conference

According to Dr. Pham Quang Tu, Deputy Director of Oxfam in Vietnam, in recent years Vietnam has made strong progress in developing orientations; improving institutions, policies, and the legal framework to promote science, technology and innovation, strengthen digital transformation, and expand international cooperation; and mobilizing the participation of social organizations, enterprises, and other stakeholders in the development process. These orientations and policies provide a foundation for Vietnam to better leverage domestic and international resources, while also creating new opportunities for science and technology organizations, social organizations, and development partners to jointly contribute to the country's development. Going forward, Oxfam wishes to continue maintaining and strengthening its cooperative relationship with VUSTA and other partners in Vietnam, within an appropriate scope, by supporting networking, sharing knowledge and experience, and promoting initiatives toward inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development.

Dr. Pham Quang Tu, Deputy Director of Oxfam in Vietnam, delivers his remarks

Sharing insights on the provisions of Decree No. 313/2025, regarding cases where the project owner is a non-public science and technology organization, Ms. Nong Thi Hong Hanh of the Department of Debt Management and External Finance, Ministry of Finance, said that incorporating aid funds into the State budget estimate is an important step that helps management agencies more easily monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of each science and technology project. This not only helps optimize investment resources but also enhances the accountability of non-public organizations when receiving and implementing non-governmental aid projects or projects from international partners. In addition, the close linkage between Decree No. 313/2025/ND-CP and the provisions of the State Budget Law No. 89/2025/QH15 and Article 63 of the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation No. 93/2025/QH15 is expected to remove administrative procedural barriers.

Overview of the conference

Within the framework of the conference, delegates discussed issues related to the Party and State's external relations policy; updates on regulations governing the organization of international conferences and seminars; tax policies for science and technology organizations; as well as VUSTA's Regulations on the establishment of science and technology organizations, the management and use of non-refundable foreign aid, the Financial Management Procedure, and the Regulations on the management of VUSTA's external relations activities. Delegates agreed that these were highly necessary topics, especially as science and technology organizations increasingly have more opportunities to expand cooperation with partners at home and abroad, and accordingly proposed strengthening coordination among VUSTA, its affiliated organizations, and State management agencies.