The Current of Intellect Across Generations of Presidents of the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations

Throughout its history, those who have led VUSTA have been distinguished scientists of high standing, strong character and a deep sense of social responsibility. Despite serving in different positions, working in different fields of expertise and facing different historical circumstances, each President has left their own distinctive mark, together forming a continuous current: intellect coupled with responsibility, science aligned with practice, and dedication to the nation-state’s interests.

Prof. Academician Trần Đại Nghĩa–Prof. Dr. Hà Học Trạc–Prof. Academician VũTuyên Hoàng –Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hồ Uy Liêm–Prof. Academician Đặng Vũ Minh–Prof. D.Sc. Phan Xuân Dũng

From the Founding Figure to the First Stages of Development

Founded on 26 March 1983, VUSTA is a socio-political organisation of Viet Nam’s scientific and technological intellectuals. It plays an important role in bringing together and uniting intellectuals, and in fostering their creative potential in service of the cause of national development and defence.

Prof. Academician Trần Đại Nghĩa

At its First Congress, Prof. Academician Trần Đại Nghĩa was elected VUSTA’s first President. During its early and challenging years, when VUSTA had only 15 member organisations, Prof. Academician Trần Đại Nghĩa devoted to building and developing the Union, gradually reinforcing VUSTA’s position in Viet Nam’s scientific and socio-economic life. He was subsequently honoured by scientists and member associations as Honorary President for the Second and Third Terms, a title he retained until the end of his life.

Major General, Professor, Academician and Hero of Labour Trần Đại Nghĩa (Phạm Quang Lễ, 1913-1997) was a scientist having significant contributions to Viet Nam, particularly in the fields of military science and defence industry. He was one of Viet Nam’s most prominent intellectuals of the twentieth century and was entrusted by President Hồ Chí Minh with many important responsibilities.

Prof. Dr. Hà Học Trạc

Continuing the task of building and developing the organisation, Prof. Dr. Hà Học Trạc served as President of VUSTA during its Second and Third Terms. As a scientist, educator and science administrator, he made significant contributions to higher education, electrical engineering and the work of bringing Vietnamese intellectuals together.

During this period, VUSTA continued to strengthen its role as a forum for the intellectual community, where scientists from diverse fields could exchange views, put forward proposals and recommendations on matters of national importance. Prof. Dr. Hà Học Trạc was also among the initiators of the Viet Nam Fund for Science and Technology Creations (VIFOTEC), helping to foster an environment that encouraged creativity, from nurturing ideas to honouring intellectuals and creative workers’ achievements.

Bringing Science Closer to Everyday Life

Prof. Academician Vũ Tuyên Hoàng served as President of VUSTA for its 4^th and 5^th Terms. As an agricultural scientist, he made significant contributions to crop research and breeding, and to the application of scientific advances in agricultural production.

He developed the two-gene-system theory in rice study and was recognised for more than 50 nationally acclaimed research achievements, including high-yield rice varieties (Xuan No. 2, NN 75-6, etc.); drought-tolerant varieties (CH5, CHI33, etc.); the world’s first waterlogging-tolerant rice varieties (Ui4, Ui7, etc.); technical processes for growing potatoes from seed; and new fruit and vegetable varieties developed through hybrid breeding, including cucumber, tomato and apple varieties such as Hi2, H32 and Ma Hong. He also developed various intensive farming techniques, including direct rice seeding in northern Viet Nam and intensive rice cultivation in the Mekong Delta.

Prof. Academician VũTuyên Hoàng

As President, he reinforce the principle that science must be closely connected to everyday life. Scientific research should also contribute to productivity, quality, livelihoods and tangible development outcomes, not just academia. This approach, which encouraged the implementation of scientific advances in everyday life, positively conditioned agriculture and rural development.

While the early generations laid the foundation and gradually shaped the social role of VUSTA, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hồ Uy Liêm, Acting President from August 2008 to April 2010, made a notable contribution to promoting the socialisation of science and technology, as well as promoting the Union’s consultancy and scientific review activities.

Having spent nearly 20 years with VUSTA, he held various positions, including Head of the International cooperation Department, Secretary General, Vice President and Secretary General, and Acting President. He emphasised democracy, cooperation and innovation; promoted scientists’ potential; reduced the bureaucratisation of VUSTA's activities; and promoted the socialisation of science and technology.

His contributions were also reflected in VUSTA’s consultancy and scientific review of major programmes and projects, including education and training, the Sơn La Hydropower Project, the Hồ Chí Minh Road through Cúc Phương National Park, the Hồ Tây water improvement project, bauxite mining in Tây Nguyên, and the North – South high-speed railway project. These activities helped reinforce VUSTA’s role in providing scientific advice and expert input on matters of national importance.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hồ Uy Liêm

Amplifying the Voice of Intellectuals in Policy-Making

Prof. Academician Đặng Vũ Minh served as President of VUSTA for its 6^th and 7^th Terms. As a scientist specialising in physics, nuclear chemistry and fundamental research, he held various positions in science and technology and served in the National Assembly.

As President, Prof. Academician Đặng Vũ Minh promoted organisational consolidation and harnessing the collective strength of the intellectual community, while improving the quality of consultancy, scientific review and social appraisal. These efforts helped reinforce VUSTA’s role and standing in national development. During this period, VUSTA’s network, from central to local level, as well as its sectoral associations and affiliated science and technology organisations, continued to expand.

Over successive Terms, VUSTA’s activities increasingly demonstrated its role in bringing together intellectuals and ensuring that scientific expertise contributes to policy-making and the resolution of practical matters.

Prof. Academician Đặng Vũ Minh

By the 8^th Term, Prof. D.Sc. Phan Xuân Dũng assumed the presidency as science, technology and innovation were becoming increasingly important drivers of national development. This period also brought new requirements for VUSTA amid the restructuring of its organisation and apparatus.

In this context, VUSTA’s role extended beyond mobilising and uniting intellectuals to effectively connecting expertise with the State, businesses, local authorities and society. As President, Prof. D.Sc. Phan Xuân Dũng worked to maintain and promote the role of the intellectual community, while overseeing the completion of the VUSTA Building, the common home of the science and technology community, helping strengthen VUSTA’s image and standing in both domestic and international relations.

Prof. D.Sc. Phan Xuân Dũng

A Consistent Thread: Intellect – Responsibility – Service

Looking back at generations of Presidents of VUSTA, each had distinct expertise, contributions and historical circumstances. Prof. Academician Trần Đại Nghĩa laid the foundation for the organisation; Prof. Dr. Hà Học Trạc helped strengthen the intellectual forum and promote the innovation movement; Prof. Academician Vũ Tuyên Hoàng emphasised science and technology application to agriculture and rural development; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hồ Uy Liêm promoted the socialisation of science and technology, as well as consultancy and scientific review; Prof. Academician Đặng Vũ Minh helped strengthen the role of intellectuals in policy-making; and Prof. D.Sc. Phan Xuân Dũng continued this tradition as science, technology and innovation became important drivers in national development.

These generations of leaders shared a defining feature that individual intellect has always been in service of society and national interest, in which scientists do not work solely in laboratories, lecture halls or research institutes. They also contribute to addressing matters of national importance, policy-making and national development. This connection is what gives the intellectual community its value and standing in society.

Legacycontinuation and new avenues for development

The 9^th National Congress of VUSTA for the 2026–2031 Term provides an important opportunity to reflect on more than 43 years of development and to identify new requirements for the organisation representing the science and technology community.

Amid the demands for rapid and sustainable development, VUSTA continues to strengthen its core role in mobilising, uniting and promoting the intellectual community; enhance its contribution to policy-making; further reform its consultancy, scientific review and social appraisal activities; and strengthen links between science and businesses, local authorities and communities.

A priority to foster a scientific review culture: objective without being extreme, frank yet constructive, identifies shortcomings while proposing solutions, and evidence-based while remaining grounded in Viet Nam’s practical context. The history of VUSTA’s Presidents shows that its enduring strength lies not only in the scale of its organisation, but above all in the quality of its intellectual contributions to the nation.

This is the value that should continue to guide VUSTA in the next stage: unity to bring together knowledge; science for a strong foundation; scientific review to improve policies; innovation to open new development paths; and responsibility to serve the nation and its people.