Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations through Congresses

The campaign process for the establishment of the first VUSTA's congress

Through the long history of our nation, Vietnamese intellectuals have always raised patriotism, national pride and played an important role in the process of national constructing and defense. In the HoChiMinh era, national intellectuals constantly strived to enthusiastically participate in building the national unity, contributing to the continuous victories of our revolutionary.

In the first half of the twentieth century, many organizations of intellectuals were established and widely developed such as the Association for the Propagation of National Language (1938), the National Salvation Cultural Association (1943), and the Vietnam Arts and Culture Association (1948). These organizations actively contributed to expand the people knowledge and develop the nation. Right after the restoration of independence and peace in the Northern Vietnam, a number of associations of Vietnamese scientists were established: Vietnam Lawyers Association (1955); Vietnam Association of Medicine and Pharmacy (1955); Vietnam Oriental Medicine Association (1957); Vietnam Association for the Dissemination of Science and Technology (1959). After that, on the one hand, these associations developed to localities, on the other hand, many new science and technology associations continued to be established and operate, especially after the liberation of the South. Right in 1975, the Patriotic Intellectuals Association was established in Saigon.

President Ho Chi Minh spoke at the 1st National Congress of the Vietnam Association for Science and Technique dissemination

A comprehensive national renewal, initiated and led by the Communist Party of Vietnam since the mid-1980s, has not only liberated the productive forces, promoted socio-economic development, but also created an open atmosphere and blew a wind of change into social activities, creating favorable conditions for the formation of science and technology associations. Over the past two decades, nearly 50 science and technology associations have been established, along with more than ten previous ones, increasing the number of science and technology associations to 66.

At the same time with the establishment of science and technology associations was the tendency to gather industry associations of science and technology into a unified organization. In March 1965, the Liaison Committee of Vietnamese Scientific and Technical Associations was established. Scientists of Hanoi pioneered this policy with the establishment of Hanoi Union of Science and Technology (1982), later renamed to Hanoi Union of Science and Technology Associations (1982), the first local association in the country.

General Vo Nguyen Giap and delegates attending the 1st Congress

The early 80s of the twentieth century had all the necessary conditions for the birth of a unified organization among science and technology associations. On the basis of activities of the Liaison Committee of Vietnamese Scientific and Technical Associations, on March 26th, 1983, at Bo Ho Hotel, Hanoi, representatives of 14 Vietnam scientific and technical associations and Hanoi Science and Technology Union held a congress to establish the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations. The Congress approved the Charter and elected the Central Executive Committee of VUSTA, including:

• Prof. Aca. Tran Dai Nghia - President
• Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Vice President
• Prof. Dao Van Tap - Vice President
• Prof. Le Van Thoi - Vice President
• Engineer Le Khac - Vice President and Secretary General
• Prof. Duong Hong Dat - Vice President and Head of the Organization and Personnel Department
• Prof. Dr. Ha Hoc Trac - Head of the Department of knowledge and scientific and technological advances application to production and life
• Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Dao - Head of Propaganda and Publication Department
• Mr. Ho Dac Song - Head of Economic Department.