Professor Ngo Bao Chau, who won the 2010 Fields Medal, said that Vietnam should focus more on fundamental scientific research which is a key factor in improving the quality of its science sector.
Chau made the suggestion at a international fundamental science workshop in Binh Dinh Province on July 7-8, attracting the participation of 300 Vietnamese and international delegates from across different fields, including six Nobel laureates and Vietnamese mathematician Ngo Bao Chau.
Professor Ngo Bao Chau (in the middle)
According to Professor Ngo Bao Chau, except for the National University in Hanoi and HCM City, scientific research at other universities remained quite modest.
It can be said that Vietnam currently boasted substantial scientific and technological infrastructure, including hi-tech parks, institutes and research centres; but research capacity remains limited, with many projects having little real-world value.
"As the scientific research is not focused on much, universities don’t also pay attention to selecting really qualified lecturers, so, this affects their training quality. Universities in Vietnam need to have competitive and transparent recruitment policies to have good staff. The selection of lecturers must be based on their real capacity, not their relationship with university leaders," he added.
Every year, Vietnamese people spend around USD2-3 billion studying overseas. The government also offers local students scholarships to study abroad, but many Vietnamese prefer to work in other countries after graduation.
Many students, particularly those studying masters or doctorates, have no interest in returning to Vietnam due to lack of research opportunities and poor pay.
