Ho chi minh city: The Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) and the Lao Ministry of Technology and Communications (MTC) convened their fourth bilateral meeting in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on enhancing cooperation in science, technology, and digital advancements.
According to Lao News Agency, the meeting was co-chaired by Professor and Academician Chau Van Minh, President of VAST, and Professor and Academician Boviengkham Vongdara, Lao Minister of Technology and Communications. Minh highlighted the importance of the gathering as a platform to assess past collaborative achievements and chart future strategies aligned with the directives of both nations’ Parties and governments.
Minh pointed out Vietnam’s ongoing government restructuring efforts, emphasizing the significance of Resolution 57-NQ/TW, which concentrates on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation. He stressed VAST’s reorganization into 24 units dedicated to eight strategic research priorities and emphasized the necessity of sustained collaboration with Laos.
Vongdara expressed gratitude towards Vietnam and VAST for their support and lauded Vietnam for its socio-economic and technological advancements. He showed a keen interest in continuing collaboration in advanced technology, telecommunications, data management, and the training of young Lao scientists through university partnerships.
The two sides reviewed their significant accomplishments, such as the joint laboratory on data and disaster communication that has bolstered Laos’ early warning capabilities, and the cooperation between the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) and Laos’ Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT) in higher education.
Key initiatives discussed included postgraduate scholarship programs, 2+2 exchange schemes, and the preparation of Lao teaching staff for emerging academic fields. The collaboration in big data and cloud computing is also experiencing growth.
During the meeting, both parties agreed to finalize a draft project on a data and disaster communication center for governmental approval. They also committed to enhancing cooperation in science and technology policy, innovation, startup support, and high-tech investment attraction. Plans for expanding expert exchanges and training programs were also outlined.
The session concluded with the signing of the fourth bilateral meeting and a cooperation agreement between Vietnam’s Institute of Earth Sciences and the Lao Research Institute for Smart Technology, marking a significant step forward in Vietnam-Laos science, technology, and innovation cooperation in the digital age.