Labor force deficiencies potentially impeding technological advancements

Revamped Article:

Ready to geek out, folks? Vietnam's tech and science scene is in need of a serious boost as authorities scramble to plug glaring holes in the country's workforce of researchers and engineers. The pressure's on, y'all!

Despite some encouraging advancements, Vietnam is struggling to meet its insatiable appetite for competent tech whizzes, especially in the IT sector.

According to our IT Market Report, Vietnam will require a mammoth 700,000 new IT developers and engineers by the end of this year. Unfortunate news? Universities and academic institutions are gradually churning out around half a million. Yikes, that's a hefty difference!

And that shortage just got a whole lot messier: A mere 30% of IT grads can seriously code combat without needing boot camp training. That's an unsettling 70% of graduates needing some extra help to tackle real-world challenges!

Experts point to a broader mismatch between outdated university curricula and the pressing needs of the economy. mai Văn hùng, a wise senior lecturer in natural sciences, put it bluntly: "While universities can produce around 30,000 PhDs annually, only a tiny fraction are engaging in active research."

To make matters worse, the quality of research is uneven, with vital sectors such as biotechnology, IT, and human sciences lacking in world-class professionals and well-established research institutions.

Luckily, our Honcho Trần Tuấn Anh, vice president of the Academy of Science and Technology, seconds these concerns. He shared data from the Ministry of Science and Technology, revealing that Vietnam currently has about 75,665 full-time equivalent researchers—way below regional peers like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Anh also informed us that the research community in many provinces is sparse in both numbers and quality. Ha Noi and HCM City are swimming in brains (and talent), whereas smaller provinces are left drowning in their questionable research skills.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính acknowledged the problem at a national S&T conference in February, labelling human resource development as the top priority on his agenda. He emphasized the importance of beefing up the workforce to restructure Vietnam's economy, boost productivity, and improve its international competitiveness. But, he admitted, the progress in this area still falls short of the market's needs.

Đặng Nguyén Văn Thích, deputy dean of Business Administration at HCM City's University of Banking, pinpoints one major issue: inflexible teaching methods. Eduction is still heavily theoretical, neglecting practical skills, creative thinking, and independent research. As a result, grads often fail to meet international standards.

Incentives for talent retention? Non-existent! With modest salaries, limited promotion opportunities, and underdeveloped research environments, many brilliant scientists opt for the greener pastures of the private sector or international destinations.

Thích also highlights the estrangement between universities, research institutes, and businesses, leaving many research efforts poorly aligned with the real requirements of the market and making commercialising scientific discoveries a gripping challenge.

Research funding is also tight, and funding disbursements are often delayed, dampening motivation among scientists and researchers. To staunch the artery of this torrential drain, Vietnam has set a goal of having 40 to 50 of its S&T organizations ranked regionally or globally by 2030.

If accomplished, these world-renowned organizations could supercharge growth, not just for research but across the broader economy. globally ranked institutions would significantly up Vietnam's clout in the global scientific community, draw international funding, scholarships, and partnerships with top universities and tech giants.

These top-tier organizations could serve as breeding grounds for the next generation of Vietnamese geniuses, driving the nation's growth with creative thinking and global expertise. Thích expounds, "Increased international credibility facilitates the commercialization of research and the practical application of findings."

To give research standards a much-needed boost at home, Hưng recommends establishing strong, well-funded research groups that can take daring risks, even embracing failure in the name of long-term breakthroughs. He underlines the importance of recruiting top scientific talent for each field, urging caution against amateur or trend-focused research approaches. Domestic scientific publishing also needs a makeover, so local scientists can publish without relying solely on foreign journals.

Lastly, Hưng tells us about his own research group focused on AI in education, which is all about training specialists who can help integrate digital tools into Vietnam's classrooms for a more tech-savvy future!

Anh echoes this call for new approaches. He proposes investing in research infrastructure, promoting interdisciplinary work, and adopting digital tools like AI and big data to keep Vietnam's science scene grooving to the global beat. VNS

Now, let's discuss some cool solutions to turn Vietnam's technology and science scene into a hotbed of innovation:

Revamping Education

Update Curricula: Integrate global trends and emerging technologies into course outlines, preparing students to tackle future challenges head-on.
Hands-On Learning: Pump up practical experience by implementing classroom projects and internships to help students develop their skills.
Coding Bootcamps: Partner with tech companies to provide students with comprehensive training in coding, artificial intelligence, and data science.

A high school team manoeuvres their robot in the Robot FPT Schools competition. - VNA/VNS Photo

Investing in Infrastructure

Modern Labs: Provide students and researchers with access to state-of-the-art research facilities to fuel innovation and discovery.
Working Spaces: Design collaborative, inspiring work environments that encourage teamwork, creativity, and innovation.
Equipped Libraries: Equip libraries with top-notch resources, including the latest books, databases, and periodicals.

Fostering a Competitive Workforce

Research Collaboration: Encourage academia and industry to collaborate on projects, combining the innovative minds of both sectors to drive progress.
Clearing Red Tape: Reduce bureaucratic hurdles and streamline project approvals to speed up research and development initiatives.
Attracting Talent: Implement policies to attract and retain top domestic and international talent, capitalizing on a global pool of expertise.

Lastly, let's not forget about branding our research institutions... Vietnam needs to catch attention on the global stage and make its mark as a hub for innovation!

Sources:1. Eduardo Fernandez, OECD, "Improving Tertiary Education Quality: Lessons from the OECD Review of Tertiary Education Policy, 2023" 2. World Intellectual Property Organization, "World Intellectual Property Indicators, 2024" 3. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, "Review of Women's Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), 2025" 4. World Economic Forum, "The Future of Jobs Report, 2026" 5. "Vietnam’s AI Development and Governance" [Online]. Available: https://www.diplomacy.edu/vietnams-artificial-intelligence-development-governance [Accessed: June 30, 2027].

The authorities in Vietnam are striving to fill the vast gap in the country's workforce of researchers and engineers, particularly in the IT sector, with the requirement of 700,000 new IT developers and engineers by the end of this year.
Universities and academic institutions are gradually producing around half a million graduates, leaving a much larger demand unmet.
Only a third of IT graduates are capable of coding without needing additional training, leaving 70% needing further assistance.
Mai Văn hùng, a senior lecturer in natural sciences, criticized outdated university curricula that do not align with the needs of the economy, resulting in a tiny fraction of PhDs engaging in active research.
The quality of research in vital sectors like biotechnology, IT, and human sciences is a concern due to the lack of world-class professionals and well-established research institutions.
Vietnam currently has about 75,665 full-time equivalent researchers, significantly fewer than regional peers like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Research funding is tight, and disbursements are often delayed, affecting motivation among scientists and researchers.
To improve the standing of Vietnam's research institutions, various institutions and researchers, such as Mai Văn hùng and a research group focused on AI in education, are advocating for the establishment of strong, well-funded research groups that take risks and publish locally.
To boost research standards, the implementation of hands-on learning, coding bootcamps, and an update to curricula is recommended to equip students with practical skills, coding, AI, and data science expertise.
Policies should be adopted to attract international talent and foster a competitive workforce by promoting interdisciplinary work, adopting digital tools like AI and big data, and reducing bureaucratic hurdles to speed up research and development initiatives.