The Conference on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development was organised by the Rencontres du Vietnam Association and the International Center for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE), in coordination with Gia Lai’s People’s Committee, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
Discussions cover quantum technology, artificial intelligence, Earth observation from space, sustainable chemistry, biomedicine and the energy transition.
Opening the conference, Rencontres du Vietnam President and ICISE Director Trần Thanh Vân said Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW placed science, technology, innovation and digital transformation at the heart of Vietnam’s development.
He said the conference sought to bring together expertise, experience and international connections to identify research priorities and propose practical roadmaps for individual scientific fields.
He also called for concrete proposals and new partnerships linking research with practical applications.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Trần Trung Tính urged participants to identify priority research questions and offer feasible policy recommendations.
He also called for specific research and development programmes connecting institutes, universities and businesses.
The ministry would consider the conference’s proposals when advising on institutions and policies to support science, technology and innovation, he said.
Trần Tuấn Anh, vice president of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, described the conference’s subjects as strategic technological fields.
He said Vietnam needed to strengthen research, master technologies and develop appropriate policies to avoid falling behind in global scientific and technological competition.
Beyond academic exchanges, the conference offered scientists and policymakers a forum to debate solutions to sustainable development challenges facing Vietnam and the region, he said.
Gia Lai People’s Committee Vice Chairman Lâm Hải Giang called for recommendations grounded in scientific evidence to address the province’s development needs.
He identified resource and water management, forest and ecosystem protection, climate adaptation, energy transition, marine economic development and digital transformation as key areas. Improving the quality of policymaking was another priority.
Giang said effective policies required evidence and dialogue, and invited candid feedback on implementation conditions, risks and local authorities’ responsibilities.
He expressed hope that the discussions would lead to cooperation in research, training and policy advice, while connecting scientists with practical challenges in Gia Lai.
Participants included Csaba Kőrösi, president of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, alongside Vietnamese officials, international researchers and representatives of Gia Lai’s departments and agencies.
The event is the fourth in a series of interdisciplinary conferences on science and society organised by Rencontres du Vietnam, following meetings in 2016, 2018 and 2022.
The conference takes place from October 7 to 8, featuring roundtable discussions focused on topics related to science, technology, and contemporary development issues, including: Science, diplomacy, and policy-making; Extending human lifespan: Humanity's greatest achievement and future challenges; The quantum revolution; The future of sustainable chemistry; Earth exploration from space; Artificial intelligence; Nuclear energy and energy transition pathways in fast-growing economies: The case of Vietnam.
Within the framework of the conference, the “Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Workshop: Parliamentary Diplomacy and Science Diplomacy in the Context of Conflict – Arusha-Quy Nhơn Joint Exchange” will also be held, providing a platform to discuss the relationship between parliamentary diplomacy, science diplomacy, and contemporary international issues.