This was the directive from Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during a working session with the leadership of VNUHCM, central ministries and two localities, Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong, at the Headquarters of VNUHCM on the afternoon of November 16.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh gives directions at the working session. Photo: Ly Nguyen
5 proposals to the Prime Minister
At the working session with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hai Quan presented 5 proposals from this university system to the Government and relevant ministries.
Accordingly, the Director of VNUHCM proposed the Prime Minister to consider early approval of the project "Development of VNUHCM as a leading educational institution in Asia," which was assigned to the Prime Minister to lead in 2022. It is expected to be completed by December 16, 2023.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hai Quan stated, "VNUHCM has incorporated the opinions of ministries, localities on this project and submitted it to the Government Office. VNUHCM is expected to complete the project by December 16. As per the Prime Minister's request, this project will be implemented in 2023. The leadership of VNUHCM is fully committed to completing the project."
Next, the head of VNUHCM proposed the Prime Minister to approve the orientation of assigning VNUHCM to implement the project to attract, retain, and develop excellent young scientists, leading scientists; Training, research, and innovation programs in the fields of Semiconductor Technology, Biotechnology, and Artificial Intelligence, belonging to the top group in Asia; Developing VNUHCM into a National Innovation and Creativity Center, connected with the Asian region. At the same time, he suggested that the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Education and Training guide and plan the number of research orders, budgets for laboratory investment to serve research.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hai Quan hoped that the Prime Minister would agree to authorize the Director of VNUHCM to appraise and approve the detailed planning of the component projects within the management scope of VNUHCM. The Government Office will be responsible for collecting opinions from relevant ministries and submitting them to the Prime Minister for consideration.
Quan said, "VNUHCM will be responsible for appraising and approving in accordance with legal regulations."
Regarding the issue of land clearance in the VNUHCM urban area, the Director of VNUHCM proposed that the Prime Minister agree with the orientation and assign VNUHCM to coordinate with the People's Committees of Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong Province to establish a revised investment plan for land clearance for the 2021-2025 period, in accordance with legal regulations. Then, assign the Ministry of Planning and Investment to guide, lead, appraise, and report to the Prime Minister for a decision.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Hai Quan added that VNUHCM had submitted documents for the appraisal of upgrading the Faculty of Medicine to the University of Health Sciences. The Prime Minister has approved the policy, and the project has been completed, but opinions from ministries and branches are still needed.
"I hope the Prime Minister will have opinions so that the Ministry of Education and Training can soon submit, review, and decide to establish the University of Health Sciences. This is one of the final pieces to complete the VNUHCM model," emphasized Quan.
In the exchange with central ministries, the Director of VNUHCM made some important proposals to overcome obstacles in procedures, mechanisms, and policies for VNUHCM activities.
For the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the coordination of vocational training between universities and vocational colleges is not yet smooth. Quan hopes that the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will cooperate with VNUHCM to strengthen vocational training, especially sharing laboratory systems. At the same time, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs needs to create conditions for foreign scientists, lecturers to work at universities. Without mechanisms and policies to attract foreign lecturers, upgrading and expanding international cooperation will face difficulties.
For the Ministry of Home Affairs, according to the regulations of the Law on Civil Servants, civil servants cannot establish businesses. VNUHCM proposes to pilot the delegation of authority for teachers to establish spin-off businesses within a maximum of 2 years. Establishing businesses in universities can help commercialize research results.
For the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Science and Technology, VNU still has to make estimates, synthesize projects of teachers to send to the ministries, and "very anxiously." The total budget for this year at VNUHCM is over 200 billion VND, but the approved amount is about 140 billion VND. This allocated amount is not enough for scientists to conduct research. VNUHCM wants a fixed budget for 3-5 years. In this way, VNUHCM will have a more reasonable plan to allocate funds for projects and research tasks each year.
For the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry has sent opinions to VNUHCM to collaborate on building a digital transformation and artificial intelligence training program. "However, a week ago, I received a document from the Ministry of Information and Communications providing suggestions for the semiconductor technology sector strategy. I only hope that in that strategy, there should be 2 VNU. Currently, VNUHCM trains 53% of the total workforce for the whole country, so if there are 2 VNU, the implementation of training activities will be better," Quan expressed.
Handling VNUHCM's proposals before June 2024
In his concluding remarks at the working session, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that through this working session, he realized the need to take more responsibility for VNUHCM.
Presenting 8 development orientations for VNUHCM, the Prime Minister emphasized that training activities are the backbone, the main axis of VNUHCM. VNUHCM needs to build training programs based on the country's, industry's, region's, and Ho Chi Minh City's development plans to suit practical needs.
Regarding scientific research activities, the Prime Minister believed that they must meet two basic requirements: solving practical problems and ensuring conformity with current trends, having a high forecasting element.
Concerning the efficient use of human resources, the Prime Minister emphasized that the largest resource of VNUHCM is human resources, including lecturers, researchers, and students. VNUHCM must use these resources effectively.
Next is the commercialization of VNUHCM's products. Graduates are also products that need to be commercialized by VNUHCM. This issue needs to be understood in the broadest sense. Simultaneously, to use human resources effectively and commercialize products well, the Prime Minister emphasized that the management work of VNUHCM needs to have a focus, a center.
Regarding the construction projects, the Prime Minister believed that VNUHCM needs to perfect planning and land clearance.
"I propose that Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Duong hand over 100% of the clean land to VNUHCM in 2024. If there
Source: Phien An – Huong Nhu – VNUHCM
For more details, visit: https://vnuhcm.edu.vn/tin-tuc_32343364/tp-hcm-va-binh-duong-phai-ban-giao-100-mat-bang-cho-dhqg-hcm-trong-nam-2024/353532393364.html
Ha Bang - Media Collaborator, University of Information Technology
Nhat Hien - Translation Collaborator, University of Information Technology