The National Innovation Centre (NIC), under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and the first model of a digital university in Vietnam have just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote innovation and digital transformation.
Under the MoU, NIC will support the digital university in establishing an innovation centre to contribute to the development of the innovation and startup ecosystem in Vietnam. Specifically, NIC will coordinate with the university to research, propose, and deploy solutions for innovation, digital transformation, and the development of the digital space for businesses in various fields.
The NIC Director, Vu Quoc Huy, noted that the two are committed to carrying out activities under the Vietnam Innovation Initiative (InnovateVN) as well as suggesting and implementing innovative solutions within the framework of the Vietnam Innovation Challenge Programme initiated by the private university and its partners. Huy hoped the collaboration will contribute to promoting the research, development, and application of new solutions for innovation and digital transformation for businesses across all domains.
Vietnam, through the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), has been working to enhance people’s digital skills as the government considers it a key task. Earlier, OpenGov Asia reported that during a conference on digital literacy organised by MIC and several United Nations agencies, the Director of the International Cooperation Department, Trieu Minh Long, outlined the measures that have been taken to boost digital literacy.
The government has established community digital technology groups to help residents learn digital skills. Between March and October 2022, more than 61,500 such groups were set up with nearly 284,000 members. MIC and local authorities have held training courses for community digital technology groups in 55 of 63 provinces and centrally-run cities. Furthermore, Vietnam is implementing a project on universalising digital skills and developing human resources for national digital transformation by 2025 with a vision for 2030.
Digital literacy not only means the ability to use a computer but also allows individuals to actively join in information processing, the creation of content, and the sharing of knowledge via social media. In the current era, digital literacy has become a basic skill that all people should have. The core of digital literacy is supporting the development of a citizen with knowledge and connectivity who is able to adapt to the fast-changing needs of society, including the labour market.
The country also announced recently it would collaborate with the United Nations on digital transformation in both policy formulation and implementation. The country is willing to contribute to the UN’s policies and strategies in the field, including an initiative on a global digital agreement in the Secretary-General’s report on “Our Common Agenda”.
Vietnam can share experiences with other countries and the UN on ensuring online education during the COVID-19 pandemic to prepare for future crises, the government said. The UN plays an important role in supporting Vietnam in its growth, integration, and strong participation in global progress. It offers policy advice to the government, shares Vietnam’s experience with developing countries, and introduces international experience to ensure a sustainable, green growth economy that balances economic and social development.