Just 20 days later, the government issued Resolution 03 on the action plan to implement Resolution 57.

The moves not only affirm the strategic vision of the Party and State but also provide strong inspiration, stirring the spirit of innovation and determination throughout the political system, scientific community, and the populace.

This is a significant strategic and revolutionary policy intended to create new impetus, to helps the country make a strong rise in the new era.

Breakthrough in development thinking

Nguyen Cong Nhat, Director of the Phu Yen Science and Technology Center, said the issuance of Resolution 57 by the Politburo reflects the party's strategic vision in the context of the world undergoing profound changes in the 4.0 industrial era. 

The main goal of Resolution 57 focuses on unleashing creativity and labor power, liberating resources of society to focus on science and technology, promoting innovation, embracing digital transformation, renovating working methods, and accumulating new production resources based on data, thereby rapidly enabling Vietnam to become a high-income, sustainably developing nation.

Thai Ngoc Chien from the Institute of Aquaculture Research III commented that Resolution 57 is seen as a spearhead focusing on removing bottlenecks from general awareness to institutional frameworks to unleash creativity and labor productivity, and to liberate investment resources for science, technology, innovation (STI), and digital transformation.

“Resolution 57 by the Politburo is considered a major step forward as it clearly identifies the current state, direction, and urgent requirements for STI development. The most noteworthy things in the resolution include promoting public-private cooperation in developing strategic technology, establishing a risk acceptance mechanism in scientific research, and allocating resources to propel scientific and technological development,” Chien said.

With a new perspective and approach, the seven groups of tasks and solutions proposed in the resolution are a synthesis of foundational and breakthrough elements. Breakthroughs in thinking renovation, strong political will, and decisive leadership are highlighted as very crucial, decisive factors for the success of the resolution implementation.

“Resolution 57 provides a clear strategic direction, placing science and technology at the center of the nation's development process. This not only represents the recognition but also encourages intellectuals and scientists, making them feel prouder and more responsible, driving them to continue their research and creativity efforts so as to directly contribute to national development. 

Particularly, the acceptance of risks and venture investment in scientific research as shown in the resolution will allow scientists to boldly explore new ideas and directions,” Nhat said.

STI output

The issuance of Resolution 57 on breakthroughs in STI development and national digital transformation by the Politburo has introduced strong changes in these activities, including changes in public financial management. 

Regarding the financial management mechanism, investment efficiency will be measured based on output and results, rather than document control as it is now done. The state will become a "public investor" with clear objectives associated with product KPI (revenue measurement).

Nguyen Minh Hung from the Institute of Soil and Agrochemistry, which is involved in numerous national and provincial STI projects in Phu Yen, said he hopes that once this mechanism is implemented, financial and administrative barriers will be removed, facilitating scientists to focus on research and creativity, instead of getting bogged down in administrative procedures

Once the bottlenecks of the current management scheme are removed, financial management will focus on STI outputs rather than documentation, and scientists and researchers will be able to focus on STI. 

Scientists, businesses and managers will join forces to create different innovation systems in various sectors and regions, thereby steering the economy towards a creative and innovative economic model.

Tran Nhat Nam, Director of C.M.PY Technology, said to effectively implement Resolution 57, appropriate agencies need to soon complete the legal framework for STI aligned with the market mechanism and international practices, which respects the characteristics of creative labor - accepting risks, uncertainties and delays in operations.

Breakthroughs in Resolution 57:

- By 2030 and 2045, Vietnam aims to become a developed country with high income.

- By 2030, funding for research and development (R&D) should reach 2 percent of GDP.

- Budgeting for research and STI development should be implemented in accordance with fund mechanisms, utilizing STI development funds.

- Accepting risks, venture investments, and delays in STI research. 

- Practical feasibility in implementing Resolution 57 into life.

Le Van