"Vietnamese people are intelligent and quick learners. You can adopt the R&D center model within universities in Singapore to accelerate innovation," said Samuel Ang, a consultant at the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In an era of fierce technological competition, universities play a critical role in fostering innovation, collaborating with businesses, and driving entrepreneurship.

Higher education institutions are not only centers for knowledge dissemination but also hubs for scientific research and technological breakthroughs.

Vietnam’s Resolution 57 aims to increase the number of researchers in science, technology, and innovation to 12 per 10,000 people by 2030.

To achieve this, the country is focusing on developing high-quality human resources through reforms in higher education, short-term training programs, and initiatives that require collaboration with businesses.

It is also piloting a mechanism where universities receive funding based on output commitments, alongside full scholarships for postgraduate students, with a requirement that enterprises must be involved.

Speaking with VietNamNet, Samuel Ang, an ADB consultant, emphasized: "Vietnamese people are highly intelligent and quick learners. With such a talent pool, you can easily adopt Singapore’s university-based R&D center model to accelerate the training of high-quality professionals."

Student-driven solutions bring long-term results

Song Fish Dealer, a local seafood supplier in Singapore, faced a significant issue when its freezers malfunctioned, causing a loss of approximately $3,000 per unit within the first two days.

Like many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the company lacked the expertise and tools to diagnose and resolve such costly incidents.

Beyond unpredictable power outages, students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) discovered that the outdated freezers often displayed inaccurate temperature readings. This meant they were overcooling and consuming excess electricity.

To address this, ITE students and faculty developed and installed sensors in about 50 freezers and cold storage units at Song Fish Dealer’s headquarters, enabling real-time monitoring and management.

With an investment of just $2,000, this solution helped the company save nearly $4,500 per month.

In Singapore, it is common for universities and vocational institutions to involve students in real-world problem-solving alongside businesses.

Alex Low Wai Yee, head of the electronics department at ITE College Central, explained: "Students can implement small-scale solutions that yield sustainable benefits for businesses."

Lim Boon Tiong, ITE’s operations director, added that educational institutions in Singapore aim to "meet the practical needs of businesses."

"We have a dedicated committee within the school council that holds regular roundtable discussions with businesses to identify industry trends, challenges, and specific issues they face. This allows us to make timely curriculum adjustments. Typically, we revise our academic programs every three years to keep them aligned with industry needs," Lim Boon Tiong told VietNamNet.

Universities as the cradle of scientific and technological inventions

Singapore has established itself as a hub for innovation in Asia, with its universities playing a vital role in driving research and development (R&D).

Institutions such as the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) not only educate top talent but also generate numerous patented innovations.

Between 2015 and 2024, Singapore recorded approximately 40,000 patents, according to data from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS). Notably, educational institutions contributed between 10% and 20% of these patents, totaling around 1,300, with NUS and NTU leading the way.

Over the past decade, NUS has seen the number of patents granted annually grow fivefold, from 25 in 2009 to 119 in 2018. Meanwhile, NTU’s annual patent count has surged nearly 14 times, from 9 to 126.

Singapore’s universities and training institutions are equipped with cutting-edge R&D centers that support research from theoretical development to practical application - an essential step in securing patents.

According to NUS’s annual report, the university had more than 1,200 ongoing research projects in 2022. The institution’s innovation support center, NUS Enterprise, collaborated with over 100 startups that year, leading to numerous patent registrations.

In 2022 alone, NUS allocated 1.2 billion SGD for R&D. Its high-tech laboratories and creative workspaces have enabled students and researchers to develop commercial products, resulting in multiple patents.

Even ITE, which focuses on vocational training, encourages students to participate in innovation projects. Competitions such as the ITE Innovation Challenge attract over 500 students annually, with dozens of projects selected for further development and patent applications.

Professor Ta Cao Minh from the University of Sherbrooke in Canada agrees that establishing R&D centers within businesses and universities is crucial for accelerating the application of technology.

"This is the approach that developed countries like Japan and Canada have been implementing for years. We need to emphasize foundational subjects, keep up with advancements in specialized fields, and collaborate with businesses for practical training," he stated at the recent Global Vietnam Innovation Forum (VGIC 2025) held in Singapore.

The Vinh