Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has urged the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) to innovate and effectively implement incentivised policies for researchers working in the sector.

Speaking at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 20 to mark VAST’s 40th founding anniversary, Dam asked the academy to increase its international cooperation while undertaking more scientific tasks at national level.

Dam stated that with a long tradition of achievement, the academy will develop strongly and continue contributing to the country’s industrialisation and modernisation.

The academy has 51 affiliates with more than 4,000 staff, of whom 750 have PhDs or doctorates.

According to Professor Chau Van Minh, President of VAST, the academy led the country’s basic research in 2014, publishing 35 monograph books and obtaining patents for 13 inventions.

VAST also led many key projects, such as building the Vietnam Aerospace Centre and capturing and storing images from the satellite VNREDSAT 1 to be used in security and defence.

VAST is also behind successes in many other sectors, including medicine and agriculture.-VNA