President Truong Tan Sang has highlighted the importance of science-education to the nation and pledged that dedicated scientists will be given incentives to take on groundbreaking work.

The President made the statement in Hanoi on August 24 while receiving foreign scientists attending the “Meet Vietnam” physics symposium in the central province of Binh Dinh, which ran from July 28-August 17.

He made it clear that for all its understandable pursuit to develop science-technology, Vietnam still suffers shortcomings in the area.

Prof. Tran Thanh Van, President of the France-based Rencontres (Meet Vietnam) Association thanked ministries and departments for facilitating the 2013 “Meet Vietnam” event.

The foreign scientists informed their host that they never undervalue the importance of basic science and called on the country to invest more in this area so it can catch up with the rest of the world.

They also advised that five international science workshops should take place each year and more advanced research centres should be built.

Within the framework of “Meet Vietnam,” international scientists, including Nobel laureates joined exchanges with students in Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.

They also presented scholarships to poor students with excellent studies and attended the inauguration of the International Centre for Inter-disciplinary Science and Education in Binh Dinh’s Quy Nhon city.-VNA