Developing strong research groups to promote scientific research

 Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc addresses the workshop (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Education and Training is gathering opinions to devise policies and mechanisms on the development of science and technology, including the development of strong research groups.

How to build and develop strong research groups to promote research activities in educational institutions is one of key issues raised by many delegates at a workshop on building mechanisms and policies the development of science and technology at tertiary higher education institutions.

The workshop held by the Ministry of Education and Training on April 25, in Hanoi.

Breakthrough changes in research quality

In recent years, research activities of universities have made strides. The number of publications on international journals/magazines of universities managed by the Ministry increased 26 percent, and was higher than that of tertiary education institutions with autonomous model, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc said at the event.

He attributed the good outcomes of universities to the formation of research groups. However, he said, it is the spontaneous formation and there is no policy mechanism for this matter.

Therefore, the development a mechanism for strong research groups has great significance, he emphasised.

According to the Ministry’s statistics, there are 945 research groups in the system of universities, nearly double the figure of 491 groups in the 2016-2017 academic year.

Along with the strong development of research groups, the number of Vietnam’s publications on international journals has made breakthroughs in quality. In 2013, the number of the country’s publications on international journals was modest at about 2,300 articles, including those of research institutes and universities. In the 2011-2015 period, Vietnam had more than 10,000 articles.

According to the latest statistics of Duy Tan University's independent research group, from 2017 to June 2018, publications on international journals of the top 30 universities in Vietnam were more than 10,500 articles.

The number of publications on international journals/magazines of Vietnam and universities through years

Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc from Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said the increase in the number of publications on international journals is directly proportional to the surge in the number of research groups in Vietnamese universities.

However, Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc underlined financial investment for Vietnamese researchers, saying the need to have a strong mechanism to assist and promote the formation and development of research groups in universities, thereby attracting talents.

The workshop draws the participation of scientists and leaders of universities. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

 
Mechanism for strong research group development needed

Professor Tran Dai Lam from the Institute for Tropical Technology under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology said that apart from continuing to increase the number of publications, it is necessary to improve the quality of research and publications.

"To meet that requirement, it is necessary to have strong research groups with prestigious and experienced experts, and a close cooperation network with domestic and international scientists," said Lam.

According to Professor Tran Dai Lam, a strong research group is not a new concept in the world but still very new in Vietnam. Vietnam National University, Hanoi, is the only unit in the country having its own regulations on strong research groups. The Department of Science, Technology and Environment under the Ministry of Education and Training is gathering opinions on the draft mechanism on building the research groups.

He also emphasised financing research groups.
 
Regarding to the issue, Ta Ngoc Don, Director of the ministry’s Department of Science, Technology and Environment, said the draft stipulates that the age limit for team leader is less than 55 years old for men, and 50 years old for women in order to ensure that the leader has enough time to lead the group.

However, Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc suggested that the age should not be limited. At the University of Natural Sciences, which about 400 international articles are published every year for example, the youngest strong research leader is 60 years old.

Professor Duc proposed increasing key members of strong research groups. /.