Vietnam, Belgium step up scientific-technological cooperation

Vietnam wants to step up cooperation with countries that have strengths in science-technology like Belgium, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said.
Vietnam, Belgium step up scientific-technological cooperation ảnh 1John Cockerill and NIC sign a MoU on this occasion. (Photo: VNA)
Brussels (VNA) – Vietnam wants to step up cooperation with countries that have strengths in science-technologylike Belgium, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung has said.

At working sessions with Belgian partners, includingHub.Brussels, Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC) and JohnCockerill Group in Brussels on February 20, Dung said Belgium has substantialpotential to cooperate and support Vietnam in new technologies and renewableenergy, especially circuit manufacturing.

Dung led a delegation from ministries, innovationcentres, research institutes and universities to Belgium from February 18-21,aiming to concretise the outcomes of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to the European country in December 2022 regarding innovation cooperation.

Hub.Brussels, the Brussels Agency for BusinessSupport, offers a wide range of free advice, services and tools to help projectsbe successful.

Dung lauded cooperation between the agency and theVietnam National Innovation Centre (NIC), which have agreed on experienceexchange in order to raise innovation and startup capacity of Vietnam and theEuropean Union (EU).

He suggested Hub.Brussels help NIC inoperations, and opened its representative office at NIC Hoa Lac to step up thebilateral cooperation in innovative startup ecosystem development.

The minister assigned NIC and the Vietnam InnovationNetwork in Europe (VINEU) to partner with Hub.Brussels in devising an exchangeprogramme for Vietnamese startups this year.

Annelore Isaac, Deputy Chief Executive Officer atHub.Brussels, expressed her belief in cooperation between the two sides, whichwould cover health care and construction, and affirmed that the agency standsready to support Vietnamese startups.

On this occasion, Hub.Brussels, NIC and VINEUsigned a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in innovation and startup.

At another working session with IMEC, a leadingR&D and innovation hub in Europe in nanoelectronics and digitaltechnologies, Dung stressed that his ministry wants to promote cooperationbetween IMEC with Vietnamese organisations and enterprises, especially in thesemiconductor R&D, thus helping Vietnam join the global semiconductorsupply chain.
Vietnam, Belgium step up scientific-technological cooperation ảnh 2A MoU on collaboration in the semiconductor industry is inked by IMEC and NIC on this occasion. (Photo: VNA)
He suggested IMEC join hand with NIC and Vietnameseeducational institutions to organise cooperation programmes for students andengineers in the semiconductor industry.

A MoU on collaboration in the semiconductor industrywas also inked by IMEC and NIC on this occasion, under which IMEC will considerbuilding an R&D centre in the Southeast Asian nation.

Driven since 1817 by the entrepreneurial spirit andpassion for innovation of its founder, the John Cockerill Group developed large-scale technological solutions to meet the needs of its time.

Meeting with John Cockerill representatives, Dung emphasisedthat Vietnam hopes for comprehensive cooperation with the group in energy,saying it should become Vietnam’s strategic partner through cooperationprogrammes as well as R&D and investment projects.

John Cockerill's leaders said the group wants to make comprehensive andstrategic investment in Vietnam, thus further serving the Southeast Asian andNortheast Asian markets.

The group expects to focus on solutions regardingenergy transition, including biomass, hydrogen and low-carbon ones, they noted.

John Cockerill and NIC reached a MoU on this occasion,under which the Belgian group would invest in green hydrogen R&D at theVietnamese centre and labs for biomass fuel products, and develop productsrelating to cooling technology in power plants and industries./.
VNA

See more

Visitors explore agricultural production equipment on display at Agri & Biotech Vietnam 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)

Agri-biotech exhibition series underway in Ho Chi Minh City

In addition to the exhibition activities, Agri & Biotech Vietnam 2026, lasting until June 12, is set to host a series of specialised forums and seminars. Topics of particular interest to businesses include farming exports, sustainable development of the pepper and spice industries, low-emission agriculture, carbon credits, the circular economy, biotechnology and innovative start-ups.

At Expo Tel Aviv in Israel (Photo: VNA)

Digital transformation fuels demand for cybersecurity talent

According to the National Cybersecurity Association (NCA), cyberattacks are rising in both frequency and severity. Attackers are targeting critical infrastructure, personal data, and public services with increasingly advanced methods. This isn't just a technical glitch, but a systemic vulnerability requiring a workforce that can analyse and respond in real time.

Billionaire Eric Schmidt, former Chairman and CEO of Google and former Chairman of the US National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) (Photo: NIC/VietnamPlus)

Vietnam well-positioned to become global AI hub: Eric Schmidt

Vietnam possesses significant advantages and strong potential to emerge as a global centre for artificial intelligence (AI), according to billionaire Eric Schmidt, former Chairman and CEO of Google and former Chairman of the US National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI).

Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Vu Le Thai Hoang speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam shows off homegrown humanoid robots in Austria

The event paired a robotics showcase with an innovation networking session, spotlighting Vietnamese companies’ research, development and technological mastery in robotics, automation and artificial intelligence.

Vietnamese delegates at the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2026). (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese tech draws attention at Austria robotics forum

Representing Vietnam were VinRobotics and VinDynamics, two tech subsidiaries of Vingroup. They showcased "Make in Vietnam" humanoid robots, demonstrating the country’s growing capacity to integrate into the global robotics value chain.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung speaks at the meeting of the Government task force on strategic technology development on June 4. (Photo; VNA)

Deputy PM demands tangible results in strategic tech development

Deputy PM Ho Quoc Dung pressed ministries and agencies to rapidly convert their assigned tasks into concrete action plans with clearly defined responsibilities, and effectively launch projects that create strategic technology products capable of sharpening national competitiveness.

A panel discussion on “Digital trust in the AI era: Security starts with the users” at the Digital Trust in Finance 2026 forum (Photo: nhandan.vn)

Protecting users crucial in building digital trust: Experts

In Vietnam, digital transformation in the finance and banking sector is accelerating cashless payments, expanding access to financial services, improving market transparency and supporting economic growth and macroeconomic management.

Illustrative image

Proactive cybersecurity essential in age of AI-powered crime: experts

According to Dr. Le Minh Nghia, Chairman of the Vietnam Financial Consulting Association (VFCA), AI has become a key driver reshaping the global financial industry. In Vietnam, the technology is already widely used in banking and finance for credit analysis, electronic customer identification (eKYC), risk management, service personalisation and real-time transaction processing.