Vietnam and Italy through three cooperation programmes beginning in 1998 have so far signed more than 60 projects on joint scientific research.

Of the figure, 40 projects have been carried out and brought good results.

The projects concentrated on the application of Italian technology into Vietnam, the research of scientific-technological issues of Vietnam’s concern, trainee exchange, and provision of research facilities.

Most of the projects make use of Italy’s scientific-technological fortes such as restoration of ancient relic sites, medicine, energy and environment, biotechnology and agriculture, basic research and information technology.

The cooperation has so far drew the participation of 25 Italian research institutes and universities and 30 Vietnamese partners.

A number of projects have proved to be very useful to Vietnam, such as the transfer of ceramic technology between Vietnam’s Institute for Technology of Radioactive and Rare Elements and Italy’s Faenza National Ceramic Art Institute, and the joint research on substitutes for medicinal herbs between Vietnam’s Institute of Natural Products Chemistry and the Pisa University.

In the coming time, the two countries plan to seek more investment sources to fund their scientific-technological cooperation programme in order to extend the application of research outcome, particularly in the fields of environment, health care and sustainable development./.