A Study visit to United States of America to validate the theoretical basis for selecting partners and areas prioritised in scientific and technological operation toward 2020 for more effectiveness.

Within framework of a research project coded KX.06.05/11-15 leaded by Dr. Sc. Nghiem Vu Khai- Former Vice Minister of Science and Technology, hosted by the Centre for Vietnam Science and Technology Internationalization Promotion (VISTIP) and funded by Ministry of Science and Technology, on March 19, 2015 Minister of Science and Technology signed a Decision N 486/QĐ-BKHCN to establish a delegation led by Dr. Sc Nghiem Vu Khai to visit US to validate the theoretical basis for selecting partners and areas prioritised in scientific and technological operation toward 2020 for more effectiveness. Members of the delegation include a key researcher belonging to the project KX.06.05/11-15, Representative from VISTIP and Representative from Vietnam Office for Science and Technology in Washington DC.

During the time in US from 17-24 April 2015, the Delegation visited and discussed with many US agencies and organizations including US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Office of Science and Technology belonging to the US Department of State, the National Academies, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) belonging to the US Department of Commerce, National Science Foundation (NFS0, University of Columbia, UC Berkely, THoT Technology, T2 Venture Capital, Trategic Business Insights….

Officials from Office of Science and Technology and Delegation

At the University of Columbia where a hundreds of invention made yearly and a remarkable ratio of successful research commercialization achieved in US, the delegation discussed the experience on 3 linkages (scientists, business and government) in commercialization process.

At the Office of Science and Technology Cooperation where study and priority on cooperation with Vietnam made and where contact point for US side in the Join Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation between Viet nam-US played, the Delegation investigated the priorities in science and technology cooperation set by US toward the Asia including Vietnam.

During the meetings with the leading policy making agencies of US as mentioned above, the Delegation investigate and studied how the well known programs like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Technology Transfer Research (STTR) have been operated in US; Discussed how Vietnam can approach and get access to the diversity source of funding from US through the specific projects on science and technology cooperation.

Officials from the US Trade and Development Agency and the Delegation

The Delegation met with many Vietnamese-American scientists who gained a lot of experience and relationship with the broader scientific and technological community in US to clarify concerns in technology transfer and research as well as the chances of investment in science and technology in Vietnam …

Especially, during the visit, the delegation had the meeting with the Representative agencies of Vietnam to US including the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN in New York, Embassy and Consulate of Vietnam in Washington DC and San Francisco as well as the Vietnam Offices of Science and Technology in US. Those agencies were requested by delegation to help the science – technology organizations and scientists of Vietnam and US in cooperation toward capacity building for the development of Vietnam.

Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga- Head of The Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN in New York and the Delegation

Through the meetings, the delegation gained a lot of useful information to validate the philosophical and theoretical basis for the selection of priority partners and areas in scientific and technological cooperation of Vietnam toward 2020 for more effectiveness that finalizes the KX 06.05/11-15 coded Project. The visit not only paved the way for many relations but opened up many opportunities for cooperation between counterparts of Vietnam and US vie the Vietnam Offices of Science and Technology in US and/or, especially vie a bridge as the VISTIP’s role is playing now.