Members of the club (Photo: baotintuc.vn)
This is the first operational model of this kind to gather, connect and mobilize the intellectual power of Vietnamese scientists in Australia, with the common desire to contribute to the development of science and technology of Vietnam.
The club has more than 30 members, including professors, doctors, researchers and lecturers working at many universities, research institutes, enterprises, organizations and administrative agencies of Queensland state in various fields, such as nanotechnology, building engineering, energy, minerals, information technology, biotechnology, agricultural applications, education and healthcare.
Speaking at the ceremony, Counsellor in charge of Science and Technology of the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia, Dr. Tran Cong Yen introduced policies and incentives offered by the Government of Vietnam to foreign scientists, as well as urgent needs of science and technology in Vietnam.
He said that in the current national renewal process, the Party and the State have always paid much attention to investing in science and technology development, determining this as a top national policy and an important driving force for socio-economic development.
Therefore, Vietnam has been actively expanding and developing cooperative relations in general, and cooperation in science and technology in particular, in order to shorten the time for new technology research and application to serve industrialization and modernization.
Particularly, the Government has issued a decree regulating a number of policies on attracting overseas Vietnamese and foreign experts in the field of science and technology to joint activities in Vietnam.
In addition, the two countries have signed an agreement on scientific and technological cooperation.
Dr. Yen hoped that the establishment of the Club in Queensland would be the first model, and create similar units in other states in Australia to form a network connecting Vietnamese scientists in this country.
He believed that the operation of the club would not only help well implement the above mentioned policies, but also promote the bilateral cooperation development in science and technology, contributing to the comprehensive cooperation and friendship development between Vietnam and Australia.
At the event, scientists discussed ideas and operational methods of the club, measures to connect and directly participate in scientific and technological activities in Vietnam, assist in technology transfer for Vietnam, seek funding sources, implement common research themes, and support to train and foster young Vietnamese scientists.
They expressed their enthusiasm, concerns and desires to contribute and devote their efforts to develop the homeland, especially support to take students and young researchers in Vietnam to be trained in Australia; or search, transfer, research specific advanced application technologies in agriculture, healthcare and education.
Professor Nguyen Anh, working for the University of Queensland, Head of the Liaison Team of the club, said that the establishment of the club met the long-standing aspiration of Vietnamese scientists and researchers who live and work far away from the homeland, but always look towards their origins.
He hoped that through the club, Vietnamese scientists and researchers, not only in Queensland but throughout Australia, would have an opportunity to connect and collaborate to contribute to Vietnam’s scientific and technological development./.