Symposium explores potential of Vietnam - Germany innovation cooperation
The Consulate General of Vietnam in Frankfurt city of Germany and the Vietnam - Germany Innovation Network (VGInetwork) have held a symposium looking into the prospects of the two countries’ cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), innovation, and smart city development.
Members of a working group of the Vietnam - Germany Innovation Network (VGInetwork) pose for a photo at the Vietnam National Innovation Centre in Hoa Lac of Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) – The Consulate General of Vietnamin Frankfurt city of Germany and the Vietnam - Germany Innovation Network (VGInetwork)have held a symposium looking into the prospects of the two countries’cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), innovation, and smart city development.
Consul General Le Quang Long highly valued the coordinationbetween VGInetwork and the Consulate General’s science and technology division tohold the symposium to share information about new technologies to help developpriority economic and technical fields in Vietnam such as smart city developmentand AI.
He also applauded the development of VGInetworkand its expansion to the experts in the southwest of Germany to contribute tothe two sides’ innovation cooperation.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thinh, head of the spatial information managementand modelling research group at the Technical University of Dortmund and alsoChairman of VGInetwork, highlighted the network’s outstanding activities andthe potential of the countries’ cooperation in smart city and smart buildingdevelopment.
Prof. Dr. Vu Duc Binh from SRH University Heidelberg,who is also a member of VGInetwork, held that with Germany’s strengths indigital technology and Vietnam’s large information technology (IT) manpower, AIis a highly potential cooperation orientation promising practical benefits forboth countries.
Meanwhile, member of the VGInetwork executiveboard Vuong Hong Tri and a working group of the network, who attended therecent inauguration of the Vietnam National Innovation Centre in the suburbs ofHanoi, reported on their activities at the Vietnam International InnovationExpo 2023 to open up opportunities for the countries’ cooperation in IT, AI, andmanpower training.
They also proposed a techfest or IT day of Vietnam be held inGermany in 2024 to connect the startup and innovation ecosystems of thecountries.
Tran Dong, head of the Consulate General’s scienceand technology division, highly valued the network’s achievements since itsestablishment over four years ago, including in developing energy, auto & mechanic,digitalisation & AI, and biotech & medicine hubs, expanding the fieldsof research cooperation, and admitting new members to contribute to thehomeland’s development./.
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Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai welcomed Minister-President of Thüringen state of Germany Bodo Ramelow to Vietnam on his second visit following the first one made in 2019, during a reception in Hanoi on November 7.
A total of 30 portable membrane water filters donated by the World University Service of Germany (WUS) to people in central Vietnam’s flood-hit areas arrived at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on November 8.
Representatives from the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence’s Department of Legal Affairs and the German Ministry of Defence’s Directorate-General for Legal Affairs held talks in Hanoi on November 8 to discuss measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
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Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
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Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu laid stress on the significance of the Hanoi Convention, particularly to the Asia – Pacific, to handling legal gaps in international cooperation against rapidly increasing global cybercrime.
The week features a rich lineup of activities, including a plenary conference on blockchain and AI development, thematic seminars on future technology trends and investment visions, applications of blockchain and AI in business, the Super Vietnam PitchFest, as well as forums for blockchain and AI.
According to the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, on making breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, this is considered a decisive factor in the development of nations. It is seen as a prerequisite and the best opportunity for Vietnam to become prosperous and powerful in the new era of the nation’s rise.
Vietnam’s demographic advantage, including a youthful population of 100 million in a “golden age”, further bolsters its ambitions. Its dynamic workforce, with a natural inclination toward science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), is a key asset in attracting private investment to innovation-driven sectors.
Vietnam views sci-tech as a decisive factor in national development and a key tool for achieving sustainable development goals, and is ready to boost sci-tech cooperation with Venezuela for mutual prosperity.
Members of a working group of the Vietnam - Germany Innovation Network (VGInetwork) pose for a photo at the Vietnam National Innovation Centre in Hoa Lac of Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) 
