On March 20, 2026, in Hanoi, the Ministry of Science and Technology held a quarterly meeting on state management for the first quarter of 2026 with provincial Departments of Science and Technology nationwide.

Bringing science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation to contribute to double-digit growth targets.

The conference focused on five main issues: i) Science and Technology: The organizational and operational model of the local Science, Technology and Innovation Development Fund; ii) Innovation: The organizational and operational model of the provincial-level Innovation Center; the local venture capital fund; iii) Digital Transformation: Completing and providing a national-scale digital platform and shared database for localities to utilize, avoiding duplicate investments; iv) Telecommunications: Accelerating the implementation of the public telecommunications program to completely eliminate signal gaps in remote areas; v) General Issues: Guiding localities on how to enable science and technology, innovation and digital transformation to contribute to double-digit growth targets.

One of the issues that many localities are interested in is the establishment of a local Science, Technology and Innovation Development Fund.

According to Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung, the current legal system basically provides a sufficient basis for ministries, sectors, and localities to establish the Fund. The Ministry of Science and Technology plans to issue a model circular on the Fund's regulations in March, thereby facilitating smoother implementation by localities.

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology's guidelines, the local Science and Technology Development and Innovation Fund will play a role in receiving budget resources and simultaneously funding research, application of science and technology, and innovation projects serving socio-economic development.

Another issue that many localities have requested guidance on is the organizational and operational model of provincial-level Innovation Centers.

The Ministry of Science and Technology stated that the legal framework is essentially complete. However, the Ministry is still finalizing a decision related to infrastructure standards for innovation centers. The decision is expected to be issued in March so that localities can implement it.

According to Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, provincial-level innovation centers should not only support startups but also become focal points for solving major development problems at the local level. The Ministry of Science and Technology has also established a task force to support localities in building innovation centers.

"The provincial innovation center must help solve growth challenges and contribute to the locality achieving double-digit growth targets," Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized.

Currently, some localities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dien Bien have begun implementing this model.

Some proposals, such as local-level venture capital funds, are still under further study because venture capital mechanisms involve many risk factors and require a more robust legal framework.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung outlined three approaches that are considered easy to implement but can yield significant results in promoting double-digit growth: reducing the processing time for public services by 30%; boosting e-commerce; and doubling mobile internet speeds.

According to the Minister, improving connectivity speeds will boost consumption, learning, and innovation in society, thereby creating new drivers of growth.

Minister Nguyen Manh Hung also noted that units under the Ministry should focus on tasks that can directly impact the economic growth of localities, instead of spreading themselves too thin across too many tasks at once.

In the current phase, according to the Minister, localities should prioritize the deployment of tools that can be applied immediately, such as local science and technology and innovation development funds, innovation centers, and platforms serving digital transformation.

Local Departments of Science and Technology should shift from managing research projects to leading economic growth through science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

In his concluding remarks at the conference, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized that science and technology should begin with practical problems and development needs, rather than starting with technology. From problems and issues, products are born, and from products, technologies are born.

Local Departments of Science and Technology should shift from managing research projects to leading local economic growth through science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

The Ministry of Science and Technology will also develop a new set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for local Departments of Science and Technology, focusing on specific criteria such as: the percentage of businesses increasing labor productivity, revenue from technology products, the reduction in processing time for public services, and improved mobile internet speeds.

In addition, the Minister of Science and Technology also suggested some specific programs for localities to implement:

Increasing business productivity: Each province can select approximately 50-100 key businesses, identify productivity improvement or cost reduction challenges, and widely publicize them to encourage technology companies to participate in solving them. The government will provide financial support based on the results achieved.

Developing key local products: Each locality can select a number of products with great potential to focus on developing, thereby creating new markets and revenue.

Technology Voucher Application: Provides vouchers to support businesses (e.g., 100 million VND) to test new technologies, hire experts, or apply artificial intelligence in production and management. This program both helps businesses innovate technologically and creates a market for technology companies.

Industry-specific technological innovation: Instead of supporting individual businesses, localities can choose a key economic sector such as timber, fisheries, or agriculture to implement technological innovation across the entire value chain.

Finally, the Minister of Science and Technology also expressed his wish that the Directors of the Departments of Science and Technology should become strategic advisors for their localities in achieving double-digit economic growth through science and technology, innovation and digital transformation, instead of merely holding managerial and project selection roles.