On January 13, 2026, a delegation from the National Academy for Advanced Technology and Innovation (NACENTECH), led by Director Pham Hong Quat, visited and held a working session with the Entrepreneurship Lab (E-lab) of VinUniversity. The meeting marked the beginning of a substantive cooperation model among the “three pillars”: the Government (NACENTECH) – the University (VinUni) – and Enterprises (Vingroup/VinFast), aimed at creating high-economic-value technology products.
The delegation visited VinUni
VinUni and a Breakthrough Research Strategy for the Community
At the meeting, Dr. Pham Huy Hieu shared VinUni’s strategic vision of becoming a research-oriented university based on the 3P model (Prosperity – Health – Environment). The core objective is to foster prosperity through AI and robotics, enhance community healthcare, and promote environmental sustainability. The delegation directly visited VinUni’s laboratories and recognized several remarkable research achievements, including:
- Successfully applying AI to discover 11 new materials within just one month;
- Mastering thermal fiber-drawing technology to develop invisibility cloaks and ultra-light drone frames;
- Developing AI-based medical software certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with wearable devices for cardiovascular monitoring and mental health screening systems.
Dr. Pham Huy Hieu and Prof. Phan Manh Huong introduced VinUni and the CMIT
Building the Foundation and Standardizing the National Innovation Network
Director General Pham Hong Quat emphasized that NACENTECH has been entrusted with the mission of building the national innovation platform. The core objective is to standardize and formally recognize experts and scientists through a verified database that meets the criteria of “accurate – sufficient – clean – dynamic,” enabling effective solutions to national challenges commissioned by enterprises and local authorities. He proposed that VinUni support NACENTECH by providing data on experts and research outputs to optimize existing resources.
In addition, both sides agreed to collaborate in developing new training materials aimed at transforming operational mindsets for innovation centers nationwide. Training orientations will focus on deep technologies (Deeptech) such as AI and advanced materials, targeting startups and advisory teams.
Toward Commercialization and International Resource Connectivity
The two parties agreed to promote research activities closely linked to business models in order to generate tangible products that contribute to GDP growth.
Three priority research clusters were identified for further proposal:
- New Materials and Energy
- Rare metal recycling
- Hydrogen technologies
- Environmentally friendly carbon batteries derived from sand
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- AI applications in healthcare
- Energy-saving solutions for data centers and industrial parks
- Equipment Optimization
- Enhancing battery performance for electronic devices and electric vehicles
To realize these goals, both sides proposed promptly finalizing and signing cooperation agreements; considering co-hosting an international conference on materials science; and establishing a shared innovation space to jointly utilize equipment and resources. This initiative aims to attract overseas Vietnamese scientists and leading partners from South Korea.
The synergy between NACENTECH’s role in policy coordination and network building, and VinUni’s strengths in research infrastructure and expert resources, is expected to generate breakthroughs for Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem in the near future.
Highlights from the visit
Source: National Academy for Advanced Technology and Innovation
