Scientific research activities of both lecturers and students at member universities being emphasized
Developing strong research teams
Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, officers and researchers at Hue University still overcome many difficulties to conduct research. Professor Le Dinh Phung, Vice Rector of University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, said that the pandemic had affected survey and experimental activities, but the strong research teams (SRTs) in the university still adopted many solutions to get connected, exchange information online and coordinate with each other.
“I am also a member of the SRT on environment and product quality. Currently, the team is also pushing itself to have more international publications,” added Prof. Phung.
Up to now, Hue University has had 32 SRTs. Meanwhile, at member university level, many SRTs consisting of officers, lecturers and students have also been established. According to Dr. Ha Viet Hai, Head of the Department of Science, Technology and International Cooperation at University of Pedagogy, Hue University, in addition to 7 SRTs at Hue University level, the university has also established and developed 6 SRTs of officers and lecturers, as well as 20 SRTs at university level of the students.
According to the representative of Hue University, over the past time, Hue University has been developing interdisciplinary research aiming at solving major national and regional S&T problems. Not only is the publication of S&T research at international level enhanced, but scientific research (SR) which concentrates on creating S&T products with high practical applicability and strong commercialization potential, as well as a wide range of products with Registered Intellectual Property is also promoted.
Within 5 years (2016 - 2020), Hue University has had 12 applications for Intellectual Property Registration, with 4 patented inventions and utility solutions, and 10 S&T products being transferred in agriculture, forestry and fishery. Some typical examples include the 600-million-VND transfer of the Manufacturing Process of Bokashi Trau probiotics to Happy Food Dong Nai Co., Ltd., in 2018 and the commercialization of 5 products to serve the socio-economic development. The solutions regarding health check-up and healthcare are applied directly in the Hospital of University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University.
According to the leaders of Hue University, with a wide range of research topics and fields, the formation of many SRTs also helps develop in-depth and high-caliber research directions.
Concentrating resources
Despite many achievements, there are many things in S&T activities of Hue University that need changing in the process of building and turning into a research-oriented National University. In particular, revenues from the transfer of research results and S&T services still account for a low proportion of the total revenue (about 5%), which is an issue that needs improvement.
In the meeting with Hue University in 2020, leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training emphasized that for SR activities, Hue University needed to focus on developing SRTs as well as having interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research programs in order to create its own strengths.
To achieve the three pillar goals, namely human resources training, SR and innovation, Hue University needs to invest in large-sized shared laboratories and take into account other shared resources. This is considered a suggestion and solution for Hue University to promote the S&T field.
The goal of turning Hue University into a National University in the direction of a research university and a smart university is also associated with contributing to building Thua Thien Hue into a large S&T center of the country, with multidisciplinary and multi-field education and training of high-quality.
In many exchanges, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Linh, President of Hue University, affirmed that Hue University did and would continue to mobilize and focus resources to create spearhead S&T products and take advantage of its own strengths to establish a brand name.
To do that, from now to 2025, Hue University will determine its training goals, improve the competencies and skills of management officers of S&T activities to match the requirements of a research university and a smart university. At the same time, Hue University will invest heavily in practicing and experimental facilities of member universities, especially the Institute of Biotechnology, in the direction of modernity and intelligence; developing interdisciplinary SR programs on the basis of Hue University's strengths, such as biotechnology, medicine, high-tech agriculture, humanities and social sciences, and basic ones in the field of natural science.
Hue University’s view is that the future research direction will focus on having high-quality products and transfers bringing in revenue, increasing the revenue from transferring research results and S&T services to 15 - 20% in a few upcoming years.
According to leaders of Hue University, one of the important tasks identified by Hue University includes strengthening support for the SRTs and innovative start-up activities, seeking for topics with potential and capability to commercialize S&T products, and bringing research products to the market.
Besides, Hue University will invest in and promote effective operation of SRTs, thus committing to develop research products capable of technology transfer, commercialization, and international publication. Hue University will also promote scientific research in cooperation with provinces and cities throughout the country, and nations in the region and in the world.
Story and photo: Minh Tam