At a meeting with foreign scientists, President Truong Tan Sang highlighted the importance of science and education to the nation and pledged that dedicated scientists will be given incentives to take on groundbreaking work in the field. President Sang made the statement in Hanoi on Saturday while receiving foreign scientists who are attending the “Meeting Vietnam 2013” physics symposium in central Binh Dinh province, which runs from July 28 to August 27. During the reception, the President made it clear that despite its effort to develop science-technology, Vietnam still suffers shortcomings in the field. Speaking at the event, President of the France-based Rencontres (Meet Vietnam) Association, Prof. Tran Thanh Van thanked ministries and departments for facilitating the “Meeting Vietnam 2013” event. He also expressed his hope that the country has a mechanism to help young Vietnamese scientists work more independently with better facilities. At the meeting, the foreign scientists said they never undervalue the importance of basic science and called on Vietnam to invest more in this area so it can catch up with the rest of the world.

Five international science workshops should take place each year and more advanced research centers should be set up, they advised. As part of the event, international scientists, including Nobel laureates, joined exchanges with students in Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City. The symposium participants also attended the inauguration of the International Centre for Inter-disciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) in Binh Dinh’s Quy Nhon city. Covering an area of 20 hectares in the city, the center, which consists of a large auditorium, conference rooms, and a planetarium, is an international center where scientists can meet and exchange ideas.