As 2024 comes to an end, many science and technology events have been voted as most prominent by the Vietnam Science and Technology Journalists Club in various categories such as science policies, applied sci-tech, social sciences and humanities, and celebrations of scientists.

Take a look at the ten most outstanding sci-tech events of 2024 chosen by the club, which is under the Vietnam Journalists Association.

1. Approval to restart Ninh Thuan nuclear power project

On November 30, the 15th National Assembly (NA) passed a resolution to restart the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project after an eight-year hiatus, in a bid to ensure national energy security and support the country’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

The NA tasked the government, which had proposed the project’s resumption, to arrange resources for the project and amend relevant laws, including the Atomic Energy Law, to facilitate its implementation.

The project was launched in 2009 under an NA resolution and suspended in 2016 over many safety concerns, high investment costs, technological issues, and developments in the global energy situation then.

2. Promulgation of semiconductor industry development strategy by 2030

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on September 21 signed a decision promulgating the semiconductor industry development strategy by 2030, with a vision to 2050, aiming to transform Vietnam into a global electronics and semiconductor hub.

The strategy will form at least 100 design companies, a small-scale semiconductor manufacturing facility, and 10 packaging and testing plants from now to 2030.

The industry is expected to earn over US$25 billion in annual revenue and train a workforce of more than 50,000 engineers and technicians during the period.

3. Merger of Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Information and Communications

On December 6, the government issued a plan to streamline its apparatus that currently has a total of 22 ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

Pursuant to the plan, eight of the total will be maintained and 14 others will be subject to a rearrangement and merger.

The Ministry of Science and Technology will be merged with the Ministry of Information and Communications. The official name of the new ministry will be determined later.

4. Provincial innovation index announced

On March 12, the Ministry of Science and Technology released the Provincial Innovation Index (PII) 2023, the first of its kind so far.

The index, consisting of 52 indicators, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the socio-economic development model at the provincial level, focusing on science, technology, and innovation.

The ministry also publicized the 2023 PII rankings for the country’s 63 provinces and cities, where Hanoi achieved the highest score, followed by Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong City.

5. Institute of Geophysics’ mastery of earthquake monitoring and warning technologies

The Institute of Geophysics, part of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, is responsible for monitoring and issuing warnings on earthquakes and tsunamis across the country, as per government regulations.

To date the Institute of Geophysics has mastered advanced technologies for earthquake monitoring and warning, setting up and operating nearly 100 earthquake monitoring stations in Vietnam's territory and territorial waters.

6. Viettel opens largest data center in Vietnam

In April 2024, the Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group put into operation the Viettel Hoa Lac Data Center with a capacity of 30MW. This is the largest in Vietnam and is equipped with 60,000 servers, over 2,400 racks, and a floor area of 21,000 square meters.

This is the first data center in Vietnam designed with high capacity, twice the average level, to accommodate the growing demand for AI, which requires high-performance chips to enhance computing power.

7. Techfest Vietnam 2024 marks decade of Vietnam's startup ecosystem development

The National Creative Startup Festival 2024 (Techfest Vietnam 2024) was held in Hai Phong City from November 26 to 28. This year's theme was ‘Joining Hands to Develop Vietnam’s Creative Startup Ecosystem.’

This was the 10th edition and featured 400 exhibition booths, attracted nearly 10,000 visitors and 1,100 speakers and experts, and organized more than 50 investment matchmaking sessions. 

Vietnam has climbed up two positions to 56th in the 2024 Global Startup Ecosystem Index.

The country is now home to about 3,800 startups, mostly based in major cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Hai Phong.

8. FPT builds artificial intelligence center worth over $171.3 million

On August 18, FPT Quy Nhon Consortium, under Vietnamese tech giant FPT Group, broke ground on a project to build an AI center and an auxiliary urban area in south-central Binh Dinh Province’s Quy Nhon City, with a view to turning the province into an AI hub.

Covering over 93.2 hectares and costing around VND4,362 billion ($171.3 million), the ​​center is meant to become a hub for research, training, software production, digital transformation support, cybersecurity solutions, and social security, among others.

9. Discovery of 8,000-year-old prehistoric human settlement in Bac Kan

In August, the Vietnam Archaeological Association and Bac Kan Museum discovered many traces of prehistoric people at four sites accommodating more than 20 caves in Quang Khe and Dong Phuc Communes, Ba Be District, northern Bac Kan Province.

The survey team initially determined Kem Liem cave to be a prehistoric human settlement in the early stage of the Neolithic period, dating back about 7,000-8,000 years. In some other caves, the team recorded similar results.

10. First Vietnamese winner of international astronomy award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Chi Thiem, currently working at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and the Korea University of Science and Technology, won the 2024 NCU-Delta World Young Astronomer Lectureship Award given by Taiwan’s National Central University (NCU) and Taiwan-based Delta Electronics Foundation.

Dr. Thiem is the first Vietnamese person and the fourth working in Asia to claim this award, which has been given annually since 2012 to 1-2 scientists under the age of 45 who have made outstanding contributions to astronomy or astrophysics.

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