Ho Chi Minh City is moving forward with a plan to establish a non-budget fund aimed at mobilizing financial resources to attract high-level experts and nurture talent, with the total scale projected to reach approximately VND350 billion (about $13.3 million) by 2030.
During a meeting on December 24, Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee, Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha, reviewed the draft proposal for the initiative, which seeks to create a sustainable financial tool to supplement the city's human resource development.
According to a representative from the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in HCM City (HCMC C4IR), the fund is designed to serve as a critical instrument for developing high-quality human resources and drawing in specialists for science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. The draft project outlines a strategy to build an effective network of overseas Vietnamese and international experts, including chief engineers and chief architects, to lead key research and development (R&D) and innovation projects between 2025 and 2027.
Beyond attracting international expertise, the initiative places a strong emphasis on the early discovery and nurturing of domestic talent, particularly in STEM fields and strategic industries. This focus aims to build a workforce with deep scientific mindsets and the research capacity to master intellectual property, ensuring the city's long-term sustainable development.
The project has set specific annual targets, including the recruitment of at least five experts from overseas or domestic sources and the support of three to five research projects focused on technology commercialization to produce new patents and high-tech startups.
The project also aims to grant five to ten scholarships annually for degree programs ranging from bachelor’s to doctoral levels, both within Vietnam and abroad. Additionally, the city plans to build a comprehensive talent database containing at least 500 expert profiles while promoting a collaborative model between the state, academia, businesses, and scientists.
The fund will be financed through "socialized" sources, including aid and sponsorships from domestic and international individuals, organizations, enterprises, and research institutes. The initial scale of the fund is expected to reach between VND100 billion ($3.8 million) and VND150 billion ($5.7 million) by 2026, with the goal of expanding the total pool to approximately VND350 billion by the end of the decade.
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