Top 10 science and technology highlights in Vietnam in 2024 announced

The Vietnam Science and Technology Journalists Club announced the 10 most significant science and technology events of the year on December 23, 2024. This marks the 19th year the club has organised the selection.

The area is planned to build Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant.

The key events are summarised below:

Policy developments:

1. Restarting the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project: Vietnam has resumed plans to develop nuclear energy, including the Ninh Thuan project, with government directives to allocate resources and amend relevant laws.

2. Semiconductor Development Strategy until 2030 with a vision to 2050: Vietnam aims to become a regional semiconductor hub by 2030, with targets such as establishing 100 design companies, building a chip manufacturing plant, and training 50,000 skilled professionals.

3. Merging key ministries: The Ministry of Science and Technology will merge with the Ministry of Information and Communications to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and foster innovation.

4. Local Innovation Index: A new index was launched to measure and promote innovation at the provincial level, with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong leading the rankings.

Applied science and technology:

5. Earthquake monitoring: The Institute of Geophysics operates nearly 100 monitoring stations and has reported 463 earthquakes in 2024, supporting disaster management efforts in Vietnam and Laos.

6. Vietnam’s largest data centre: Viettel inaugurated its 30MW data centre in Hoa Lac, featuring cutting-edge technology and a commitment to using 30% renewable energy.

Social and innovation achievements:

7. Techfest 2024: Celebrating 10 years of Vietnam’s startup ecosystem, the event in Hai Phong attracted 10,000 participants and generated 372 million USD in investments across 38 startup deals.

8. FPT builds 4.3 trillion VND AI centre: In August 2024, FPT launched a 169-million-USD AI Centre in Quy Nhon, focusing on AI research, training, and cybersecurity. Partnering with NVIDIA, FPT also invested 200 million USD in AI factories in Vietnam and Japan, and is set to start operations in January 2025.

Social sciences and humanities:

9. 8,000-year-old site discovered in Bac Kan

Archaeologists found prehistoric remains in Bac Kan Province’s Ba Be District dating back 7,000–8,000 years. The discovery sheds light on early Neolithic culture in Vietnam.

10. First Vietnamese scientist wins astronomy award: Associate Professor Dr Hoang Chi Thiem became the first Vietnamese to win Taiwan’s 2024 Global Young Astronomer Award for his contributions to astrophysics.

NDO