(MPI) - Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung led a delegation from ministries, innovation centres, research institutes and universities to Belgium to step up innovation cooperation with Belgian partners, from February 18-21.
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Hub.Brussels, National Innovation Centre (NIC) và Vietnam Innovation Network in Europe (VINEU) signed a MoU. Photo: MPI |
Hub.Brussels, the Brussels Agency for Business Support, offers a wide range of free advice, services and tools to help project be successful.
Minister Dung lauded cooperation between the agency and the National Innovation Centre (NIC) right after his meeting with leaders of Hub.Brussels in December 22, which have agreed on experience exchange in order to raise innovation and startup capacity of Vietnam and the European Union (EU).
He suggested Hub.Brussels help NIC in operation and connection with investment funds, and opened its representative office at NIC Hoa Lac to step up cooperation in innovative startup ecosystem development.
The minister assigned NIC and the Vietnam Innovation Network in Europe (VINEU) to partner with Hub.Brussels in building an exchange programme for Vietnamese startups this year to help them access Belgian and European markets.
Annelore Isaac, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Hub.Brussels highlighted the significance of innovation. She expressed her belief in cooperation between the two sides regarding health care and construction, and affirmed that the agency stands ready to support Vietnamese startups.
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IMEC and NIC signed a MoU. Photo: MPI |
At a working session with IMEC, a leading research and development (R&D) centre in Europe in nanoelectronics, semiconductor, and new technologies such as smart manufacturing, smart cities and energy, Minister Dung stressed that the Ministry of Planning and Investment wants to strengthen cooperation between IMEC with Vietnamese organisations and enterprises, especially in the semiconductor R&D, thus helping Vietnam join the global semiconductor supply chain.
He asked IMEC join hand with NIC and Vietnamese educational institutions to organise cooperation programmes for students and engineers in the semiconductor industry, and receive Vietnamese students to study at IMEC’s universities and research centres.
On this occasion, IMEC and NIC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on collaboration in the semiconductor industry, in which IMEC will consider building an R&D centre in Vietnam.
The two sides also agreed to develop a program on improving research and production capacity of semiconductors for Vietnamese enterprises.
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At the meeting with John Cockerill. Photo: MPI |
Meeting with John Cockerill, a leading Belgian group in developing large-scale technological solutions, the minister said that Vietnam owns abundant resources of renewable energy such as wind, solar and green hydrogen, and pays much attention to hydrogen production.
Minister Dung spoke highly of John Cockerill’s decisions and activities in Vietnam, suggesting the group should become Vietnam’s strategic partner through cooperation programmes as well as R&D and investment projects.
John Cockerill’s leaders expressed their hope to make comprehensive and strategic investment in Vietnam, thus making the country a hub serving the Southeast Asian and Northeast Asian markets.
The group expects to focus on solutions regarding energy transition, including biomass, hydrogen and low-carbon solutions.
A MoU was inked by John Cockerill and NIC on this occasion, under which the Belgian group would invest in R&D at NIC and labs for green hydrogen, biomass fuel products, and develop products relating to cooling technology in power plants and industries.
At a meeting with VINEU in February 20, Minister Dung affirmed VINEU’s important role to connect Vietnamese experts with international partners, aiming to do research and seek investment and technology transfer for Vietnam.
This year, VINEU is expected to organise a conference to promote bilateral cooperation on energy transition towards net-zero emissions by 2050 in Berlin, and “Vietnam Innovation Festival” in the EU. The network will also attend the Vietnam Innovation Challenge, enhance cooperation with Hub.Brussels and connect experts and scientists in the semiconductor industry to provide consultation for Vietnam./.
Bao Linh
Ministry of Planning and Investment