Gathering, uniting, and leveraging the intellect of science and technology workforce

On the afternoon of November 12, comrade Thai Bao, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Commission, chaired a working session with the Party Committee and leadership of the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations to hear reports on activities following the merger and consolidation, as well as preparations for the first congress of the Union of Science and Technology Associations of Dong Nai Province for the 2025–2030 term.

Comrade Thai Bao, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Commission delivers directive speech at the working session. Photo: Phuong Hang.

Also in attendance were Bui Thi Yen, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Commission; leaderships of the Provincial Party’s Committee’s Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission; the Provincial Party Committee Office, the Department of Finance, the Department of Home Affairs.

Bui Thi Yen, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Commission speaks at the session. Photo: Phuong Hang.

Delegates discuss at the working session. Photo: Phuong Hang

At the working session, Hoang Thi Bich Hang, Chairwoman of the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations said that: After five months of merging, the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations has organized numerous professional activities. These include the publication of three editions of the Science and Life news bulletin and the quarterly production of the talk show “Bridges of Intellect” conducted in collaboration with Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television. The Union has also implemented communication programs to disseminate knowledge to students, aiming to educate them on life skills, information security, and digital ethics. Additionally, it has organized the Provincial Technical Innovation Contest and the Youth and Children’s Innovation Competition, and hosted scientific seminars, in coordination with relevant departments, sectors, member associations, and members,  contributing to addressing practical local issues.

From now until the end of 2025, the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations will focus on organizing its 1st Congress for the 2025–2030 term, scheduled for early December 2025. In addition, it will wrap up the Youth and Children’s Innovation Competition and the Provincial Technical Innovation Contest. The Union will also sign joint programs with provincial departments, agencies, sectors, communes and wards across the province to implement the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation, and national digital transformation.

Hoang Thi Bich Hang, Chairwoman of the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations speaks at the working session. Photo: Phuong Hang

Alongside the achievements, the leadership of the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations also raised several challenges and issues that need to be addressed.

Specifically, they requested that the Provincial Party Committee and the People’s Committee pay attention to allocating a new headquarters with adequate staff offices and meeting rooms. They also suggested that the People’s Committee consider increasing the fixed budget allocation for the routine operations of associations tasked by the Party and the State through provincial-level state management agencies.

Some personnel from the former Binh Phuoc Union of Science and Technology Associations are under labor quotas (contract-based positions). Since the former Binh Phuoc People’s Committee assigned these quotas to the associations in 2017, these staff currently do not qualify for benefits under Decree No. 126/2024/ND-CP. The Union recommended that the People’s Committee implement a recruitment exam or authorize such organization before January 1, 2026, to continue funding salaries, insurance, and operational costs for these contract-based employees until the recruitment results are finalized.

The Provincial Union of Science and Technology Associations also recommended the Standing members of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People’s Committee grant policy to upgrade the Science and Life news bulletin into the New Era Science Journal – the newspaper of the Dong Nai Union of Science and Technology Associations.

Concluding the working session, Thai Bao, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Organization Commission, emphasized that: the Provincial Union of Science and Technology Associations is a socio-political organization of the scientific and technological intellectual community, entrusted by the Party and State with the task of uniting, consolidating, and leveraging the intellect of the scientific and technological community both inside and outside the province, contributing to the successful industrialization, modernization, and sustainable development of the locality.

The Dong Nai Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term identified science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, one of the province’s breakthrough and priority tasks during this term, as key drivers of growth. At the same time, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in national science and technology development, innovation, and digital transformation.

Given this situation, comrade Thai Bao requested how the Provincial Union of Science and Technology Associations could take on this important responsibility of the province and contribute to promoting Dong Nai’s development during the 2025–2030 term. At the same time, consideration should be given to what kind of working environment needs to be created to foster the intellect and attract the science and technology workforce to collaborate with the Provincial Union of Science and Technology Associations in researching, applying science – technology and innovation in practical life.

To attract the scientific and technological intellectual community, in addition to creating a working environment for current members, attention should also be given to attracting new and younger union members, as well as experts and enterprises. This can be achieved through science and technology innovation competitions to bring in new union members and meet the province’s development needs in the coming period.

Comrade Thai Bao also suggested that the Provincial Union of Science and Technology Associations regularly strengthen its organization and improve operational effectiveness. Efforts should be made to promote and disseminate scientific and technical knowledge to raise public awareness of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation, thereby contributing to building a learning society. In particular, the Union should actively advise and propose policies to the province’s leadership to ensure the effective implementation of tasks in the upcoming period.

By Phuong Hang – Translated by Thu Hien, Thu Ha