Dong Nai seeks to improve its DTI and PII rankings

Dong Nai City is stepping up efforts to improve its Digital Transformation Index (DTI) and Provincial Innovation Index (PII), two key indicators that measure progress in implementing Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW at the local level.

VNPT Dong Nai officials operate the control dashboard at the Dong Nai Intelligent Operations Center in Tran Bien ward. Photo: Hai Quan

The city has proactively developed detailed implementation plans and is rolling out coordinated solutions under an appropriate roadmap. At the same time, it is stepping up communication efforts to raise awareness of digital transformation and innovation among residents and businesses.

Rolling out DTI assessment software

The DTI serves as a key tool for monitoring progress, evaluating performance and guiding policies to accelerate digital transformation nationwide. At the provincial and municipal levels, the DTI is structured around three pillars: digital government, digital economy and digital society, comprising eight major indicators and 47 sub-indicators. Most of the index is made up of foundational indicators covering digital awareness, institutions, infrastructure, digital human resources and cybersecurity, alongside operational indicators measuring digital government, the digital economy and digital society.

In March 2026, the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee (now the Dong Nai City People's Committee) issued Plan No. 154/KH-UBND on improving the locality's DTI during the 2026-2030 period. The plan aims to strengthen digital governance, upgrade digital infrastructure and improve digital skills among officials, civil servants and residents, thereby enhancing public administration, accelerating the digital economy and digital society, and building a modern digital government that delivers better public services. Specifically, Dong Nai targets ranking among the country's top three localities in the DTI by 2030.

Nguyen Minh Quang, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), said the department would work closely with other agencies and local authorities to maintain the city's strong performance in digital society development while improving digital government and digital economy initiatives, as well as advancing digital infrastructure and digital platforms. Efforts would also focus on enhancing digital human resources and strengthening cybersecurity.

To make a breakthrough in the management and evaluation of the DTI, the department has coordinated with relevant agencies to develop an online DTI assessment software for departments, agencies and commune- and ward-level People's Committees across the city. The online platform has been made available at https://dti.dongnai.gov.vn/

Quang said the software is designed to improve transparency and automate the management process while delivering three core benefits: shifting DTI assessment from subjective evaluation to data-driven measurement; enhancing transparency and fostering healthy competition among agencies; and accelerating digital transformation at the grassroots level.

The system digitizes all DTI assessment criteria and publicly monitors each agency's implementation progress. The DTI rankings provide an objective overview of performance, recognizing agencies that achieve strong results while promptly identifying delays, enabling managers to take timely corrective action.

In mid-July 2026, the DoST organized a training program on using the DTI assessment software for departments, agencies and local authorities across the city. Participants received guidance on reviewing evaluation criteria, uploading supporting documents, monitoring implementation progress and managing system functions, including user authorization, reporting periods, indicator configuration, organizational management, evaluation procedures and public disclosure of rankings.

Strengthening innovation activities

The PII is a tool that evaluates the innovation capacity, enabling conditions and innovation outcomes of each locality, thereby supporting policymaking and governance for socio-economic development based on science, technology, innovation and digital transformation. The index comprises seven pillars covering institutions, human resources and research and development, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs, and socio-economic impacts.

An official at the Long Thanh Ward Public Administrative Service Center assists a resident with online administrative procedures. Photo: Hai Quan

During the first six months of 2026, the DoST worked with relevant departments and agencies to compile data and supporting evidence for calculating Dong Nai's PII. Several indicators showed positive improvements compared with 2025, including higher GRDP and other measures of economic scale, a rising number of patent, utility solution and trademark applications, and stronger business and market indicators that are expected to contribute positively to the innovation output pillars.

Vo Hoang Khai, Deputy Director of the DoST, said priorities for improving innovation indicators during the remainder of 2026 include increasing the number of four-star and five-star OCOP (One Commune One Product) products, expanding science and technology enterprises, strengthening research collaboration between research institutions and businesses, enhancing intellectual property protection, promoting innovative startups and attracting more projects to industrial parks and industrial clusters.

The department will also conduct surveys to identify the technology needs of businesses in sectors such as manufacturing, supporting industries, high-tech industries, logistics and digital manufacturing. The findings will help compile a list of the most pressing technology challenges facing local enterprises.

Nguyen Van Tan, Vice Rector of Lac Hong University in Tran Bien ward, proposed that Dong Nai should implement synchronized measures to strengthen its startup and innovation ecosystem by improving institutions and innovation infrastructure, developing high-quality human resources, expanding financial support and promoting stronger collaboration among stakeholders.

He suggested the city accelerate the development of innovation hubs and shared innovation spaces while building a digital platform to manage science, technology, innovation and digital transformation activities. He also stressed that universities, including Lac Hong University, should play a greater role in nurturing innovative ideas and turning them into innovative startups at the locality. The city should establish on-campus business incubators that provide workspace, mentoring and access to investment networks, helping create a dynamic startup ecosystem that directly contributes to the city's socio-economic development.

At a meeting held in July 2026 to review digital economy development and assess the 2025 DTI and PII results while discussing measures to improve the rankings in 2026, Le Truong Son, Member of the City Party Committee’s Standing Board and Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai People's Committee, called on departments and relevant agencies to strengthen coordination, closely monitor implementation progress and regularly update reporting schedules for each component indicator so the City People's Committee can introduce timely measures to improve its DTI and PII rankings.

According to rankings released by the Ministry of Science and Technology in October 2025, Dong Nai scored 0.7164 points, ranking 15th nationwide in the DTI at provincial and municipal levels. In terms of the 2025 PII, the locality recorded 44.92 points, placing 12th among the country's 34 provinces and cities.

By H Quan – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha