Decision No. 06/2001/QĐ-BKHCNMT on the issuance of the "Provisional Regulations on Determining Scientific and Technological Topics of the State for the 2001-2005 Period"

DECISION

Regarding the issuance of the "Provisional Regulations on Determining State Scientific and Technological Topics for the Period 2001-2005"

Issuing the "Provisional Regulations on Determining State Scientific and Technological Topics for the Period 2001-2005"

___________________________

MINISTER OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT

Pursuant to Decree 22/CP dated May 22, 1993 of the Government stipulating the tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment;

Pursuant to Article 19 of the Law on Science and Technology;

Pursuant to Decision 419/TTg dated July 21, 1995 of the Prime Minister on the management mechanism for scientific research and technological development activities;

Considering the proposal of the Director of the Department of Science and Technology Management in Industry, the Department of Agricultural Science and Technology Management, the Department of Social Science and Natural Science Management, and the Planning Department;

DECISION:

Article 1. Issuing the "Provisional Regulations on Determining State Scientific and Technological Topics for the Period 2001-2005".

Article 2. THIS DECISION SHALL TAKE EFFECT 15 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SIGNATURE.

Article 3. The Directors of the Planning Department, the Department of Industrial Science and Technology Management, the Department of Agricultural Science and Technology Management, the Department of Social Science and Natural Science Management, the Department of International Relations, the Head of the Office of the Ministry, Heads of units under the Ministry, and Heads of related agencies and organizations shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.

TEMPORARY PROVISIONS

ON DETERMINING STATE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL TOPICS

FOR THE PERIOD 2001-2005

(Attached to Decision No. 06/2001/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated April 11, 2001)

4. The organizations and individuals proposed for selection are those with the highest ranked application files, but the average score must reach at least 70 out of 100 points, including a minimum average score of 50 out of 70 points for scientific and practical value.

To implement the provisions of the Law on Science and Technology regarding the determination of scientific and technological tasks, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment promulgates the requirements, principles, procedures, and formalities for determining scientific and technological tasks in the form of state scientific and technological topics within national science and technology programs and independent state topics for the period 2001-2005 as follows:

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Applicability

These regulations apply to the determination of state scientific and technological tasks including research science topics, research science and technology development topics within national science and technology programs, national social science and humanities programs (collectively referred to as national science and technology programs), independent state topics, and other state scientific and technological works (hereinafter collectively referred to as state topics).

Article 2. Requirements for determining state topics

1. General requirements for state topics

a) The determination of state topics must originate from the need to address urgent issues of the country.

b) Based on an objective assessment of the current status of domestic science and technology development and achievements in global science and technology development, the goals, objects, and scope of research should be determined to ensure that state topics have scientific and technological value, novelty, creativity, and advanced technology, and feasibility.

c) The results of state topics must have the ability to be applied to practical production and life, exert significant and long-lasting impacts on the development of science and technology and the economy and society of the country.

Some state topics (within national science and technology programs or independent topics) may be implemented through international cooperation with foreign scientific and technological organizations or partners (in such cases, they are called state international cooperation topics in science and technology). These topics will be carried out through memorandums of understanding of the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Subcommittees or between the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment and corresponding foreign partners according to prescribed forms.

2. Requirements for determining topics within national science and technology programs

In addition to the requirements and provisions stated in Article 2.1 of these regulations, the determination of topics within national science and technology programs must also be based on the requirement to create scientific and technological products contributing to solving specific contents to achieve the goals set forth in the program approved by the Prime Minister.

3. Requirements for determining independent state topics

Consistent with the requirements and provisions stated in Article 2.1 of these regulations, the determination of independent state topics must be based on the need to solve important, pressing, and urgent cross-sectoral (or single-sector) issues with clear application targets but not within the scope of national science and technology programs.

Article 3. Origin of state topics

1. Requests from Party and State Leaders

Based on the strategy for the development of science and technology and the requirements for economic and social development of the country, the state requires the implementation of research on state topics through the determination of Directions, objectives, scientific and technological tasks, and the List of key national science and technology programs for the period 2001-2005.

Party and State leadership require the organization of research on some state topics to address urgent tasks of the country.

2. Proposals from Ministries/Agencies

Topics proposed by Ministries/Agencies based on the synthesis of research and development needs to solve urgent scientific and technological tasks serving the development of Ministries/Agencies.

3. Proposals from scientific and technological organizations, businesses, groups, and individual scientists

Topics proposed by scientific and technological organizations, enterprises, groups, and individual scientists to meet production and living needs, contribute to the development of science and technology and the economy and society of the country.

4. Proposals from international cooperation activities

In addition to the above bases, state international cooperation topics in science and technology can be proposed by the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Subcommittee between Vietnam and foreign countries, the Embassies of foreign countries in Vietnam, foreign scientific and technological organizations, or foreign partners and scientists.

Chapter II

PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING THE LIST OF STATE TOPICS

Article 4. Draft preliminary consolidated list of state topics

In order to fully utilize the intellect of the national cadre of science and technology officials, and to ensure that scientific research and technological development serve the practical needs of economic and social development, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment periodically organizes broad consultations with various Ministries/Agencies, enterprises, scientific and technological organizations, and scientists to understand the requirements for scientific and technological development and the urgent needs of the economy and society for scientific research and technological development.

The method of consultation may be conducted through organizing conferences, distributing opinion request forms, or other methods. Information on proposed state topics is recorded in a unified form (Form-Proposal-A).

Based on the requirements of Party and State leadership, state agencies, the requirements of Ministries/Agencies, organizations, and individuals, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment drafts a preliminary consolidated list of state topics (including the anticipated names of the topics; anticipated objectives, contents, and corresponding scientific and technological products for each topic - according to Form TH-CTA and Form TH-DLA respectively) - one of the important bases for National Science and Technology Councils to determine the topics for work.

Article 5. Determining state topics

Depending on the level of detail required in the announcement of topic selection (or direct assignment) for each topic, the determination of state topics will be carried out in one step (Step 1) or both of the following steps:

Step 1: Determine the List of State Topics

Step 2: Determine the Summary Outline of Each Topic

Step 1: Determine the List of National-Level Topics

1. Establish National Science and Technology Councils to advise on determining topics

- For topics under Programs, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment establishes National Science and Technology Councils to advise on determining topics within each State-approved Program of science and technology.

- For independent state topics, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment will establish specialized National Science and Technology Councils in each field of science: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine, Social Sciences and Humanities to advise on determining topics.

Each Council has a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, and members, among which about one-third of the members represent management agencies, production-business entities, and organizations utilizing scientific and technological outcomes, while two-thirds of the members are renowned scientists from across the country, with high expertise and deep understanding of the fields they advise on.

2. Tasks of the Councils

To form a preliminary list of topics recommended for inclusion in the State's Program of science and technology or for independent state topics during the 2001-2005 period, the Council is tasked with:

Examining, analyzing, and critiquing the draft preliminary consolidated list of topics proposed for inclusion in the Program of science and technology or the preliminary consolidated list of independent topics provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment regarding the following aspects:

- Urgency (importance, urgency,...);

- Scientific and technological significance: novelty, technological advancement;

- Economic and social significance: applicability of the topic in practice (can it be applied? can it be applied at industrial scale? can specific application addresses be identified? can it have a significant impact on the economy and society?...);

- Feasibility (technically implementable); alignment with the Program's objectives (for topics under the Program)

During the analysis and evaluation process, the Council may propose new topics, modify or supplement the draft provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment to clarify and accurately define the research object, objectives, content, and products for each topic.

The Council uses a scoring method to select topics.

3.2. Specialized documents:

3.1. Professional documents: This Regulation and the Regulation on the Working Method of the Council issued by the Minister of Science and Technology and Environment, and other professional documents.

- For scientific and technological programs: the draft preliminary list of topics within the scope of research according to the narrow specialty of the Program.

a) Directions for the development of science and technology and the list of Programs of science and technology of the State for the 2001-2005 period approved by the Government

b) Draft preliminary consolidated list of state topics compiled by the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment based on the requirements of Party and State leadership, proposals from comprehensive agencies, Ministries/Agencies, scientific and technological organizations, scientists, businesses, production units:

- For Programs of science and technology: draft preliminary consolidated list of topics within the scope of research of the Program.

- For independent topics: draft preliminary consolidated list of topics within the specialized field of the Council.

c) Other relevant materials and information related to the specialized field of the topic.

Determination of the Summary Outline of Each Research Topic

The outcome of the Council's work is a list of proposed topics for each Program of science and technology or a list of proposed independent topics by specialty for the corresponding field of science (including the anticipated names of the topics and anticipated objectives and scientific and technological products), sent to the Minister of Science and Technology and Environment.

Based on the results of the Council's work, the Minister of Science and Technology and Environment decides to approve the list of topics for each Program of science and technology of the State and the list of independent state topics for announcement and organization of selection or direct assignment.

Step 2: Determine the Summary Outline of Each Topic

In cases where it is necessary to determine the outline summary - detailed order for state topics before announcing selection or direct assignment, the Ministry of Science and Technology and Environment requests National Science and Technology Councils to advise on determining topics to prepare the outline summary for each topic.

Each Council assigns two or three members who are deeply knowledgeable about the topic to prepare the outline summary for each topic for discussion by the Council before concluding.

The Minister of Science and Technology and Environment may also invite additional experts who are not members of the Council, but are deeply knowledgeable in the research field of the proposed topic, to prepare the outline summary.

When deemed necessary, the Minister of Science and Technology and Environment may establish new national science and technology councils for each scientific and technological program and corresponding scientific specialty to carry out the determination of the outline summary of each topic.

1. Tasks (which are also the outcomes of the work) of the Council:

The Council's task in determining the outline summary of each topic includes the following basic elements:

- Proposed topic name

- Required objectives;

- Expected results;

- Main economic and technical indicators to be achieved;

In certain specific cases, the Council may propose other factors such as:

- Research content;

- Implementation period;

- Application address;

- Estimated budget.

2. Working Documents of the Council

The Council will be provided with specialized and operational materials as stated in Article 5 Step 1 Point 3 above. The only difference is:

- The list of topics under each national scientific and technological program that have been approved will replace the draft preliminary consolidated list of topics within the scope of the program.

- The list of independent national topics under each specialty that have been approved will replace the draft preliminary consolidated list of topics within the specialty according to the scientific field of the Council.

Based on the results of the work of the advisory science and technology councils determining the outline summary of each topic, the Minister of Science and Technology and Environment approves the outline summary along with the list of topics under each national scientific and technological program and the list of independent national topics for announcement and organization of selection or direct assignment.

The Minister of Science and Technology and Environment shall specify the working procedures of the advisory science and technology councils determining the national topics for the period 2001-2005 (for both steps: determining the topic list and determining the outline summary).

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 6. This regulation takes effect fifteen days from the date of issuance.

Article 7. The levels managing the topics (ministerial level, provincial/city level, etc.) shall apply this regulation in determining the topics under their management level.