Decision No. 07/2003/QD-BKHCN On the issuance of "Regulations on the determination of national-level scientific and technological topics and experimental production projects"

DECISION OF THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Regarding the issuance of "Regulations on the Determination of Scientific and Technological Research Topics and National Pilot Production Projects"

Issuing "Regulations on the Determination of Scientific and Technological Research Topics and National Pilot Production Projects"

______________________________

THE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Pursuant to Decree No. 81/2002/NĐ-CP dated October 17, 2002 of the Government detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Science and Technology;

Pursuant to Decree No. 22/CP dated May 22, 1993 of the Government stipulating tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Environment (now the Ministry of Science and Technology);

Considering the proposals of the Heads of 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, and the Planning Department;

DECISION:

Article 1. Issuing "Regulations on the Determination of Scientific and Technological Research Topics and National Pilot Production Projects".

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect 15 days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette and shall replace Decision No. 06/2001/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated April 11, 2001 of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment on the issuance of "Provisional Regulations on the Determination of State Scientific and Technological Research Topics for the Period 2001-2005" and Decision No. 33/2002/QĐ-BKHCNMT dated May 28, 2002 of the Minister of Science, Technology, and Environment amending and supplementing Clause 5 of "Provisional Regulations on the Determination of State Scientific and Technological Research Topics for the Period 2001-2005".

Article 3. The Heads 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 Director of the Ministry's Office, the Heads of units under the Ministry, and the Heads of related agencies and organizations are responsible for implementing this Decision./.

REGULATIONS

On the determination of scientific and technological research topics

and national pilot production projects

(Attached to Decision No. 07/2003/QĐ-BKHCN dated April 3, 2003)

of the Minister of Science and Technology)

Implementing the regulations on the determination of scientific and technological tasks as stipulated in Decree No. 81/2002/NĐ-CP dated October 17, 2002 of the Prime Minister detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Law on Science and Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology stipulates the requirements, principles, procedures, and formalities for determining scientific and technological tasks in the form of scientific and technological research topics and national pilot production projects as follows:

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Applicability

These regulations apply to the determination of national-level scientific and technological tasks including:

- National scientific and technological research topics: Scientific and technological research topics belonging to national science and technology programs - including social science and humanities programs - and independent national research topics (including research topics, research and development topics, and other national scientific and technological works) - hereinafter referred to as research topics;

- National pilot production projects: Pilot production projects belonging to national science and technology programs and independent national pilot production projects - hereinafter referred to as pilot production projects.

Article 2. Requirements for the determination of research topics and pilot production projects

1. General Requirements

a) Must originate from the need to address urgent issues of the country.

b) To ensure that research topics and pilot production projects have scientific and technological value, creativity, advanced technology, and feasibility, the determination of objectives, subjects, and scope of research must be based on an objective assessment of the current state of scientific and technological development in the country and achievements in global scientific and technological development.

c) The results of research topics and pilot production projects must be applicable to practical production and life (for pilot production projects, there is also a requirement for market acceptance), having significant and long-term impacts on the development of science and technology and the economy and society of the country.

2. Requirements for the determination of research topics and pilot production projects within science and technology programs

a) The provisions set forth in Clause 1 of this Article;

b) To create scientific and technological products contributing to solving the defined contents to achieve the goals set out in the approved science and technology program by the Prime Minister.

3. Requirements for the determination of independent research topics and pilot production projects

a) The provisions set forth in Clause 1 of this Article;

b) Address important, pressing, and urgent issues with clear application targets but not within the scope of research of science and technology programs.

Article 3. Sources forming research topics and pilot production projects

1. Requests from Party and State Leaders

Party and State Leaders request the organization of research topics and pilot production projects according to plans or urgently to resolve urgent tasks of the country.

2. Proposals from Ministries/sectors, provinces/cities

Research topics and pilot production projects proposed by Ministries/sectors to solve urgent scientific and technological tasks to serve the development of Ministries/sectors with significant and long-term impacts on the economic and social development of the country.

Research topics and pilot production projects proposed by provinces/cities to the State to solve urgent scientific and technological tasks to serve the economic and social development of provinces/cities or regions exceeding the capacity of a single province/city.

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

Research topics and pilot production projects proposed by scientific and technological organizations, businesses, groups, and individual scientists to meet production and living needs, contribute to the urgent development of science and technology and the economy-society at the national level.

4. Proposals from international cooperation activities

Research topics and pilot production projects may be proposed by the Embassies of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committees between Vietnam and foreign countries, Foreign Embassies in Vietnam, foreign scientific and technological organizations, or foreign partners and scientists to serve Vietnam's economic and social development.

Article 4. Basis and conditions for proposing national pilot production projects

1. Basis.

The trial production project must originate from one of the following three sources:

a) Results of scientific research and technological development topics that have been evaluated and recommended for application by science and technology councils at all levels;

b) Inventions, useful solutions, scientific products awarded science and technology prizes;

c) Scientific and technological results from abroad that have been appraised and recognized by authorized organizations.

2. Conditions.

The trial production project must satisfy the following two conditions simultaneously:

a) Accepted by the market or having a market for the consumption of the project's products;

b) The funding for implementing the trial production project mainly comes from the organizations leading the project. The level of financial support from the State Budget for Science and Technology shall not exceed 30% of the total investment required to implement the trial production project (excluding equipment and factories already available).

Article 5. Criteria for determining scientific research topics and trial production projects

1. Criteria for Determining Research Topics

1.1. Consistency with the objectives of the program for research topics under the program.

1.2. The necessity to carry out the topic (urgency):

- Practical significance of the topic (directly or significantly contributing to solving urgent issues in production and daily life, capable of having a significant and long-term impact on national economic and social development);

- Scientific significance of the topic (novelty, technological advancement).

1.3. Feasibility (consistency with research time, finance that can be met, domestic scientific and technological capacity that can undertake it).

2. Criteria for Determining Trial Production Projects

2.1. Consistency with the objectives of the program for trial production projects under the program.

2.2. The necessity to carry out the trial production project (urgency):

- Alignment with priority technological directions and technological directions serving the development of key economic sectors;

- Creating new technologies (processes, equipment, etc.), high-quality and competitive new products that can be transferred to production;

- Economic and social effectiveness (creating additional jobs, saving and utilizing resources and human capital, protecting the environment, etc.)

2.3. Feasibility:

- Having a scientific basis (the origin of the trial production project from one of the three sources specified in Clause 1, Article 4 of this Regulation);

- Market acceptance;

- Consistency with implementation time, finance that can be met, domestic scientific and technological capacity that can resolve it.

Chapter II

PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING THE LIST OF RESEARCH TOPICS AND TRIAL PRODUCTION PROJECTS

Article 6. Establishing a Preliminary List of Research Topics and Trial Production Projects

Annually, the Ministry of Science and Technology organizes extensive consultations with ministries/sectors, provinces/cities, enterprises, scientific and technological organizations, and scientists to understand the requirements for the development of science and technology and the urgent needs of the economy and society for scientific research and technological development. Consultations may be organized through multiple sessions via seminars, conferences, questionnaires, or other forms.

Information proposing research topics and trial production projects is recorded in a unified form (Form-Proposal-Topic-A for proposing research topics and Form-Proposal-Project-A for proposing trial production projects).

Based on the sources and conditions for forming research topics and trial production projects stipulated in Articles 3 and 4 of this Regulation, the Ministry of Science and Technology establishes a preliminary list of research topics and trial production projects according to Form TH-DTDACT-A and Form TH-DTDA-DL-A respectively for research topics and trial production projects within the science and technology program and independent research topics and trial production projects across various scientific fields.

Article 7. Determining Research Topics and Trial Production Projects

Each research topic and trial production project must be advised and determined in two steps:

Step 1: Determine the list of research topics and trial production projects.

Step 2: Determine the outline summary of each research topic and trial production project.

Step 1: Determining the List of Research Topics and Trial Production Projects

1. Establishing National Science and Technology Councils to advise on research topics and trial production projects

- For Programs: The Ministry of Science and Technology establishes several Science and Technology Councils (referred to as Councils) by scientific field to advise on research topics and trial production projects within the program.

- For independent research topics and trial production projects: The Ministry of Science and Technology establishes Councils by scientific field to advise on research topics and trial production projects.

- The Council advising on research topics and trial production projects consists of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, at least two opposing members, and other members. Members of the Council must be reputable experts who are impartial, have appropriate expertise, and deeply understand the assigned field of science and technology. Members include:

+ Half are representatives of state management agencies, policy planning agencies, production and business organizations, and other related organizations;

+ Half are scientists and technologists working in relevant fields of science and technology.

The Ministry of Science and Technology assigns administrative clerks to assist the Council.

2. Tasks of the Councils

2.1. The Council reviews and analyzes the preliminary list of research topics and trial production projects proposed for inclusion in the science and technology program or the preliminary list of independent research topics and trial production projects provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology according to the criteria stipulated in Article 5 of this Regulation.

The Council discusses research topics and trial production projects meeting the criteria that need to be studied and resolved at the national level for implementation and those not meeting the criteria for non-implementation.

2.2. The Council votes to categorize research topics and trial production projects into the following two types:

- Recommended for Implementation;

- Not Recommended for Implementation.

2.3. The Council votes to classify research topics and trial production projects that have been recommended for implementation:

- The Council discusses the amendment, supplementation, or clarification of the name, research subjects, and briefly outlines the expected objectives and products for each experimental production topic or project.

- Subsequently, the Council classifies each experimental production topic or project into two levels: A or B (A being the higher level, requiring priority implementation).

3. Results of the Council's work

The results of the Council's work are the List of experimental production topics or projects expected to be included in the science and technology program or the List of expected independent experimental production topics or projects according to the relevant scientific field sent to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

4. Consolidation and processing of the Council's work results

Prior to considering and approving the List of expected experimental production topics or projects within each science and technology program and the List of expected independent experimental production topics or projects, the Ministry of Science and Technology seeks opinions from relevant Ministries/sectors and Program Steering Committees regarding the Council's work results.

Step 2: Determining the outline summary of each experimental production topic or project

After the Minister of Science and Technology considers and approves the List of expected experimental production topics or projects within each science and technology program and the List of expected independent experimental production topics or projects, the Councils develop an Outline Summary for each experimental production topic or project.

1. Tasks of the Council:

The Council's task at Step 2 is to determine the outline summary of each experimental production topic or project in the approved List by the Minister of Science and Technology according to the scientific field of the Council.

2. Results of the Council's work

Each outline summary developed by the Councils must reflect the urgency of each experimental production topic or project with clear research objectives and subjects, appropriate research time (usually 2 years, maximum 3 years), and high feasibility.

The outline summary of an experimental production topic or project includes the following basic elements:

- Name of the experimental production topic or project;

- Required objectives;

- Expected results and products, key economic and technical indicators of the product.

Article 8. Approving the List of experimental production topics or projects

Based on the Council's work results, the Minister of Science and Technology approves the List of experimental production topics or projects within each science and technology program and the List of independent experimental production topics or projects to be directly assigned or announced for selection.

The method of operation of the science and technology advisory council to determine national-level science and technology topics and experimental production projects is detailed in Decision No. 08/2003/QĐ-BKHCN dated April 3, 2003, issued by the Minister of Science and Technology.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 9. This regulation takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 10. Management levels of experimental production topics or projects (Ministry level, provincial/city level, etc.) apply this Regulation to determine experimental production topics or projects under their management./.