The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics has been awarded to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for their groundbreaking insight: the foundation of sustainable economic growth lies not in resources or capital, but in innovation nurtured by freedom of ideas.

Innovation-driven economies rise from free-thinking environments

History has shown that societies which protect academic freedom, embrace different viewpoints, and celebrate trailblazers are the ones that consistently progress.

In Vietnam, the recently issued Resolution 71 by the Politburo reflects a bold institutional breakthrough. By placing education, science, and talent at the center of national development strategy, it resonates deeply with the Nobel-winning philosophy that values academic freedom and innovation.

The three Nobel laureates revisited the fundamental question: what drives long-term economic growth?

Their unified answer is that economic power stems from the capacity for innovation, where knowledge, technology, and human capital create a self-reinforcing loop. Each technological breakthrough boosts productivity, which in turn provides more resources for research, enabling the generation of new ideas - ideas that fuel the next wave of innovation.

Joel Mokyr calls this the “culture of progress” - a space where knowledge flows freely, debate is welcomed, and innovation is a core value. In this cycle of development, technology not only enhances productivity but also transforms the way people think, learn, and create.

This self-reinforcing mechanism has enabled humanity, in just two centuries, to achieve unprecedented, continuous economic growth, lifting billions out of poverty and laying the foundation for global prosperity.

A pivotal breakthrough toward full autonomy for higher education institutions

Resolution 71 marks a turning point in empowering universities with comprehensive autonomy. It includes the authority to appoint professors and associate professors in line with international practices and Vietnam’s unique conditions.

This is more than a shift in administrative structure - it signals a philosophical transformation in education governance: from a top-down approval model to one of full autonomy, from administrative compliance to fostering academic creativity.

When universities are given the authority and responsibility to recognize academic titles, they are better equipped to integrate globally and, more importantly, to cultivate new, breakthrough ideas. This creates the bedrock of a free, dynamic, and innovative scientific environment.

In contrast, when the authority to appoint professors remains tightly centralized, innovation is stifled by invisible walls of bureaucratic vetting. When safety is prioritized over disruption, when “correct procedures” matter more than “true value,” and when experience overshadows vision, the soul of academia - its spirit of enlightenment and pursuit - is diminished.

A rigid, standardized system cannot produce pioneering thinkers or bold visionaries. True autonomy for universities is not merely a structural reform - it is a declaration of trust in knowledge. It signals that Vietnam is ready to advance through intelligence and innovation. Granting full academic autonomy is, in essence, investing in the future - planting seeds of knowledge today for a powerful, creative Vietnam tomorrow.

If the 2025 Nobel Prize honors economists who advocate freedom of thought and innovation as the prerequisites for sustainable growth, then Resolution 71 stands as Vietnam’s institutional response - clearing the path for higher education autonomy.

Each university, instead of simply transmitting knowledge, can become a distinctive academic entity, setting its own standards and being accountable for the excellence of the talents it fosters. In such an environment of true autonomy and academic freedom, different, even controversial, ideas have the chance to emerge, be debated, and validated - conditions vital for real breakthroughs in Vietnamese science and innovation.

Global models highlight the power of institutional autonomy

International experience shows that top academic centers operate under models that grant universities significant autonomy in recruiting talent, managing quality, and upholding accountability. This has proven to be a decisive factor in innovation.

In many countries, the authority to confer academic titles rests with universities. This has fostered strong scholarly competition. In Singapore, the National University of Singapore (NUS) treats academic titles as tools for talent management - closely tied to research output, teaching quality, and institutional contributions. With its power to appoint professors and associate professors, NUS has attracted thousands of young scientists from around the globe, rising to become one of Asia’s top 10 universities in just two decades.

Academic freedom has always been the cradle of intellectual revolutions

History affirms that academic freedom has always been the cradle of intellectual revolutions. In 17th-century England, when Cambridge and Oxford loosened their ties to the Church and expanded academic liberties, a wave of discoveries in mechanics, physics, and astronomy emerged - from Isaac Newton to Charles Darwin.

In the U.S., open academic models at MIT and Stanford, where faculty are free to publish, critique, and collaborate globally, have fostered technological revolutions - from Google to Tesla and OpenAI. These institutions serve as vivid proof that freedom of thought is the soil in which innovation flourishes.

Vietnam has made notable strides in the Global Innovation Index (GII). In 2025, it ranked 44th out of 139 countries and economies, maintaining its 2024 position and leading among low-middle-income nations. With expanded university autonomy, upgraded scientific standards, and transparent talent policies, Vietnam has the potential to become a regional hub of knowledge and innovation by 2045.

The courage to protect and nurture new scientific ideas

Empowering universities to appoint academic titles is not merely administrative reform. It embodies Joel Mokyr’s principle that sustainable growth requires the courage to protect and nurture new scientific ideas. It affirms that knowledge, academic freedom, and innovation are not just the bedrock of science - they are the core resources for national development.

Yet turning that spirit of innovation into reality is no easy feat. Mokyr notes that entrenched interests benefiting from the status quo are unlikely to surrender their privileges. Every reform, however sound, faces resistance from these legacy mindsets - where changing beliefs is harder than changing technologies.

This raises the question: do we have the courage to overcome these barriers and turn the spirit of innovation into real action, igniting academic freedom in universities beyond mere policy documents? This is not just a challenge, but a test of the academic community’s conviction - whether we are ready to lead the nation’s advancement, or content to remain on the sidelines of history.

Dr. Pham Manh Hung (University of Economics, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) and Dr. Hoang Xuan Trung (University of Commerce)