According to Nguyen Quan, former Minister of Science and Technology, salary is not the only factor that matters to scientists. In reality, many provinces invite professors to return but fail to assign them any meaningful work for an entire year  -  causing them to leave again.

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Nguyen Quan, former Minister of Science and Technology. Photo: Duy Thanh

At a recent roundtable discussion titled “Breakthrough policies to attract talent in higher education, science, technology, and innovation,” hosted by Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Nguyen Quan shared that Vietnam has had policies to attract and prioritize talent for many years.

For example, Resolution 27 on building an intellectual workforce (2008), Resolution 20 on science and technology development (2012), and Resolution 29 on comprehensive educational reform (2013) all aimed to develop and retain talent. However, despite these special policies, most have not been effectively implemented.

He cited Resolution 98 passed by the National Assembly, which allows Ho Chi Minh City to pay leaders of public research institutes salaries up to 120 million VND per month (around $4,800).

Yet, to date, no one has dared to accept this offer. “How can a leader work effectively earning 120 million when colleagues around them earn only 10–15 million VND? If a director earns 120 million, then deputies and project heads should earn 80–90 million,” he noted.

He added that globally, countries have accumulated valuable experience over hundreds of years of scientific development. Vietnam should adopt international practices instead of creating its own isolated systems.

“If we continue to operate in our own way with a separate ‘playing field,’ it will be difficult. The public sector is facing a serious brain drain  -  to the private sector, and even overseas. Without timely and groundbreaking solutions, nothing can stop it,” he said.

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Associate Professor Huynh Quyet Thang, Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Photo: Duy Thanh

To make policies for attracting talent in education and science truly effective, Nguyen Quan said efforts should focus on three key areas.

First, benefits and compensation policies must be practical and achievable. For this to happen, public institutions must be granted operational autonomy  -  but not extreme autonomy.

“Public institutions are still supported by the government. If they are forced to be entirely self-reliant, they become private. Public autonomy should mean they handle recurrent expenditures, while the government covers investment costs. Only then can they offer competitive salaries and retain staff,” he explained.

Second, leadership plays a crucial role in public institutions. “Without leaders who are visionary, reputable, and genuinely care about their staff, it’s difficult to keep talented individuals. Attracting them is hard  -  retaining them is even harder.”

He emphasized that overseas scientists returning to Vietnam may accept lower salaries, but they must at least be valued and given responsibilities, such as leading research projects or teams. They need real work  -  because only through work can they earn income.

Third, talented scientists must be granted autonomy. If you invite a top researcher, you must empower them. For instance, if they lead a research group, they should be allocated a dedicated budget and have the authority to invite collaborators from both domestic and international institutions.

Furthermore, they should receive assignments through a contracting mechanism, along with monitoring and support systems to ensure results.

“If policies lack synchronization, if leadership is disengaged, and if the research ecosystem is unfavorable, it will be very difficult to attract or retain talented individuals,” Nguyen Quan stressed.

Regarding talent attraction efforts, Associate Professor Huynh Quyet Thang, Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology, shared that the university launched a pilot talent recruitment program in 2023. Recently, it introduced another major initiative to recruit young lecturers, specialists, and leading scientists for the 2025–2030 period.

This is the largest-scale recruitment plan the university has undertaken to date.

“We believe that people are the most critical breakthrough. With exceptional people, everything else will follow,” Thang stated.

He noted that staff incomes at Hanoi University of Science and Technology have improved over the past five years. However, as a public university, its compensation structure still adheres to state regulations, making it difficult to match the flexibility of private institutions.

Echoing Nguyen Quan’s views, Thang said that salary is not everything  -  especially for young researchers.

“What matters more is the working environment, recognition, and the freedom to create and contribute,” said the university director.

Thuy Nga