From September 9 to 12, the delegation of the Ministry of Science and Technology, led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Giang, visited and worked at a number of agencies and localities of the French Republic to learn, exchange, research experiences, management models, mechanisms and policies in promoting innovation activities, intellectual property, origin management and product quality.

Joining the delegation, there were Mr. Ngo Anh Tin - Director of Can Tho Department of Science and Technology along with Directors of Departments of Science and Technology in localities, such as Hanoi, Bac Giang, Hai Phong, Son La, Thua Thien - Hue and the Vietnamese Ambassador to France and representatives of the office of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam in France also attended the delegation's activities.

Within the framework of the visit, the delegation had working sessions with the French Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO); leader of the city of Macon, in the province of Bourgogne, and the Wine Producers Association of the city; Field survey at Davayé Vocational Training School, on the outskirts of Macon city, a vocational training institution under the Ministry of Agriculture of the French Republic, specializing in training in growing, harvesting, wine processing and cheese.

Mr. Ngo Anh Tin (right) with the delegation of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang visited Davayé Vocational Training School on the outskirts of Macon city

The delegation of the Ministry of Science and Technology visited and worked with the National Institute of Origin and Quality of France

The delegation of the Ministry of Science and Technology worked with the Mayor of Macon city

Through the meeting, the parties exchanged and shared France's experiences in promoting innovation and intellectual property activities at the national level, as well as at regional, regional and local levels, especially how to deploy and support small and medium enterprises in the protection and commercialization of intellectual property, as well as the protection, management and control of geographical indications and protection titles. These are the strengths of the French intellectual property system, as well as the development needs of Vietnam.

On the part of the delegation members, especially the directors of the Departments of Science and Technology, have learned a lot of experiences from your side in organizing the implementation of mechanisms and policies, human resource training, management and supervision, exploiting, developing and commercializing protected products, managing the origin and quality of products by intellectual property, methods to support enterprises in formulating policies on production processes, processing and preserving products bearing the geographical indication.

Can Tho city is a grade I urban center directly under the Central Government, located in the center of the Mekong Delta region, bearing the basic characteristics of a multi-functional center with economic and cultural pervasiveness, society and is the gateway to the whole Mekong Delta region. The city has demonstrated the central role of the Mekong Delta region for innovation activities through the following activities: (1) Designing, building and developing a standard and leading innovation ecosystem lead and interact highly with the ecosystems of the localities in the region; (2) To act as a focal point for gathering and providing services to support the development and promotion of innovation in enterprises, as well as to develop innovative start-ups; (3) This is the place where many training institutions are concentrated, a team of highly qualified scientific and managerial staffs, and a large scientific and technical potential compared to other localities in the Mekong Delta.

In addition, in Can Tho city and Mekong Delta provinces, on average, there are about 400 to 500 startup projects a year, of which about 20% to 30% of these are start-up projects with creative factors and potential for development if supported methodically. Can Tho city currently has about 14 start-up support organizations, of which about 5 have a Co-Working Space, and a network of investors and venture capital funds has also established from the capital of individuals and businesses.

As the center of the Mekong Delta for innovation activities, the City also proposed a number of solutions including: (1) Implement the project to establish an Innovation Center in Can Tho in the spirit of the Resolution No. 98/NQ-CP dated August 30, 2021 of the Government, is the focal organization to connect the components in the science, technology and innovation ecosystem in Can Tho city and the Mekong Delta region. At the same time, support and develop the innovation startup ecosystem, contribute to innovating the growth model on the basis of science and technology development; (2) Design and operate the innovation ecosystem and start-up innovation of Can Tho in an open direction to attract resources inside and outside the city; (3) Implement activities to connect networks and provide services to support the development of innovation startup ecosystem and innovation activities.