Signing of the Collaborative Framework for Joint Research Selection Paves the Way for the Vietnam–Australia Research Funding Program under AVSTICI

On May 18, 2026, in celebration of Vietnam Science, Technology and Innovation Day and the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birthday, representatives of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam and the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) officially signed the Collaborative Framework for the selection of joint research projects under the Australia–Vietnam Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Initiative (AVSTICI).

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Ngoc Chien, Director General of the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), signed the Collaborative Framework on behalf of the Vietnamese side.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Ngoc Chien, Director General of the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), signed the Collaborative Framework on behalf of the Vietnamese side.

The signing of the Collaborative Framework marks an important preparatory step and lays the foundation for the upcoming implementation of the joint research funding program under AVSTICI. The program is expected to strengthen connections among scientists, research organizations, and higher education institutions of the two countries, while supporting the development of high-quality research aligned with innovation and the shared development priorities of Vietnam and Australia.

Previously, based on the Vietnam–Australia Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation signed in 2013 and the Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy between Vietnam and Australia in 2021, the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam, through its Department of International Cooperation, and DISR discussed and signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) on cooperation under the AVSTICI framework in 2023.

Through this cooperation mechanism, both sides aim to promote interdisciplinary joint research activities, enhance knowledge sharing, strengthen research and innovation capacity, and thereby contribute to sustainable development and the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia in the fields of science, technology, and innovation.