Thai Nguyen provincial leaders attending the Ceremony to Announce the “State - School - Enterprise” Cooperation Ecosystem Model

This direction is being increasingly translated into practice through strategic cooperation programs between the province and Thai Nguyen University and its member education institutions, aiming to build an innovation ecosystem linked to local development needs.

Recently, Thai Nguyen Province and Thai Nguyen University signed a Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement for the 2026-2030 period. This is not only a continuation of many years of cooperation but also a demonstration of both sides’ determination to closely link the local socio-economic development strategy with the training, scientific research, technology transfer, and innovation activities of the largest higher education institution in the midland and northern mountainous region.

Under the agreement, the two sides will continue to establish a comprehensive coordination mechanism to maximize the potential of intellectuals and scientists; improve the quality of human resources; promote applied research and technology transfer; and, at the same time, build an innovation ecosystem serving fast and sustainable development.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Trinh Xuan Truong emphasized that, to realize the goal of turning Thai Nguyen into a modern industrial center with a high average income before 2030, the province has identified two strategic pillars to be implemented simultaneously: leveraging its distinct advantages and opening up new development space based on science, technology, innovation, and the digital economy. The Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee affirmed that the “State - School - Enterprise” linkage model would be a guiding direction for developing science, technology, and human resources, and that research tasks must originate from practical requirements and the needs of enterprises and localities.

In particular, the province will prioritize the development of five strategic technology groups: digital graphics technology, in-depth applied AI, automation and robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles, and semiconductor and IoT technology.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Huy Dung tours the facilities of the “State - School - Enterprise” cooperation model at Thai Nguyen University of Information and Communication Technology

In practice, over the years, a number of higher education institutions in the province have proactively implemented this linkage model and have achieved initial positive results. At Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF), engagement with enterprises is no longer limited to nominal cooperation programs but has become a regular activity in research and training.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hung Quang, Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, said that the University always maintains a close relationship with enterprises and cooperatives in order to keep abreast of issues arising in production practice. From there, scientists develop research topics based on commissioned demand or propose that state management agencies assign them appropriate science and technology tasks.

Many science and technology tasks for the 2023-2026 period have been implemented along these lines, enabling research results to be quickly applied in practice. A significant number of projects have helped raise the productivity and quality of agricultural products, resolve production difficulties, and generate economic benefits for enterprises and residents.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hung Quang, for the “three-party” model to operate effectively, each party needs to properly perform its own role. The State needs to play an enabling role through mechanisms, policies, and supporting resources. Schools must shift their thinking from the traditional teaching-university model toward a research, innovation, and entrepreneurship-oriented university. Enterprises, meanwhile, need to proactively commission research and take part in long-term investment in science and technology activities, rather than merely benefiting from the results. Only when research moves out of the laboratory and solves real-world problems can science and technology truly create value.

The need for engagement between schools and enterprises is becoming urgent not only in the field of applied research but also in human resource training. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phung Trung Nghia, Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Information and Communication Technology (ICTU), holds that enterprises should be regarded as a component of the training ecosystem, rather than merely as partners that receive graduates after they finish their studies. Enterprises need to be involved right from the process of setting learning outcome standards, designing training programs, organizing teaching, guiding practical work, assessing learners, conducting scientific research, and pursuing innovation. In that way, students will not only be equipped with professional knowledge but will also develop professional skills, creative thinking, and the ability to adapt to real working environments.

This is also a trend being adopted by many universities around the world to narrow the gap between training and labor use, while helping enterprises gain early access to high-quality human resources and reducing the cost of retraining after recruitment.

Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry coordinating with C.P. Vietnam Corporation to organize the “Enhancing Professional Skills with C.P. Vietnam” Vocational Knowledge Contest

It can be affirmed that, as the whole country is strongly implementing policies on developing science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, the “State - School - Enterprise” linkage model is not only an immediate solution but also a long-term strategy for enhancing local competitiveness.

For Thai Nguyen, home to a large system of regional universities alongside a rapidly growing business community, the connection among these three parties will create a combined source of strength. When the government plays an enabling role, schools become centers of knowledge, and enterprises turn creative ideas into products that serve the market, a complete innovation ecosystem will take shape. That is also the foundation for Thai Nguyen to realize its aspiration for fast, sustainable development, and, in the coming time, to become a modern industrial center of the region.