At the meeting between the Vietnam Office of Science and Technology in Canada and the Canadian Vietnamese Scholars and Experts Network (CVSE), participants noted that realizing this potential requires selecting sectors capable of producing immediate concrete projects, establishing co-funding mechanisms, and effectively leveraging the expertise of overseas Vietnamese experts and scientists in Canada.

The meeting took place as Vietnam and Canada push to elevate their relationship following more than half a century of diplomatic ties and nearly a decade under their Comprehensive Partnership framework. Having built a solid foundation across politics, economics, education, and people-to-people exchanges, the Prime Ministers of both countries recently agreed to advance the goal of an early bilateral upgrade while identifying emerging fields for cooperation, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology, semiconductors, energy, the green economy, and aerospace.

Speaking to the press in Ottawa, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Viet Hung, President of CVSE, identified clean energy as a field where Vietnam could prioritize immediate collaboration with Canada. He stated that Canada is an energy powerhouse with distinct strengths in clean technology, energy efficiency, environmental solutions, and emissions reduction. Ottawa is also actively diversifying its markets beyond the US while allocating substantial resources toward research, development, and technology commercialization.

Vietnam, meanwhile, faces a growing demand for energy transition, lower production costs, climate change adaptation, and compliance with carbon standards in key export markets. The convergence between Canadian technological capabilities and Vietnamese development needs creates ideal conditions to deploy highly practical projects.

From an operational standpoint, Le Quoc Dung, Head of the Vietnam Office of Science and Technology in Canada, stressed the need for concrete pilot initiatives, such as "green factories" or "green agricultural processing plants" in Vietnam within 12 to 18 months.

Under this setup, Vietnamese enterprises will supply the site, define operational needs, and directly adopt the technology; Canadian firms will supply management solutions for energy, water, waste, or emissions measurement; and universities and technical organizations from both sides will evaluate performance.

Dung stressed that project outcomes must be measured against quantifiable metrics, including reductions in power, water, and emissions; operational cost savings; model scalability; and the number of solution purchase contracts, technology licenses, or commercial orders formed after testing. This method aims to shift scientific cooperation away from symposiums, delegation exchanges, and memorandums of understanding toward tangible products and economic value.

Alongside clean energy, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Viet Hung noted that aerospace holds long-term strategic significance. Canada’s commitment to expanding its contribution to peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific opens opportunities for Vietnam to promote cooperation in civil and dual-use technologies.

Hung suggested that both sides collaborate on satellites, remote sensing, Earth observation, disaster early warning, maritime and airspace monitoring, and natural resource management. Vietnam can connect with Canadian corporations and entities such as Telesat, MDA, Transport Canada, NAV CANADA, and the National Research Council to gain insights into space infrastructure, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management, planning, standards, testing, and safety certification.

To build a financial and institutional foundation for joint initiatives, Le Quoc Dung proposed establishing an innovation co-funding mechanism connecting Vietnam’s National Innovation Center (NIC) with Canada’s Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) and related entities.

This mechanism can operate under a "two contact points, one project portfolio" model without immediately setting up a new administrative apparatus or headquarters. Either Vietnamese or Canadian enterprises can propose projects, provided they involve a substantive partner in the counterpart country. Businesses will define market needs and organize commercialization, while universities, technology centers, and scientists join to research, develop, and test solutions.

A distinct advantage in Vietnam-Canada relations lies in the community of nearly 300,000 people of Vietnamese origin, including numerous professors, scientists, engineers, and tech entrepreneurs. Hung stated that  CVSE can advise, connect, and help implement the 10 strategic technology groups identified by Vietnam.

With experts operating across fields such as semiconductors, AI, biotechnology, energy, and aerospace, the network can assist Vietnam in searching for partners, evaluating technologies, reviewing training curricula, connecting laboratories, and accelerating the transfer of research outcomes.

However, Hung noted that the diaspora’s capacity to contribute will depend heavily on macro-level commitments and specific joint programs agreed upon by the leaders of both countries. Instead of mobilizing experts solely for networking events or isolated conferences, assignments should carry clear deadlines, budgets, responsibilities, and deliverables.

The 2026-2028 Action Plan approved at the 3rd meeting of the Vietnam-Canada Joint Economic Committee placed high technology, innovation, digital transformation, energy, and green growth among its priorities. This provides the basis to elevate science and technology from a domain of potential into a pillar supported by dedicated programs, resources, and coordination mechanisms.

According to opinions expressed at the meeting, Canada is showing increasing interest in Vietnam, but converting that interest into concrete projects and resources requires Vietnam to proactively propose initiatives and build partnerships.

When the two countries can jointly research, test, invest, and bring technologies to market, science, technology, and innovation will serve as a vital driver of a substantive, equal, and sustainable bilateral relationship.