Interdisciplinary missions of ministries, innovation centers, research institutes, and universities headed by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung visit and work in Belgium between February 18 and February 21.

The trip aims to implement the direction of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in performing and concreting the results of his visit to Belgium in December 2022, around promoting cooperation in innovations.

Hub.Brussels, NIC, and VINEU signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship. Photo: VNA

When working with Hub.Brussels, the Minister of Planning and Investment welcomed the agency's partnership initiatives with the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC) as a result of his meeting with Hub.Brussels representatives in December 2022.

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung proposed Hub.Brussels to advise and support the NIC on the operation and development of the innovation and start-up center; the connection among investment funds; incubation & acceleration of entrepreneurship and innovations promotion.

The Minister also suggested that Hub.Brussels would be the bridge to connect and support the search for innovation partners in Belgium and the European region in general for NIC. The Minister also invited Hub.Brussels to open a representative office located at NIC Hoa Lac to develop an innovative startup ecosystem in Vietnam.

Hub.Brussels' Deputy CEO of , Annelore Isaac, emphasized the importance of innovation. She expressed confidence in cooperating with Vietnam and also suggested the capability of collaborating in health and construction. She stated that Hub.Brussels was ready to support Vietnamese start-ups sent to Belgium for academic purposes, and also desired to bring some Belgian startups to Vietnam to visit and study.

When working with the IMEC Center, the Minister emphasized that the Ministry of Planning and Investment of Vietnam was very interested in and desired to promote cooperation between IMEC and Vietnamese businesses, especially in researching and developing the semiconductor industry for Vietnam, thereby participating in the global semiconductor supply chain. The Minister also proposed that IMEC collaborate with NIC and some Vietnamese training institutions to organize training programs for students and engineers in the semiconductor industry and support Vietnamese electronics and semiconductor students to study and research at IMEC's system of universities and research facilities.

The meeting between the Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and leaders of the John Cockerill Group. Photo: VNA

Discussing with leaders of the John Cockerill Group, the Minister stressed Vietnam’s concern on the hydrogen field. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung highly appreciated John Cockerill's efforts as a result of the Vietnamese Prime Minister's visit to Belgium in December 2022. The Minister also desired that John Cockerill become a strategic partner of Vietnam through cooperation programs and R&D projects.

For its part, the leader of John Cockerill expressed his desire to make a comprehensive and strategic investment in Vietnam and turn these operations into a hub to serve the Southeast Asian market and possibly Northeast Asia.

Also on February 20, the Minister met with VINEU's Board of Directors. He affirmed VINEU’s efforts in connecting Vietnam and international partners, which aims to propose, develop strategies and call for investment in Vietnam.

IMEC and NIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in developing the semiconductor industry for Vietnam. Photo: VNA

On this occasion, Hub.Brussels, NIC, and VINEU along with IMEC and NIC signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship and in developing the semiconductor industry for Vietnam.

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