The national scientific conference “Directions and Solutions for Developing the Vietnamese-Owned Private Sector Under a New Vision,” part of the state-level scientific research project, Code KX.04.16, took place in Bac Ninh on the morning of May 23, 2024. This scientific research project falls under the State-Level Key Science and Technology Program for 2021–2025.

Representing Bac Ninh Province at the conference were Ngo Tan Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee; Dr. Nguyen Phuong Bac, Director of the Provincial Institute for Socio-Economic Development Studies; representatives of the leadership of provincial departments and agencies; and scientists from Bac Ninh Province. Reporters from provincial newspapers and broadcasters also attended and covered the conference.

Invited guests included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Thu Thuy, Chair of the University Council of Foreign Trade University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Trung, Director of the Institute of American Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; MSc. Bui The Chung, Rector of Bac Giang Provincial School of Politics; Ngo Van Tue, Deputy Director of the Bac Giang Provincial Statistics Office; and Dr. Nguyen Thi Hue, Rector of the College of Statistics, Bac Ninh.

Representing National Economics University (NEU) were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President; Prof. Dr. Ngo Thang Loi, Principal Investigator of Project KX.04.16; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Huong, former President and former Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on Education, Youth and Children; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ke Tuan, former Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Ha, Chair of the Advisory Council; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Do Anh Duc, Director of the Center for Foreign Languages in Economics; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Thanh Huong, Vice Dean in charge of the Graduate School; Dr. Trinh Mai Van, Deputy Head of the Department of Research Management; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, Vice Rector of the School of Economics and Public Management (under NEU). Project team members, scholars and scientists from within and outside the University also attended.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU, speaks at the ceremony.

Opening the conference, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President, welcomed and thanked the scientists, scholars and leaders of central and local agencies for attending. He affirmed that KX.04.16 is a national key scientific research project that the State has assigned NEU to lead. This important project falls under the State-Level Key Science and Technology Program for 2021–2025. This is a great honor and source of pride for NEU’s academic community, as the University has consistently enjoyed the strong trust and confidence of the Party and the State. Following a period of research, NEU and the Bac Ninh Institute for Socio-Economic Development Studies jointly organized the national conference “Directions and Solutions for Developing the Vietnamese-Owned Private Sector Under a New Vision”. The conference theme is timely and particularly significant in the current context of the country’s economic development.

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President, affirmed that in many leading countries around the world, the position of the private sector is consistently recognized and favorable conditions are provided for its development. In Vietnam, the private sector is also recognized as a component of the economy. The documents of the 13th National Party Congress also affirm that “the private sector is an important driving force” of the economy. Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Hieu observed that the private sector is an important economic sector that has made substantial contributions and consistently played a leading role in the country’s economic development over many years. Nevertheless, in practice, its role has not been properly assessed, nor has its position been properly defined.

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Hieu also emphasized: “This national scientific conference focuses on exploring conceptual and theoretical issues concerning the Vietnamese-owned private sector in a modern market economy and international integration. The conference received more than 70 papers from scientists and experts contributing to the scientific research task, of which 40 high-quality papers were selected for publication in the conference proceedings and three were selected for presentation at the conference.” The NEU Vice President expressed his hope that the presentations and experts’ contributions at the conference would help further refine the University’s policy recommendations for the forthcoming Party congress documents and for the Government, while also helping strengthen the scientific foundations for developing the Vietnamese-owned private sector under a new development direction and vision.

On behalf of NEU’s leadership, the Vice President thanked the scholars and scientists. He also thanked the leaders of Bac Ninh Province for their attention and for providing the most favorable conditions for NEU and the project’s leadership team to prepare and organize the conference.

Ngo Tan Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, delivers remarks.

In his welcoming remarks, Ngo Tan Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, emphasized that the conference was a meaningful activity marking the 20th anniversary of Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day. The Party identifies entrepreneurs as a “contingent” with a particularly important position and role not only in building, but especially in developing, the socialist-oriented market economy. Following its re-establishment in 1997, Bac Ninh Province had a low starting point, with the private sector and craft villages as its only bright spot. The province’s long-term strategy and vision for attracting domestic and foreign investment, based on leveraging its comparative and competitive advantages, have driven a transformation, enabling Bac Ninh to make breakthroughs and become a modern industrial province, leading the country in many socio-economic indicators.

Ngo Tan Phuong expressed his hope that scientists and delegates would contribute numerous papers, remarks and discussions of high academic and practical value through the conference. He also hoped they would propose breakthrough recommendations to help improve the overall institutional and policy framework for the central authorities and localities, including Bac Ninh Province.

Prof. Dr. Ngo Thang Loi, Principal Investigator of Project KX.04.16, delivers remarks.

In his introductory remarks, Prof. Dr. Ngo Thang Loi, Principal Investigator, thanked the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee for its support and contribution to the project’s success. Prof. Ngo Thang Loi also briefly introduced the significance and content of the papers published in the conference proceedings. Prof. Dr. Ngo Thang Loi expressed his hope that the conference would receive many contributions to the project from scholars and scientists within and outside the University and from the province, thereby contributing to the forthcoming congress documents.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Luyen, Deputy Head in charge of the Department of Institutional Studies, Central Institute for Economic Management, presents the paper “Improving the Efficiency of Production and Business Operations of Private-Sector Enterprises in Vietnam.”

Dr. Nguyen Phuong Bac, Director of the Bac Ninh Institute for Socio-Economic Development Studies, presents the paper “Bac Ninh Business Doctor: Model and Application.”

Dr. Nguyen Quynh Hoa, Senior Lecturer at NEU, presents the paper “Identifying the Characteristics of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs and the Vietnamese Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Policy Implications.”

The conference received more than 70 scientific papers, of which 37 high-quality papers were published in the proceedings and three were presented in person. The papers focused on exploring and analyzing the overall landscape of Vietnamese private-sector enterprises; conceptual and theoretical issues concerning the Vietnamese-owned private sector in a modern market economy and international integration; identifying the characteristics of Vietnamese entrepreneurs and the Vietnamese entrepreneurial spirit; and the current efficiency of production and business operations of Vietnamese private-sector enterprises. They also introduced the advantages of the “Bac Ninh Business Doctor” model and state regulations on addressing petitions, difficulties and obstacles faced by enterprises in the province.

The panel of chairs moderates the discussion session at the conference.

Delegates exchange views and discuss issues at the conference

At the conference, delegates discussed, exchanged views and suggested solutions to improve the efficiency of production and business operations of Vietnamese private-sector enterprises. These included improving the legal system from the central to the local level to advance small and medium-sized enterprises in both quantity and quality; creating a favorable business environment and minimizing additional costs for enterprises; supporting private-sector enterprises in improving market access and expanding their markets; and prioritizing investment in innovation and improvements in technological capabilities, management capacity and workforce quality to increase productivity, business efficiency and competitiveness…

The conference is one of the activities under the state-level scientific research project “Developing the Vietnamese-Owned Private Sector within a New Development Orientation and Vision,” led by NEU. It provides a basis for the University to learn from the experience of experts, managers and researchers on issues related to the project’s research area, thereby refining the theoretical framework for developing the Vietnamese-owned private sector within a new development orientation and vision.

Ngo Tan Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee, presents a Dong Ho folk painting to NEU.

Conference delegates pose for a commemorative group photo

Additional photos from the conference:

Article and photos: Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.