Notice on the Funding Plan for Science and Technology Tasks under International Cooperation with Italy for the 2027–2029 Period
NOTICE ON THE FUNDING PLAN FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TASKS UNDER INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITH ITALY FOR THE 2027–2029 PERIOD
Pursuant to Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation;
Pursuant to the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation No. 93/2025/QH15;
Pursuant to the Law on State Budget No. 89/2025/QH15;
Pursuant to Decree No. 229/2026/ND-CP dated June 25, 2026 of the Government providing for the organization and operation of the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development;
Pursuant to Decree No. 265/2025/ND-CP dated October 14, 2025 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation on finance and investment in science, technology and innovation;
Pursuant to Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP dated October 14, 2025 of the Government detailing and guiding a number of articles of the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation on programs, science, technology and innovation tasks and a number of regulations on promoting scientific research, technology development and innovation activities;
Pursuant to Program No. 02-CTr/BCĐTW dated February 02, 2026 of the Central Steering Committee on the Development of Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation on the 2026 Work Program;
Pursuant to Decision No. 23/2026/QD-TTg dated May 15, 2026 of the Prime Minister promulgating the List of high technologies prioritized for investment and development and the List of high-tech products encouraged for development;
Pursuant to Decision No. 604/QD-TTg dated April 02, 2026 of the Prime Minister approving the adjustment and supplementation of the Strategy for the Development of Science, Technology and Innovation through 2030;
Pursuant to Circular No. 39/2025/TT-BKHCN dated November 30, 2025 of the Minister of Science and Technology detailing and guiding the preparation of estimates, management and use, and final settlement of a number of state budget expenditures for the implementation of science, technology and innovation tasks;
Pursuant to Circular No. 44/2025/TT-BKHCN dated November 30, 2025 of the Minister of Science and Technology providing for the management of science and technology tasks funded and ordered by the Ministry of Science and Technology;
Pursuant to the Protocol on Cooperation in Science and Technology between the Government of Vietnam and the Government of Italy signed in 1992;
Pursuant to the Program for the Implementation of Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the Republic of Italy and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the 2024–2026 period;
Pursuant to the approval in principle by the Minister of Science and Technology stated in Submission Form No. 920/HTQT dated June 22, 2026 of the International Cooperation Department regarding the announcement of the call for science, technology and innovation tasks under international cooperation with Italy for the 2027–2029 period;
Pursuant to Decision No. 2276/QD-BKHCN dated May 01, 2026 of the Minister of Science and Technology adjusting tasks and approving the financial plan for the implementation of funding, ordering and support in 2026 of the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development;
The National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED Foundation) respectfully announces the Funding Plan for Science and Technology Tasks under International Cooperation with Italy for the 2027–2029 period, specifically as follows:
1. Scope and eligible funding recipients
a) Funding fields
The Foundation shall consider funding the following fields:
– Green transition: Circular economy, clean energy, environmental technology and advanced waste treatment, climate change adaptation, efficient use of resources and ecosystem conservation;
– Advanced pharmaceutical biotechnology and biomedical technology; Healthcare;
– ICT technology: AI, high-performance computing (HPC), quantum technology, semiconductors and next-generation mobile networks (5G/6G).
Priority shall be given to proposals consistent with the orientations under Decision No. 23/2026/QD-TTg dated May 15, 2026 of the Prime Minister promulgating the List of high technologies prioritized for investment and development and the List of high-tech products encouraged for development.
Task proposals that do not fall within the 03 fields mentioned above shall not be considered for funding.
b) Funding types: The Foundation shall consider funding basic research, applied research, technology development and social solution development tasks. Under this call, the Foundation shall not fund task clusters or task chains.
c) Eligible funding recipients: Agencies, organizations and enterprises engaged in science, technology and innovation activities in Vietnam or outside the territory of Vietnam but having rights and obligations under Vietnamese law and international treaties to which Vietnam is a member; having the capacity, experience, functions, duties or fields of operation relevant to the research field of the task and not falling within cases ineligible for funding consideration under current regulations.
d) Number of funded tasks: maximum 06 tasks, of which at least 01 task is expected to be funded in each field.
2. Funding
The cost estimate for task implementation shall be prepared in accordance with Circular No. 39/2025/TT-BKHCN dated 30/11/2025 of the Minister of Science and Technology.
Maximum state budget (NSNN) funding:
– Basic research tasks: The state budget shall cover the entire implementation cost, up to VND 2.4 billion/task.
– Applied research tasks: State budget funding shall not exceed 80% of the total estimated implementation cost, up to VND 8 billion/task.
– Technology development tasks: State budget funding shall not exceed 50% of the total estimated implementation cost, up to VND 10 billion/task.
– Social solution development tasks: State budget funding shall not exceed 80% of the total estimated implementation cost, up to VND 3.6 billion/task.
For applied research, technology development and social solution development tasks, the lead organization must have a plan and evidence of mobilizing lawful resources outside the state budget to ensure the remaining funding. The Foundation encourages applications with a higher ratio of resources mobilized outside the state budget than the minimum level, with clear and feasible committed resources consistent with the objectives, content and outputs of the task.
3. Criteria and requirements for tasks applying for funding
– The task proposal developed by the Vietnam–Italy research cooperation group must simultaneously satisfy the criteria and requirements prescribed by each side.
– Vietnamese side: The task applying for funding must satisfy the criteria prescribed in Articles 6, 7 and 8 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP, Article 4 of Circular No. 44/2025/TT-BKHCN and relevant regulations.
– Task implementation period: Maximum 36 months.
4. Conditions for organizations registering to lead the task
The organization registering to lead the task must satisfy the conditions prescribed by the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, Article 5 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP, Article 4 of Circular No. 44/2025/TT-BKHCN and relevant regulations.
5. Application dossier
The application dossier for task implementation shall be prepared using the forms prescribed in Article 11 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP and Article 7 of Circular No. 44/2025/TT-BKHCN.
The detailed cost estimate for task implementation shall be supplemented after the task is proposed for funding by the Funding Review Council, using the cost estimate form.
6. Methods and deadline for application submission
– Italian side: Proposals must be submitted entirely online by completing the dedicated forms at the following link: https://granderilevanza.esteri.it.
Proposals must be written entirely in Italian or English. Other languages will not be accepted. For any inquiries related to this call, please contact the following email address: dgce11.bandi3@esteri.it.
– Vietnamese side:
Step 1. The application dossier must be created and completed online on the STM Online Management System for science and technology tasks at: https://stm.mst.gov.vn.
(Application submission shall be carried out according to the instructions on the STM System.)
Step 2. After creating and completing the application dossier on the STM System, select one of the following two submission methods:
(a) Submit a digitally signed application dossier on the STM System
(The Foundation encourages applicants to submit applications using digital signatures in accordance with the direction under Decision No. 240/QD-TTg dated 04/02/2025 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Plan for key administrative procedure reforms in 2025)
Documents required to be digitally signed include:
– Application;
– Task Explanation.
The above documents must be certified by the organization registering to lead the task. A digital signature of the task leader is not required.
(b) Submit a paper application dossier at the One-Stop Service Division of the Ministry of Science and Technology:
– Address: 1st Floor, Building of the Authority for Innovation, No. 113 Tran Duy Hung Street, Yen Hoa Ward, Hanoi City.
– The paper application dossier must contain all signatures of authorized persons and seals in accordance with regulations (if any).
– The envelope must clearly state: Vietnam–Italy 2027–2029 Dossier and Funding registration field.
(In case of submission by post, the dossier must bear a postal stamp showing dispatch before the application submission deadline and must be delivered to the Foundation within a period ensuring the validity review of the dossier within 10 days from the application submission deadline.)
Application submission deadline: Before 17:00 on 10/8/2026 Vietnam time (12:00 on 10/8/2026 Italy time).
7. Expected implementation plan
– Announcement of funding review results: Expected before November 28, 2026.
Contact information:
– Administrative support: International Cooperation Task Management Division, NAFOSTED Foundation at email: tmquan.naf@mst.gov.vn; or Specialist Trieu Minh Quan: 0913067198.
– Technical and application submission system support: Digital Transformation Division, NAFOSTED Foundation at email: it.nafosted@mst.gov.vn.
Respectfully announced./.