Notice on the Funding Plan for Science and Technology Tasks under International Cooperation with the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) in 2026
NOTICE ON THE FUNDING PLAN FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TASKS UNDER INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITH THE RUSSIAN SCIENCE FOUNDATION (RSF) IN 2026
Pursuant to the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation No. 93/2025/QH15;
Pursuant to Decree No. 229/2026/ND-CP dated June 25, 2026 of the Government stipulating 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 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, use and 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 stipulating the management of science and technology tasks funded and ordered by the Ministry of Science and Technology;
Pursuant to Decision No. 252/QD-NAFOSTED dated July 28, 2026 of the Director of the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development promulgating the Regulations on the management of science and technology tasks funded and ordered by the Ministry of Science and Technology through the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development;
Pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development of Vietnam (NAFOSTED) and the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) signed on December 10, 2025;
Pursuant to the Minutes of Meeting dated August 25, 2026 of the Expert Advisory Group for developing the notice on the funding plan for science and technology tasks under international cooperation in 2026 with the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) in 2026;
Pursuant to the 2026 Operation Plan and the state budget funding balancing capacity 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 the Russian Science Foundation (RSF) in 2026, specifically as follows:
I. SCOPE AND SUBJECTS ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING
1. Funding fields
The NAFOSTED Foundation shall consider funding international cooperation tasks in 02 fields with the following priority orientations:
– Physics
+ Atomic, molecular and chemical physics, including research on collisions, radiation interactions, magnetic resonance and the Mössbauer effect.
+ Condensed matter physics, including solid-state physics and superconductivity.
+ Nuclear physics.
+ Optics, including optical lasers and quantum lasers.
– Marine Sciences
+ Marine biochemistry and marine biotechnology.
+ Marine biology and marine biodiversity.
+ Marine geology, marine geophysics and seabed resources.
+ Marine environment and marine ecology.
2. Types of funded tasks
The Foundation shall consider funding tasks under the following two types: Basic Research Tasks and Applied Research Tasks. Within the framework of this call, the Foundation does not fund task clusters or task chains.
3. Subjects eligible for funding
Agencies, organizations, enterprises and individuals 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.
4. Conditions for the lead organization
The lead organization registering to implement the task must satisfy the conditions prescribed in Article 5 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP and relevant regulations.
5. Number of funded tasks and implementation period
Maximum number of funded tasks: 10 tasks.
Implementation period: No more than 36 months from the date of signing the task implementation contract.
II. FUNDING
The cost estimate for task implementation shall be prepared in accordance with Circular No. 39/2025/TT-BKHCN dated November 30, 2025 of the Minister of Science and Technology.
Ceiling of funding from the state budget (NSNN):
– For basic research tasks: The state budget shall cover the entire implementation cost, up to VND 2.4 billion/task;
– For applied research tasks: The state budget shall fund no more than 80% of the total estimated implementation cost, up to VND 8 billion/task.
Pursuant to Article 10 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP, the maximum support from the Vietnamese side's state budget shall not exceed 2.5 times the value of the contribution from the foreign partner.
For applied research tasks, the lead organization must have a plan and evidence of mobilizing lawful resources outside the state budget to ensure the counterpart funding portion. The NAFOSTED Foundation encourages applications with a higher counterpart funding mobilization ratio than the minimum required level and with clear and feasible committed resources.
III. CRITERIA AND REQUIREMENTS FOR REGISTERED TASKS
The proposed task must be jointly developed and agreed upon by the research cooperation group between the NAFOSTED Foundation and RSF, and must simultaneously satisfy the criteria, requirements and selection procedures prescribed by each party.
Specific regulations applicable to the NAFOSTED Foundation: Registered funding tasks must comply with Articles 6, 7 and 8 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP and relevant regulations.
To ensure the principle of avoiding duplication of state budget funding as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 4 of Decree No. 229/2026/ND-CP, the lead organization shall be responsible for making a commitment regarding the non-duplication of the registered funding task. At the same time, depending on the type of task, the task must satisfy the specific criteria and requirements prescribed in Article 4 of Circular No. 44/2025/TT-BKHCN as follows:
1. Basic research tasks:
a) Have at least 02 participating members who hold doctoral degrees and have published articles in reputable international journals within the most recent 05 years, relevant to the research field of the proposed task.
b) The results of the task shall be published in reputable international journals or generate valuable scientific results that contribute new knowledge, methods, models or scientific foundations serving subsequent research in relevant fields.
2. Applied research tasks:
a) Meet one of the following criteria:
– Have at least 02 participating members who are authors of articles published in reputable international journals or authors of industrial property rights objects or plant varieties in a field relevant to the proposed task, for which protection titles have been granted within the most recent 05 years.
– The proposing organization has experience in application and transfer of research results within the most recent 05 years:
b) The results of the task shall be applied in practice or published in reputable international journals or registered for protection of industrial property rights/plant varieties with the application accepted as valid or for which a protection title has been granted.
IV. APPLICATION DOSSIER AND METHOD OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION
1. For the Russian Science Foundation (RSF)
For information related to the call, please contact the focal point of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF): Mr. Sergey Konovalov, email: konovalov@rscf.ru
in English: https://rscf.ru/en/news/en-57/new-funding-opportunity-with-vietnam-2026/
2. For the NAFOSTED Foundation
a) Application dossier
The application dossier for implementation of the task shall be prepared in accordance with Article 11 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP and Article 7 of Circular No. 44/2025/TT-BKHCN, including:
– Application for registration as the lead organization for task implementation (Form BM-03, completed online on the system);
– Science and technology task proposal (Form BM-04);
– Scientific curriculum vitae of the task leader and Vietnamese research team members (Form BM-06, completed online on the system);
– Information on the capacity and facilities of the lead organization (Form BM-07, completed online on the system);
– Cooperation agreement between the lead organization and the foreign partner, clearly stating the contents, implementation plan, principles for sharing research results, resources contributed by both parties (financial resources, human resources, facilities); commitment of funding from the foreign partner (if any);
– Documents proving the plan for mobilizing counterpart funding from sources outside the state budget;
– Written commitments on coordination, testing, receipt, application, exploitation or commercialization of results from individuals/organizations (if any);
– Other documents as prescribed in Article 11 of Decree No. 267/2025/ND-CP;
– Detailed cost estimate for task implementation, to be supplemented after the task is proposed for funding by the Funding Review Council.
b) Application submission process and methods
Step 1: Online declaration: The application dossier must be registered and completed online on the Online Management System for Science, Technology and Innovation Tasks (STM System) of the NAFOSTED Foundation at: https://stm.mst.gov.vn.
Step 2: Submission of the official application dossier: After completing the online declaration, the lead organization shall select one of the following two methods:
Method 1 (Submission of a digitally signed application – Encouraged): Use digital signatures (Signature of the Leader and Organization's Digital Signature) to sign the Application for Registration and Task Proposal and submit them on the STM System (a digital signature of the task leader is not mandatory).
Method 2 (Submission of a paper application): Submit the paper application directly or via public postal service to:
National Foundation for Science and Technology Development – One-Stop Service Division of the Ministry of Science and Technology, No. 113 Tran Duy Hung Street, Yen Hoa Ward, Hanoi City. The envelope must clearly state: Application dossier for funding of Vietnam–Russia cooperation tasks in 2026.
In case of submission via public postal service, the submission date shall be determined based on the postal stamp of the place of dispatch. The application must be sent before the application submission deadline and delivered to the NAFOSTED Foundation within an appropriate period to facilitate the review of its validity in accordance with regulations.
The NAFOSTED Foundation encourages the submission of applications using digital signatures in accordance with the direction under Decision No. 240/QD-TTg dated February 04, 2025 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Plan for Key Administrative Procedure Reform in 2025.
c) Application submission deadline
Application submission begins: From 08:00 on September 01, 2026.
Application submission deadline: Before 17:00 on November 30, 2026.
IV. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR SUPPORT
Support on regulations and administrative contents: International Cooperation Task Management Division, NAFOSTED Foundation.
Email: dobaongoc@mst.gov.vn or nafosted@mst.gov.vn.
Focal point: Specialist Do Bao Ngoc.
Technical support for the STM System: Digital Transformation Division, NAFOSTED Foundation.
Email: it.nafosted@mst.gov.vn.
The National Foundation for Science and Technology Development respectfully announces the above for relevant organizations and individuals to take note and implement./.