Vietnam releases Provincial Innovation Index for first time

The index aims to provide a general panorama of the socio-economic development model based on science, technology, and innovation of each provincial-level locality. It points out the strong and weak points, potential factors, and necessary conditions for boosting the science, technology and innovation-based development in each locality.

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat said that since 2017, the Global Innovation Index (GII), published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has been used by the Vietnamese Government as an important source of reference to build and issue innovation facilitation policies.

Assigned by the Government, the MST has coordinated with WIPO and relevant agencies to design and pilot the PII in 20 localities in 2022 to measure their innovation capacity and performance. The PII has been officially applied nationwide since 2023, he noted.

The minister described the PII as useful as it supplies a scientific and practical foundation for agencies, organisations, and leaders of localities to build and implement policies to boost socio-economic development based on science, technology, and innovation.

He expressed his belief that the PII will also be helpful for investors to learn about the investment climate, conditions, and resources for production and business activities in different localities.

According to the PII 2023 results, the top 10 on the rankings consist of Hanoi (62.86), Ho Chi Minh City (55.85), Hai Phong city (52.32), Da Nang city (50.70), Can Tho city (49.66), Bac Ninh province (49.20), Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (49.18), Binh Duong province (48.64), Quang Ninh province (48.03), and Thai Nguyen province (47.75). 

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Hoang Minh said the results match the socio-economic development status of localities. The ones ranking high on the list boast favourable natural and geographical conditions (mainly in the Red River Delta and the southeastern region), industry - construction and service sectors accounting for large proportions of their economies, many industrial parks, developed infrastructure, and strong scientific, technological, and innovative activities.

Meanwhile, the worst-performing ones are localities with modest socio-economic development along with natural and geographical conditions unfavourable for the development and application of science, technology, and innovation (mainly in the Central Highlands and the northern midland and mountainous region).