Creating links between laboratories and the business community is of great importance, representatives of labs and the HCM City Department of Science and Technology heard at a meeting held in the city recently.

A lab at the Sai Gon Hi-tech Park in HCM City’s District 9. 

According to Chu Van Hai, deputy director of the department, the city has more than 900 labs, but only 165 are certified to do tests for the business community.

A number of companies have their own labs but their equipment is insufficient and so they require consultancy and support from universities and the scientific community, he said.

Many labs belong to universities, hi-tech parks and biological parks.

The Centre for Analytical Services and Experimentation HCM City (CASE) also has a lab and research centre for chemical and physical analysis for students, academics and business people to study and work.

Equipped with modern facilities, it helps foster scientific and technological development in the southern region, HCM City in particular.

A spokesman for the Quality Assurance and Testing Centre (QUATEST 3) said the great number and diversity of the labs in HCM City and their links with the scientific community have helped improve the quality of research work and provide services to the scientific community, manufacturers and others.

Data about the services required by enterprises and the community are useful to these labs, helping them better connect with enterprises and identify market demand so that they can invest in equipment and new technologies.

Targeting customers

The department has launched programmes and issued policies to improve the capacity of the city’s labs.

The city has provided each lab funds ranging from VND70 million to VND250 million a year since 2016 for training setting up of data systems.

In return, major labs are expected to reach regional and international standards.

The support offers them the opportunity to improve their research capacity and achieve research results that help advance the city’s socio-economic development.

The investment in these labs also aims to improve the low rate of use of the equipment since a number of them have limited capacity and few links with the market.

They also help buy modern equipment and hire highly trained workers and enable them to operate to international quality standards.

Hai said the investments have allowed these labs to offer testing services to enterprises and solicit business.

The department would help them enhance links with enterprises that lack research departments and better use technologies, she added. — VNS