The number of published scientific articles is on the rise

Nature Research has released Nature Index 2018, naming the 10 units in Vietnam that lead in scientific publications. These include many tertiary education establishments.

Meanwhile, the latest survey conducted by an independent research team of Duy Tan University found that 30 Vietnam’s leading universities published 10,515 scientific articles internationally from 2017 to June 2018, which was even higher than the total number of articles published in 2011-2015 (10,034 articles).

According to Nature Index 2018, the 10 establishments with higher numbers of published articles include the Vietnam Academy of Science & Technology, the University of Natural Sciences, a member of the Hanoi National University, the Hanoi University of Science & Technology,  the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (a collaborative project of the HCMC Tropical Diseases Hospital and the National Tropical Disease Hospital, the Hospital of Tropical Diseases (HCMC), National Institute of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Vietnam-France University, HCMC National University, Ton Duc Thang University, and Duy Tan University.

The Vietnam Academy of Science & Technology, which topped the list in 2017, has stayed firmly in the first position. Meanwhile, the Hanoi University of Science & Technology, which was not found in top 10, is in the third position in this year’s index in terms of number of articles.

According to Nguyen Dinh Duc from the Hanoi National University, previously, only large universities paid high attention to scientific research. However, that has changed different since the Resolution 29 on renovating education and training was released.

Universities now attach much importance to setting up research teams to enhance research activities and international publication. 

A MOET (Ministry of Education and Training) report showed that by the end of 2017, Vietnam’s universities had 945 research teams.

The training establishments which have highest numbers of research teams include the Hanoi University of Science & Technology, Da Nang University, HCMC National University, Hanoi National University and Tay Nguyen University.

In the past, university lecturers and researchers would be awarded with professor/associate professorships if they did not have internationally published scientific research works. With the new regulations, internationally published works are a must.

According to Duc, in 2006, Tran Huu Nam, a PhD student at the Hanoi National University, was the only person who had one ISI article published during the time he was preparing his dissertation. 

But now, 80 percent of PhD students in natural sciences & technology at the Hanoi National University and PhD students of other schools also have published in ISI international publications during their dissertation writing and defending.

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