According to the 2021 VNUHCM Summary Report, VNUHCM is in the group of 801-1,000 in the latest QS World rankings surveying 1,300 leading universities of 93 countries in 2021. The ranking results over the years of QS World show that the position of VNUHCM has continuously improved, from the group of 69% (2019) to the group of 61.6% of the world’s excellent universities. In particular, in the 06 ranking criteria of QS World, the reputation criteria of VNUHCM continue to be affirmed, especially the reputation with academic peers (ranked 398 in the world, 81 in Asia) and the reputation with employers (with the position of 501+ in the world, 124 in Asia).

For the university rankings of THE (Times Higher Education) magazine, VNUHCM belongs to the 401+ rankings of universities in Asia in 2021 of the (Asia) magazine; in which VNUHCM was recognized with the highest score in the country in terms of income from knowledge and technology transfer. In addition, VNUHCM is also in the 401+ group in the ranking of the best young universities in the world by THE Young University Rankings and the 401-500 group out of a total of 698 universities from 50 emerging economies by THE Emerging Economies University Rankings… According to THE WORLD University Ranking by Subject, VNUHCM continued to have 06 honored fields, including Life Sciences (601-800 group), Physical Sciences (801-1,000 group), Computer Sciences (601-800 group), Engineering (801-1,000 group), Social Sciences (601+ group), Business – Economics (601+ group). This is an important foundation for VNUHCM to shape key research fields and core technologies for component innovation center clusters within the innovation center of VNUHCM.

For scientific research, VNUHCM has focused on implementing the main working groups in 2021 with the following results:

1. Development of scientific and technological resourcesthrough the implementation of tasks, topics, projects and schemes: key research programs associated with strong research groups, Gene 1671 fund program, World Bank project (advanced research center), Infectious disease research center, model of Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute (AI – Artificial Intelligence), AI training center project of ASEAN, AI application research and development program in Ho Chi Minh City in the period 2020-2030, key tasks of the City related to the field of AI…
2. Intellectual property and technology transfer activities (IP):VNUHCM has submitted 43 IP registration applications including 16 patent applications, 15 utility solution applications and 12 copyright applications; Accordingly, VNUHCM has been granted 02 patents and 02 copyright certificates by the National Office of Intellectual Property (as of October 2021). VNUHCM has also implemented the project of international IP registration from the results of scientific research and has registered patents in the US for 05 research results with 02 patented applications. By October 2021, VNUHCM’s units had implemented 548 science and technology contracts with a total revenue of 116.3 billion VND.
3. Scientific publication:As of October 2021, VNUHCM has published 3,048 scientific articles in domestic and foreign journals and conferences; of which, the number of articles published in international scientific journals on the SCIE/SSCI/Scopus list is 1,111 articles, accounting for 87% of the total number of international articles (1,280 articles). Many articles in very prestigious journals with very high IF scores (>10) such as Advanced Energy Materials (IF = 29.368), Annual Review of Plant Biology (IF = 26.379), Nature Climate Change (IF = 21.722), Journal of American Chemical Society (IF = 15.419), Angewandte Chemie (IF = 13.526), Bone Research (IF = 11.508), Medical Image Analysis (IF = 11.148)… The indicators of scientific research of VNUHCM increased very strongly: the number of articles increased 4.5 times, the number of citations increased 4 times, contributing to confirming the productivity and impact of scientific publications of VNUHCM This result also demonstrates the effectiveness of policies on strengthening scientific publication implemented at VNUHCM in recent years.
4. Scientific and technological cooperation activities:VNUHCM continues to develop scientific and technological cooperation activities through:
   • Signing cooperation agreements with central units (Ministry of Science and Technology), academic institutions (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences), and major partners (VNU Hanoi);
   • Deploying and building tasks in the fields of information technology, AI, robotics, and new materials with the Military Institute of Science and Technology (Ministry of Defense); deploying and building tasks in the fields of research and manufacturing of equipment and spare parts for technical weapons, underwater technology, and electronic radio; researching and testing new technologies with Naval Region 2 Command;
   • Signing cooperation and continuing to implement cooperation agreements with localities (Ho Chi Minh City; Ninh Thuan province), enterprises (Inter-Pacific Group, Military Industry and Telecommunications Group, Hung Thinh Group, Loc Troi Group, Hitachi Systems Vietnam Co., Ltd., MobiFone Service Company 2).

For external affairs and development cooperation, VNUHCMC has also implemented university-enterprise linkages with scientific research. Accordingly, VNUHCMC has been implementing 261 domestic projects and 114 cooperation programs/activities with localities, enterprises and organizations (preliminary statistics to October 2021). Domestic projects are attracting many resources and creating many positive results for teaching, scientific research and technology transfer. These projects are highly appreciated for contributing to solving major local problems (mangroves, landslide prevention, climate change…).

Based on the results of implementing science & technology and innovation activities in the Strategic Plan of VNUHCM in 2021 and the Strategic Plan of VNUHCM in the period 2021-2025, some comments on the development trend of the innovation center of VNUHCM according to the world experience contributing to the development of the Eastern urban area can be drawn from the author’s personal viewpoint as follows:

• Firstly, on the formation and development of clusters of component innovation centers: VNUHCM has a lot of potential for developing core technology sources when there are: 80 strong research groups; 06 fields honored by THE magazine (Life Sciences, Natural Sciences, Computer Sciences, Engineering, Social Sciences, Business – Economics); more than 100 key laboratories at all levels; international IP registration activities from scientific research results; diverse programs, projects, research projects on biomedicine, artificial intelligence… Perhaps VNUHCM will also selectively develop component innovation centers at the regional level of ASEAN or Asia in the next 5 or 10 years based on core technologies in key scientific and technological fields following the trend of development and internationalization such as information technology, artificial intelligence, biomedical… on an international IP platform such as One-north Singapore?
• Secondly, on the formation and development of an innovative start-up ecosystem according to international standards, although VNUHCM has formed component start-up ecosystems at the Information Technology Park, University of Technology, International University and University of Economics and Law, currently these component ecosystems have not reached the regional level and are not strongly connected. According to international experience, the innovation startup ecosystem of the innovation center needs to be associated with a variety of components (corporations, businesses, public and private organizations); these components are present in the ecosystem space to create favorable conditions for networking, intellectual synergy, community interaction and co-creation and application of new knowledge. This experience is probably important to consider applying appropriate implementation according to VNUHCM’s science and technology in the coming period to be able to contribute to creating a strong innovation start-up ecosystem.
• Thirdly, in terms of developing start-up activities that can promote the long-term competitiveness of the Eastern InnovativeUrban Area in particular or Ho Chi Minh City in general, in addition to the foundation activities being implemented to build start-up seed sources such as training, organizing events, contests, incubating start-ups…, key start-up support activities also need to be implemented appropriately. These activities include the development of related infrastructure systems (laboratories including laboratories for sample production) and capacity building activities, standardization of activities for centers with knowledge transfer functions, because these units will jointly implement commercialization of research results in the VNUHCM system such as creating types of enterprises with rapid growth capabilities (enterprises originating spin-offs and spin-outs that do not currently have outstanding results) and types of technology transfer to partner enterprises, localities and public and private organizations.

Next is the construction of infrastructure according to the criteria of innovative urban areas in terms of urban planning and creating a collaborative environment: currently, VNUHCM has also been implementing the construction of a smart, green and identity university urban area with parks – green trees – water surface, creative parks and convenient transportation system. However, in order to have a smart, green, unique and creative university urban area, does VNUHCM need to build more creative symbols, expand spaces to inspire collaboration or set up typical events and activities to develop interaction and collaboration, thereby creating excitement and innovation everywhere?