Hybrid Origins of a Modern Vietnamese Science and Tech-nology System: An Introduction to Contemporary History of Science and Technology in Vietnam

Abstract

As an introductory study, this paper traces the history of science and technology (S&T) in Vietnam since the colonial period focusing on science education and policy. The Vietnamese encounter with modern science began in the colonial period but the legacy of colonial science did not serve as the foundation for modern science in Vi-etnam due to the intermittent wars and political instability. During the Vietnam War, the development of S&T was modest, though technology transfer from the super-powers contributed to the transformation of Vietnam from post-colonial to modern society. After the war, the Vietnamese succeeded in making hybrid technologies based on the U.S. legacy and USSR’s help, such as the reactivation of Da Lat nuclear research reactor. In the 1990s, Vietnam rapidly integrated itself into the world and the Vietnamese government started to show their commitment to making S&T the driving force in economic development. The S&T legal framework was set up and the S&T system of personnel and institutions to conduct R&D activities has been formed, along with the emergence of more S&T infrastructure. Examining the tra-jectory of the growth of S&T in Vietnam, this paper illuminates the hybrid origins of a modern Vietnamese S&T system from colonial inheritance to contemporary global cooperation.