The Hanoi Times - The Vietnam Fund for Supporting Technological Creations (VIFOTEC) award has been presented to 66 individuals and collectives for their outstanding contributions to the country’s scientific and technological development.

The winners’ research projects have been applied and appraised by the Vietnam Union of Scientific Technological Associations (VUSTA) and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL).

Of the award winners, six won first prize, 12 second prize and 18 third prize. Thirty solutions were awarded consolation prizes.

Addressing the awards ceremony in Hanoi o­n January 19, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung congratulated the winners and stated that the Party and State will continue to create the right conditions for students and scientists to develop more creative solutions that will help with national development.

He said Vietnam has made many impressive economic and sci-tech achievements over the past 20 years. Vietnamese people are creative and 50 percent of 12^th graders enter university every year, he added.

As of 2010, Mr Hung said, Vietnam will send 1,000 officials abroad to study PhDs every year to ensure that by 2030 its scientists and engineers will be able to master sci-tech advances.

Vietnam aims to be named o­n the global sci-tech map in the next 15-20 years, said Mr Nhan.

At the ceremony, the World Organisation for Intellectual Property (WIPO) and international innovations organisations from Switzerland and the Republic of Korea presented certificates to a number of Vietnamese scientists and engineers in acknowledgement of their efforts in research and practical applications.