Some thoughts after a journey

There are moments when a single ray of light can shine brightly, and from a single step, new ideas are born. I would like to share some my thoughts and feelings from the recent business trip to three European countries.

My first impression is that everywhere people talk about innovation and creativity, the value of scientific and technological research, about digital transformation. Those terms have been mentioned from high-level talks, bilateral meetings to speeches by leaders of state agencies, organizations, institutes and universities.

And that’s not all. These terms are also analyzed and applied in cultural and social life, national administration, education and art. We have begun to approach them in resolutions and development plans, but are more or less reserved and have not identified them in specific parts.

The second impression comes from integrative and combinatorial thinking. With that mindset, every social issue, scientific research, and building complex is observed and recognized in the totality of connection, multi-usage, multi-function, and multi-value.

It seems that integrative and combinatorial thinking is the foundation for creativity. It activates hidden and profound intangible values. It creates outstanding added value for the economy by opening the door for broader and more systematic visions. On the contrary, single-value thinking, which revolves around only one factor, will easily pass through and forget the remaining values and other opportunities - which values worth many times more than that single factor.

The third impression is of the ‘human’ element. People have always been considered at the center of research from technical sciences to social sciences. The research fields of "life science" interest many institutes and universities.

After all, they are aimed to create a better life for people, not just a story about profit. People with diverse needs, emotions, relationships, and desires will determine the goals of each development plan, scientific research topic, and technology solution. However, perhaps their position is remaining unclear in the planning of development policy and scientific research.

The fourth impression is associated with the "green" value. The value of "green" is repeated many times in every forum and statement. People speak of green economy, green agriculture, and green consumption. And it doesn’t stop there. People also pay attention to the trend of changing from "green" to "blue" economy, showing the continuous movement of the world from awareness to action.

The concept of growth only focusing on productivity and output gradually gives way to new, more inclusive and sustainable growth concepts, aiming to create a better life quality for all within the ecological limits of the Earth.

While this approach is still new to us, the world is continuing to operate under the "blue economy" model - nature-friendly, based on the existing values on the planet in accordance with the natural cycle law.

Sustainable development, responsibility to the community and society, or inclusive growth are always the messages delivered as indispensable requirements of the present world.

The fifth impression is the widespread effect of scientific research on the economy. I’m not an expert myself, but through contact, exchange and speculations, I feel that there is always a “hyphen” between research and application in the economy.

With just one research topic, many issues that need to be further researched will emerge. This thus creates a series of products and value chains connecting to businesses, economic organizations and then spreads throughout society.

That is also the reason why the startup business community quickly reached higher ground, contributing to the resilience of the country’s economy. Every realistic and diverse need of people and society is a suggestion for creative ideas and projects, and so a new business will rise.

The sixth impression is associated with the world’s will to cooperate. Through bilateral meetings with partners, I am more and more aware of the world's cooperation trend, bringing benefits to all parties involved.

However, we should not let that make us fall into the idea of ​​“foreign favoritism”, always considering what others do are the best and most complete. "Different trees have different flowers; different families have different situations". A country that has had several hundred years of development is different from a country in the process of economic transformation. But we should remember that the latecomer has the advantage of the latecomer: We can draw out lessons to take advantage of time and close the distance.

The thing is, we should evaluate the effectiveness of international cooperation programs not only by funding sources but also through new approaches, new values that can be absorbed into our development orientation.

A journey can evoke many feelings and thoughts. During the days traveling to new lands, the more I worry about the development of the industry and the homeland, the more I am motivated to return to share positive messages, and join hands to do "something" practical, “something” meaningful. Let us all “do something” together!