The Ministry of Science and Technology provides specific guidance on the functions and tasks of specialized agencies at provincial and communal levels.

Photo caption — Scientists from the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Technology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy in the laboratory. Illustrative photo: Phuong Hoa/VNA

The Circular applies to the Departments of Science and Technology of provinces and centrally-run cities; the Department of Culture and Social Affairs at the commune level; and affiliated public service units.

According to regulations, the Department of Science and Technology is a specialized agency advising and assisting the Provincial People's Committee in performing the state management function in the following fields: Scientific research, technology development, innovation; high technology, strategic technology; development of science and technology potential; intellectual property; standards, measurement, quality; application and safety of radiation, radioactive isotopes; post, telecommunications, radio frequencies; information technology industry; electronic transactions; digital government, digital economy , digital society and digital transformation.

The Department of Science and Technology is responsible for guiding the implementation of directions, goals, and tasks on science, technology, and innovation; managing research, development, and application of technology in local economic and technical fields; and providing professional and technical guidance to the People's Committees at the commune level within the assigned sectors and fields.

In addition, the Department of Science and Technology organizes the implementation of mechanisms and policies to encourage research, application, transfer, decoding and mastering of technology; supports organizations and individuals in technological innovation activities, searching and exploiting inventions; coordinates with departments, branches and sectors to propose a list of national science, technology and innovation tasks.

The Department also undertakes the task of managing innovation activities; guiding the implementation of a controlled testing institutional framework for new technologies, products, services, and business models; and supporting businesses in improving their technological capacity in accordance with the law.

In the field of standards, measurement and quality, the Department of Science and Technology organizes the development and participates in the development of local technical regulations; receives declarations of conformity from organizations and individuals; organizes the inspection of goods quality in production, circulation and import; inspects product labels, codes and barcodes according to the decentralization or authorization of competent state agencies.

At the commune level, the Department of Culture and Society is an advisory unit, assisting the People's Committee at the commune level in performing the state management function of scientific research, application, technology development, innovation, creative startups; development of scientific and technological potential; standards, measurement, quality; intellectual property; post; application of information technology; e-transactions; digital government; digital economy; digital society; digital transformation; and information infrastructure. The Department of Culture and Society assists the People's Committee at the commune level in implementing and taking responsibility for appraising, granting licenses, certificates and other types of documents in assigned fields according to decentralization and delegation of authority.

This unit also supports the development of collective economic organizations, private economic organizations, associations and non-governmental organizations operating in the field of science and technology in the locality. In addition, the Department is responsible for building and maintaining a system of storing and providing information; implementing the information regime, reporting periodically and suddenly at the request of the People's Committee at the commune level, the Department of Science and Technology and competent state agencies; guiding and managing the establishment and operation of the Community Digital Technology Team at the commune level.

For public service units under the Department of Science and Technology, the Center for Application of Science and Technology Advances has the function of researching, applying, deploying, transferring technology and providing science and technology services locally.

The Center is responsible for participating in the development of legal documents, programs, and plans on the application and transfer of scientific and technological advances; developing and organizing the implementation of long-term and annual plans; evaluating, summarizing, and reporting on the results of task implementation in the locality.

The Circular clearly states: “The Center organizes propaganda and dissemination of policies to encourage the application and innovation of technology; conducts research and application of domestic and foreign achievements in production, life and environmental protection; implements pilot production projects; trains, transfers, commercializes and replicates research results”.

Based on the nature, characteristics, and specific requirements for scientific and technological research and application activities, the Director of the Center shall submit to the Director of the Department of Science and Technology for consultation with competent authorities to specify the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the unit in accordance with the provisions of law.