“Daring to accept risk creates momentum for scientists to tackle difficult challenges, advance science further, and achieve important breakthroughs,” Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long emphasized on the morning of May 6.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, Deputy PM Long presented a proposal to the National Assembly for the draft Law on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI).

According to the draft, research institutions will be granted autonomy and held responsible for their activities, including staffing, financial management, and project execution under a performance-based funding mechanism.

The state will focus on managing research objectives, outcomes, and efficiency - not on the method of implementation. This streamlined approach is intended to accelerate the pace of scientific work.

Furthermore, if a research project fails to meet its expected outcomes, the institution in charge will not be liable for compensation as previously required. It will also be exempt from civil liability for losses incurred by the state during the research process.

Deputy PM Long clarified that while risk is accepted at the level of individual tasks or projects, the performance of the institution and its research programs will be evaluated on an overall basis.

Organizations demonstrating effective results will receive additional funding, while those underperforming may face budget cuts - or even dissolution.

“Accepting risk motivates scientists to explore complex problems. Research that doesn't meet its original goals still provides valuable lessons, helping to avoid repeated mistakes or reveal new potential directions,” he said.

The draft law also grants researchers at least 30% of the revenue from commercialized results and the right to establish and manage businesses based on their findings.

Research institutions, under the new law, would have ownership and autonomy over their research outcomes and any resulting intellectual property or assets.

Deputy PM Long noted that current regulations often struggle with transferring research results to host institutions for commercialization due to complications in valuing outcomes and reimbursing the state budget.

This is because scientific outputs are often novel, with no existing market value, and in many cases, are not yet ready for commercial use - requiring further development.

“This has remained a persistent bottleneck,” he acknowledged.

The draft law also introduces a liability exemption principle (Article 21) for competent licensing authorities and individuals or organizations conducting scientific experiments. Exemptions apply when damages or risks can be shown to result from force majeure or objective obstacles.

Specifically:

No civil liability for damages caused to the state, organizations, or individuals during the evaluation, licensing, monitoring, or trial phases;

No administrative penalties for violations of state management regulations unless the acts constitute criminal offenses;

No criminal liability under the Penal Code for risks encountered during scientific research, trials, or the application of technological advancements.

The Vinh