VietNamNet presents the article "Filling the strategic talent gap to launch Vietnam’s semiconductor sector to global heights," by Dr. Pham Manh Hung and Dr. Le Trung Hieu from the University of Economics, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Reframing policy to elevate Vietnam’s semiconductor industry
The first step is to shift policy thinking and recognize semiconductors not merely as high-tech but as a strategic industry - vital to national competitiveness and global positioning in the digital age.
Just as South Korea considers semiconductors its "technology rice," symbolizing national survival and prosperity, Vietnam must adopt a long-term investment vision that transcends traditional economic cycles.
Semiconductors are more than technology; they require strategic minds capable of long-term planning, policy design, resource coordination, and navigating global competition. The successes of Taiwan (China) and South Korea are not just about technical excellence and modern infrastructure; they are built on coherent, long-range national strategies crafted by leaders who understand both semiconductor engineering and the geopolitical-economic landscape.
Taiwan's global giant TSMC would not exist without the visionary leadership of Morris Chang. Backed by national investment in R&D and domestic ecosystem development from the 1980s, Chang’s global mindset and strategic acumen turned TSMC from a startup into a USD 45 billion industry leader by 2020.
Building strategic leadership programs
Vietnam must create strategic leadership programs tailored to the semiconductor industry - developing national, sectoral, and corporate leaders. These programs should integrate semiconductor engineering, strategic management, and public policy, aligned with real-world needs and global trends.
Spanning 6–12 months, the program will focus on core topics such as semiconductor technology strategy, geopolitical supply chain dynamics, intellectual property management, and R&D governance. Participants will not only gain deep technical insights but also strategic thinking and multi-perspective analysis skills.
To bridge knowledge with practice, the program includes internships at semiconductor companies, allowing future leaders to experience operations, value chains, business models, and real-world strategic challenges - building a talent pool ready to lead in state institutions, industry, and enterprises.
Promoting interdisciplinary education across technical, management, and policy spheres
Vietnam must establish interdisciplinary semiconductor training centers at top universities, combining efforts from government, academia, and industry to build programs blending engineering, business management, and policy.
Key players such as Vietnam National University Hanoi - specifically the University of Economics, University of Technology, University of Natural Sciences, and the Vietnam Japan University - should collaborate with leading companies like Viettel, FPT Semiconductor, Samsung, and Hana Micron to co-develop programs suited to practical demands.
Additionally, Vietnam should sponsor top-performing students to study in semiconductor powerhouses like Taiwan, South Korea, the United States, and Japan - where they can access world-class education and first-hand exposure to operational models of TSMC, Samsung, Intel, and others.
Tapping global semiconductor leadership and diaspora talent
Vietnam must actively recruit strategic thinkers from around the world to lead its semiconductor rise. Integrating international expertise into the domestic policy and development ecosystem will narrow the technology gap and build a middle layer of talent with global vision and local insight.
Vietnam’s overseas expert community - many of whom have worked in major tech hubs like the U.S., South Korea, and Taiwan - represents a valuable asset. These individuals must be empowered and given space to contribute to national strategy, lead research and innovation centers, and help shape policies and projects.
This is a vital step toward forming a generation of globally minded strategic leaders who are deeply knowledgeable in semiconductor engineering, governance, and policy - and capable of transforming Vietnam into a global semiconductor player.
With geopolitical shifts and global semiconductor supply chain reorganization, Vietnam is facing a historic opportunity to assert itself in the global value chain. While efforts to train engineers and technicians are a necessary first step, they remain insufficient without a pool of strategic leaders at national, industry, and enterprise levels.
To propel Vietnam’s semiconductor ambitions, it is time to make significant investments in developing interdisciplinary leadership talent capable of shaping policy, leading companies, and integrating into the global semiconductor ecosystem.
Dr. Pham Manh Hung - Dr. Le Trung Hieu
Vietnamnet.vn
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