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| Scientists may be entitled to at least 30 per cent of profits, according to the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation__Photo: VNA |
By the end of 2025, the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, together with a series of its guiding instruments - Decree 263/2025/ND-CP, Decree 265/2025/ND-CP and Decree 267/2025/ND-CP - officially took effect. The new framework aims to grant greater authority and academic autonomy, increase income and incentives, and allow scientists to directly participate in the exploitation, transfer and commercialisation of research results.
New approach to calculating scientists’ salaries
The salary and income mechanism at public science and technology organisations has undergone fundamental changes with the issuance of Government Decree 263/2025/ND-CP.
Under the decree, organisations are granted autonomy in determining salary and income policies on the basis of democratic and transparent discussions. Public science and technology organisations may provide four types of salary and income, including: a basic salary calculated in accordance with the State’s regulations; salary determined under the organisation’s own policies; additional income; and income allocated to authors of commercialised research results.
A notable change is the removal of the previous “salary ceiling”. Salaries and incomes of civil servants and employees at public science and technology organisations are no longer restricted to two or three times the salary level calculated under State regulations. Organisations may now use their lawful revenues to pay salaries and additional income to their personnel.
The salary system is also shifting from the traditional “rank-and-grade” model to one based on job position, assigned responsibilities and work performance. As a result, scientists’ income will be directly linked to the volume, quality and effectiveness of research rather than seniority. Revenues generated from the commercialisation of research outcomes may also be distributed accord
Special incentives to attract talent
Decree 263 also grants public science and technology organisations greater authority in the recruitment, management and utilisation of human resources, helping to remove longstanding institutional bottlenecks.
With financial constraints eased, domestic research organisations are expected to become more competitive in attracting Vietnamese scientists working abroad and even international experts.
Under the new mechanism, research organisations may offer attractive packages covering salary, housing and working conditions to encourage renowned scientists to work in Viet Nam. Such “beyond-framework” incentive policies are expected to enable the country to access a pool of high-level scientific talent and encourage overseas Vietnamese scientists to return home.
Objective research risks will not be criminalized
This is considered an important new policy, recognising that failure is sometimes an inevitable part of innovation.
Under Government Decree 265/2025/ND-CP, if a research project fails to achieve its initial objectives, the organisation in charge of the research will not be required to reimburse the allocated funding. The organisation will also be exempt from civil liability and even criminal liability, provided that it has strictly complied with the prescribed procedures and regulations.
However, the principle of “risk acceptance” is subject to strict control from the stage of proposing and selecting research tasks. The research process will also be closely monitored, with progress tracking and disbursement linked to actual results.
If a research task fails to meet its objectives, the managing authority will determine the cause in order to apply appropriate measures. Should the failure result from subjective causes, such as breaches of obligations, delays in implementation or misuse of funds, the allocated budget will be recovered. In such cases, organisations and individuals found to be in violation may be restricted from participating in research programmes for a specified period.
The principle of accepting risks in research, technology development and innovation is further reiterated in Decree No. 267, reflecting a shift from compliance-based management to risk-based governance. The State encourages responsible innovation, accepting failure within safe and controlled limits and refraining from criminalising or administratively sanctioning risks that arise objectively.
Scientists entitled to at least 30 per cent of profits
For the first time, the profit-sharing ratio for scientists whose research results are commercialised has been clearly stipulated in the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation.
Under Article 28 of the Law, authors undertaking science, technology and innovation tasks funded by the State budget are entitled to receive at least 30 per cent of profits generated from leasing, selling, transferring, licensing the use of, self-exploiting or otherwise utilising research outcomes.
Where research outcomes are used as capital contributions for business purposes, the author’s reward must also account for at least 30 per cent of the value. If two or more individuals directly contribute to creating the research results, they are recognised as co-authors. The co-authors may agree among themselves on the distribution of the reward. The remaining profits may be used to reward those who directly contribute to the commercialisation of the research results, while also being reinvested in science, technology and innovation.- (VLLF)
