Professor, Dr. Phan Tuấn Nghĩa, Chairman of the Mixed Scientific Council said that “The Council has worked seriously, discussed openly, directly and got high consensus in agreeing about selection criteria, methods as well as results of 23 applications”. The organization of Vietnam – Belgium Mixed Scientific Council has helped the Executive agency of the two Foundations to share experience at the same time agree on methods to review science and management of research themes within the framework of the Program.
According to the plan agreed by the two Foundations, the list of themes to be sponsored will be announced in December 2013, justifications revised and contracts signed in Quarter I 2014.
Vietnam – Belgium bilateral cooperation program has been signed and carried out by NAFOSTED and FWO for Stage 1 from 2009 to 2012 and Stage 2 from 2012 to 2016. In Stage 1, the two Foundations have agreed to co-sponsor 13 themes, in which 12 themes are in the natural science field and 01 theme in the social science. Within the frame work of the themes, Vietnamese and Belgian scientists have closed cooperated, discussed and shared experience in the research field and achieved encouraging results. Many young scientists have received intensive training (master, doctor) and short-term training in Belgian universities/research institutes.
In 2013, the Vietnamese – Belgian bilateral cooperation program received 28 applications, in which 23 are eligible applications in the fields of Mathematics, Information science and computer, Physics, Chemistry, Earth science, Life science, Mechanics, and Social sciences.