Date: October 24, 2025
Venue: A101, VinUniversity
Speakers:

• Professor Phan Manh Huong, Professor cum Chief Scientific Officer of the Center for Materials Innovation and Technology (CMIT) and Senior Advisor of the Research Management Office (RMO)
• Ms. Tran Thu Huyen, Managing Director, Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VinIF)

Securing external funding is a cornerstone of successful research, enabling investigators to pursue innovative and impactful projects. The seminar “Navigating Research Funding: From Individual Grants to Center Proposals” was designed to guide early-career researchers through the essential steps of obtaining external funding at different levels, from individual investigator grants to large-scale institutional initiatives.

Seminar Highlights

In the opening session, Prof. Phan Manh Huong shared practical strategies on how to identify the right funding schemes, write compelling and competitive proposals, and prepare for proposal interviews. Drawing from his own experience as both researcher and reviewer, he emphasized that a strong proposal should clearly demonstrate novelty, feasibility, and alignment with the priorities of the funding agency. He advised participants to understand the scope and type of each call – distinguishing between fundamental and applied research – and to craft proposals that fit the appropriate funding division.

Prof. Huong also discussed the importance of building collaborations within and beyond Vietnam to strengthen institutional capacity and access to research facilities. He encouraged early-career faculty, including international researchers, to apply for national programs such as the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) and the Vingroup Innovation Foundation (VinIF), highlighting that foreign researchers are eligible to apply as long as they are formally affiliated with a Vietnamese institution. He also shared key evaluation criteria from NAFOSTED, such as research novelty, clear objectives, methodological rigor, and feasible work plans supported by qualified team members and host institutions.

The second part of the seminar featured Ms. Tran Thu Huyen, Managing Director of VinIF, who introduced the Foundation’s funding programs and their impact over the past seven years. VinIF supports outstanding research projects, postgraduate scholarships, scientific conferences, and visiting scholar programs. She explained that the Foundation prioritizes excellence and high-quality outcomes, with funded projects required to publish in Q1 journals or top-tier conferences. VinIF also applies fast-track funding procedures and grants intellectual property ownership to host institutions, ensuring flexibility for researchers.

Ms. Huyen further shared key details about VinIF’s grant application process, including evaluation criteria, expected research outputs, and eligibility requirements. She also responded to participants’ questions regarding project budgeting, the role of foreign experts, gender balance in research teams, and how VinIF ensures transparency and quality in project review and selection.

The seminar concluded with a lively Q&A session where participants discussed challenges in preparing proposals, strategies for building interdisciplinary teams, and opportunities to engage in international collaborations.

Overall, the event provided valuable insights and practical guidance for VinUni researchers aiming to secure external funding and build a strong research portfolio. The Research Management Office will continue to provide tailored support and training sessions to help faculty strengthen proposal competitiveness and research capacity.

Acknowledgements

We would like to extend its sincere appreciation to Ms. Tran Thu Huyen and the VinIF for their valuable contribution to the seminar and continuous support of Vietnam’s research community. We also thank Prof. Phan Manh Huong for sharing his insights and experiences, and all participants for their active engagement and thoughtful discussion. The seminar was organized by the Research Management Office (RMO) as part of VinUni’s Research Capacity Building series, aimed at fostering a vibrant and competitive research culture.