VinUni joined the Dialogue to discuss “Is Asia the World’s Next Scientific Superpower?” Insights from THE Asia Universities Summit 2026

At a panel discussion on April 22 during THE Asia Universities Summit 2026, Dr. Lê Mai Lan – President of the University Council at VinUniversity – joined representatives from Times Higher Education, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Springer Nature Group to explore a defining question of our time: Is Asia approaching the status of a global scientific superpower?

From the perspective of a young university actively shaping its research strategy, Dr. Lê Mai Lan emphasized that Asia’s scientific rise is not merely a matter of potential but fundamentally about approach, investment, and intentional action.

1. Quantity or quality? Not a trade-off, but a development pathway

Drawing from VinUni’s experience in building its research foundation, Dr. Lê Mai Lan highlighted that quantity and quality should not be seen as opposing choices, but as sequential stages within a coherent development trajectory.

In the early phase, increasing publication volume enables researchers to accumulate experience, build capabilities, and establish momentum for the broader research ecosystem. Over time, this foundation supports the advancement of quality, originality, and global impact.

This is not a compromise, but a deliberate strategy to develop sustainable and high-impact research capacity.

2. Science for society, not science for its own sake

At a broader level, Dr. Lê Mai Lan underscored that science should not be evaluated solely by internal academic metrics.

Originality should not be narrowly defined as theoretical novelty, but also as the ability to translate knowledge into practical value—making it more accessible, more useful, and more impactful for society. A strong research ecosystem, therefore, is one that generates not only publications, but meaningful real-world impact.

3. VinUni’s “bold bet”: Design and speed

When asked about the strategy to position Vietnamese research on the global map within the next decade, Dr. Lê Mai Lan distilled the answer into two key elements: design and speed.

Design refers to a clear strategic mindset grounded in the country’s real advantages social stability, a hardworking workforce, and rapid economic growth. Speed reflects execution capability because strategy only creates value when it is implemented effectively and consistently.

This combination of long-term vision and agile execution is critical in an increasingly competitive global research landscape.

4. A university model connected to industry yet intellectually independent

For VinUni, the Vingroup ecosystem is not just an investment network, but a vast “bank of real-world problems.” Faculty and students engage directly with challenges from entities such as VinFast, Vinmec, and VinRobotics.

However, this close connection also creates an essential tension: universities must maintain intellectual independence. If research serves only immediate business needs, it risks losing its role in advancing knowledge for future societal challenges.

This is why VinUni is developing not only a “real-world problem bank” from industry, but also a “future problem bank”, where researchers explore questions that have yet to be asked.

5. What must Asia overcome to move forward?

According to Dr. Lê Mai Lan, the greatest barrier is not resources or technology but self-imposed limitations.

The assumption that major breakthroughs can only emerge from long-established systems is increasingly being challenged. Examples such as VinFast demonstrate that rapid, large-scale innovation can emerge from new ecosystems, given the right ambition and strategy.

What Asia should retain is its spirit of learning. What it must leave behind is the mindset that limits its own possibilities.

From academic insight to strategic direction and practical application, the discussion made one point clear: Asia’s scientific future will depend less on its potential and more on how effectively its institutions, researchers, and policymakers choose to act today.