Young disabled Vietnamese students participate in India IT contest
Four Vietnamese students with disabilities are taking part in the Global Information Technology Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC), which is underway in New Delhi, India.
Scene at the Global Information Technology Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC), which is underway in New Delhi, India (Photo: VNA)
NewDelhi (VNA) – Four Vietnamese students with disabilities are takingpart in the Global Information Technology Challenge for Youth with Disabilities(GITC), which is underway in New Delhi, India.
The event, running until November 11, isdesigned to narrow the digital gap between youths of the participating nationsthrough the enhancement of IT skills, as well as bolster disabled children’sengagement in social activities.
GITC is being held every year in the Asia-Pacific region, with such events held in the past in countries like theRepublic of Korea, China, Thailand, and Vietnam. The event is host to around300 participants, including 120 young people with disabilities from 24 Asia-Pacificnations.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on November 9, Presidentof Rehabilitation International Korea Kim In-kyu, the event’s sponsor andco-organiser, said that IT devices can help people, and especially youth, withdisabilities interact with the world and gain access to opportunities otherwisereserved for their able-bodied peers.
An IT forum was held at the event, in whichcountries presented their work and achievements in ensuring accessibility forpeople with disabilities in the IT sector.
Addressing the seminar, representative ofVietnam’s Ministry of Information and Technology Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong said thatthere are nearly 7 million disabled people living across Vietnam, accountingfor 7.8 percent of the country’s population.
Vietnam signed the United Nations’ Convention onthe Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2008 and issued the Law onPersons with Disabilities two years later. The country is striving toperfect its laws and policies to further promote the rights of people with disabilities,she noted. –VNA
Despite suffering from 90 percent visual impairment, 37-year-old Truong Phuoc Khai of Hau Giang province in the Mekong Delta has a passion for making books.
Information technology is helping everyone including people with disabilities in Vietnam change their lives and the way they do business, delegates told a recent conference in Ho Chi Minh City.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a national project designed to give children with disabilities better access to community-based protection, care and education services from 2018 – 2025.
The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has made an official request for all payment service providers to facilitate visually impaired people as well as others with disabilities when they want to open a bank account and get a bank card.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
In the digital age and amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, IP plays an increasingly critical role, not only in safeguarding inventions but also in reducing copyright infringement and curbing piracy.
Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu laid stress on the significance of the Hanoi Convention, particularly to the Asia – Pacific, to handling legal gaps in international cooperation against rapidly increasing global cybercrime.
The week features a rich lineup of activities, including a plenary conference on blockchain and AI development, thematic seminars on future technology trends and investment visions, applications of blockchain and AI in business, the Super Vietnam PitchFest, as well as forums for blockchain and AI.
According to the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, on making breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, this is considered a decisive factor in the development of nations. It is seen as a prerequisite and the best opportunity for Vietnam to become prosperous and powerful in the new era of the nation’s rise.
Vietnam’s demographic advantage, including a youthful population of 100 million in a “golden age”, further bolsters its ambitions. Its dynamic workforce, with a natural inclination toward science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), is a key asset in attracting private investment to innovation-driven sectors.
Vietnam views sci-tech as a decisive factor in national development and a key tool for achieving sustainable development goals, and is ready to boost sci-tech cooperation with Venezuela for mutual prosperity.
Scene at the Global Information Technology Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC), which is underway in New Delhi, India (Photo: VNA) 
