The National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) was founded by the Decree 122/2003/NĐ-CP of the Government of Viet Nam and officially started operation in 2008.

Affiliated with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Foundation, located in Hanoi, is a legal entity, possessing its own seal, and is allowed to open accounts at the State treasury and banks inside and outside the country.

OPERATIONAL HISTORY

2003 – 2007

• Establishing the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under Decree 122/2003/ND-CP dated on 22 October 2003.
• Establishing NAFOSTED’s Board of Trustees and NAFOSTED’s Executive Office.
• Promulgating regulations on the financial management of NAFOSTED.

2008 – 2010

• Holding the opening ceremony of NAFOSTED (26 February 2008).
• Promulgating regulations on funding and classification of fields for basic research, scientific activity funding, and cost estimation methods for basic research projects.
• Establishing Scientific Committees, implementing research funding programs in the fields of Natural Sciences and Engineering (NSE), and Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH).
• Supporting projects to encourage enterprises to invest in scientific and technological activities under the Decree 119/1999/ND-CP.
• Signing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Belgium’s Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) and National Science Foundation of Germany (DFG).
• Building NAFOSTED’s website and online management system (OMS).

2010 – 2013

• Promulgating regulations on NAFOSTED’s loan and loan guarantee, implementing funding program for emergent & breakthrough projects.
• Establishing NAFOSTED’s Board of Auditors.
• Implementing the TCVN ISO 9001:2008 – compliant quality management system.
• Implementing the online submission system for basic research funding in Social Sciences and Humanities, the international peer review system for basic research funding in Natural Sciences and Engineering.
• Supporting the Government’s program on Key Mechanical Products.

2014 – 2015

• Issuing NAFOSTED’s Statute of organization and activities according to Decree 23/2014/ND-CP on 3 April, 2014.
• Promulgating regulations on the management of basic research projects, emergent & breakthrough scientific research projects funded by NAFOSTED, and management of funding activities to enhance national S&T capacity.
• Organizing Ta Quang Buu Prize and other annual conferences to promote NAFOSTED’s activities in all three regions of Vietnam.
• Singing the NAFOSTED – NHMRC (Australia) Memorandum of Understanding.

2016  2017

• Promulgating regulations on managing and implementing applied research program and loan program.
• Increasing application submission, evaluation and fund for basic research programs in Natural Sciences and Engineering and Social Sciences and Humanities to twice per year.
• Signing the NAFOSTED – RCUK (The UK) Memorandum of Understanding.