HA NOI — The Viet Nam Talent Contest in Information Technology, Natural Science, and Medicine and Pharmacy was launched this week in Ha Noi.
It is being held by VNPT Corporation, Viet Nam Television and Dan Tri.
According to the organising panel, individuals, including overseas Vietnamese, organisations and businesses from home and abroad, regardless of age or occupation are invited to take part in the IT competition, said Pham Huy Hoan, editor-in-chief of the Dan Tri.
The Viet Nam Talent Contest began as an annual competition for information technology and communications initiated by the Viet Nam Study Promotion Society in 2005. It has discovered and honoured many talents in the field of ICT, natural sciences and medicine and has become a useful playground for people who love IT, Hoan said.
Commenting on the participation of products, Dr Nguyen Long, secretary general of the Viet Nam Informatics Association, a member of the organising board said, the result was not satisfactory last year and failed to meet the expectations of the judges. The reason was that the volume of products applied for daily use was low.
"We know there are many products that have been successfully applied in practice and are of very high quality. However, owners of these products do not really believe in the Viet Nam Talent Contest. They are afraid their business secrets and products will be disclosed," said Long.
Hoan, who is also chairman of the organising committee, said that since its inception the Viet Nam Talent Contest had the support of the lawyers, representative who would protect copyright and intellectual property rights for all entrants. Therefore, there would be no disturbance of the business or product secrets.
For the IT sector, there are two prizes for applicable products and widely used products. For each category, there was a first, second and third prize, worth VND100 million (US$4,761), VND50 million ($2,400) and VND30 million ($1,400), respectively, and many other prizes from sponsors.
Every product competing in the final round without winning one of major prizes would get a consolation prize, each worth VND5 million ($238).
In natural science, there will be six prizes, worth VND100 million each, for mathematics, mechanics, physics, chemistry, life sciences, earth and environment sciences, including sea science, and inter-sciences or multi-sciences of the above.
The Ministry of Information and Science will set up a jury to assess entries and present awards.
The deadline for entries is August 31. The awards ceremony will take place on November 20. More information is available at http://www.nhantaidatviet.vnmedia.vn. — VNS
