Vietnamese Talent Awards 2012 held a ceremony on November 19 in Hanoi to honour the most outstanding achievements in IT, science and health in each category.

Pham Huy Hoan, Editor-in-Chief of Dantri/DTiNews delivered opening speech

The event drew the participation of many high-ranking officials, including former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu; Dinh The Huynh, Member and Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee and Head of the Central Agitation Committee; Vu Oanh, Politburo Member and Chairman of Vietnam Association of the Elderly; Pham The Duyet, former Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Nguyen Manh Cam, Former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Vietnam Study Encouragement Association; Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Van Binh; Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Bac Son; Prof and Academician Nguyen Van Hieu; Nguyen Quoc Trieu, former Minister of Health; Dang Ngoc Tung, Chairman of the Vietnam Labour Confederation.

Even General Vo Nguyen Giap and Party General Secretary Truong Tan Sang sent flower baskets to recognise the importance of the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pham Huy Hoan, Editor-in-Chief of Dantri/DTiNews said that he would like to show his great gratitude to State and party leaders, sponsors, scientists, experts and partners for their strong support in organising these awards over the past eight years.

He also pointed out that that Professor Nguyen Van Hieu has contributed VND100 million to the organisation of the awards each year.

Achievements praised

The IT sector:

Apart from the main prizes, Vietnamese Talent Awards 2012 presented two encouragement prizes to two IT products, including VS2D, a software, which fosters the interaction of Vietnamese students from grade 11, and a system to help track missing people using the application of bio-information technologies.

Five IT products that have already successfully been applied were selected as finalists.

Four IT products won encouragement prize, including S-Bike, an alarm device to alert owners of vehicle theft by mobile phone; DROC or Digital Radiography Operation Console; a system of trading in tour business management, and an online software system for the administration of e-students and their records.

BIDV@SECURITIES, an online payment portal won the third prize valued at VND30 million (USD1,438).

There were no first or second prizes for IT products that have already been successfully applied.

Nine IT products with great potential for application were named among finalists.

Two IT products won encouragement prizes , including Classbook, an e-book solution to help teachers and students work more closely to fulfill their tasks; and QMC-E.TEST, a system that is not only useful for assessing students' abilities but also helps in education administration and increases transparency in the education sector.

No IT products won the third prize, worth VND100 million (USD4,793).

Two IT products with great potential application won the second prize, worth VND50 million (USD2,396) including ViNAS, a system that turns e-newspapers into audible speech; and VIS or Viet voice Serve, that fosters direct and natural interaction between clients and their network.

Two prizes awarded in the Health category:

The panel of judges at this year’s event decided to honour Professor and Dr. Nguyen Thanh Liem, Director of the Central Paediatrics Hospital, the Life-Long Achievement award for his research in endoscopic surgery on children.

Liem's research has helped enhance the prestige of country’s endoscopic healthcare in general, and has received international recognition. Liem has 20 published works internationally and 15 published domestically.

Another project on kidney and liver transplants at Cho Ray Hospital was presented with a Collective Achievement prize. Their work marked a turning point in domestic transplant procedures.

One prize awarded in Applied Sciences:

A work on regulating floods in Long Xuyen Quadrilateral by late Professor and Dr. Nguyen Sinh Huy, alsong with Associate Professor and Dr. Ho Van Chin from the HCM City Institute of Natural Resources and Geology, under the Institute of Science and Technology of Vietnam, along with their collegues were honoured as well. They were presented with a prize of VND100 million (USD4,793).

The idea to allow flood waters flow out through the West Sea was a ground-breaking innovation, which received great support from late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet and was included in a plan to adapt to flooding in the Mekong Delta region in 1997.

Pham Huy Hoan, head of the organising board and Phan Hoang Duc, Deputy General Director of VNPT, the gold sponsor of the award

Former Party General Secretary Le Kha Phieu and Nguyen Quoc Trieu, former Minister of Health; Dang Ngoc Tung, Chairman of the Vietnam Labour Confederation honoured Prof and Dr Nguyen Thanh Liem

Dinh The Huynh, Member and Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Central Committee and Head of the Central Agitation Committee (left) and Prof cum Academician Nguyen Van Hieu presented the award to an author of work on regulating floods in Long Xuyen Quadrilateral

Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Nguyen Van Binh and Bui Trung Kien, Deputy General Director of An Binh Joint Stock Commercial Bank granted third prize to a group of innovators

A represent from VIS receiving award