Declassified inspection report reveals violations at Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology

A declassified inspection report has uncovered a series of significant violations and shortcomings in financial management and the execution of scientific and technological tasks at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST).

The inspection, conducted by the Government Inspectorate, covered the period from 2016 to 2022, focusing on the academy's self-governance mechanisms. The report, initially classified, has now been made public as its state secrecy period expired.

During the inspection, VAST and eight of its affiliated units were found to have numerous limitations and violations in areas such as project proposal development, budgeting, final accounting, and the selection of contractors for procuring materials and chemicals. Particularly concerning was the management and use of assets generated from state-funded scientific projects, leading to significant violations in their application, transfer, and commercialization.

The report indicates weaknesses in asset management, contributing to inaccuracies in the valuation of assets from 326 out of 886 approved projects, totaling over 125 billion Vietnamese dong. These valuations require reassessment.

Furthermore, the inspection revealed that many science and technology products, despite substantial investment, proved ineffective. These projects did not directly serve production or daily life, could not be practically applied, and none were successfully commercialized, raising concerns about wasted resources. Various financial irregularities were also detailed, including improper allocation of funds for basic and selected projects totaling over 144 billion dong from non-science and technology budgets. Other issues included misallocation of funds for electricity and water expenses under general management costs, amounting to over 7.4 billion dong, and inaccuracies in the allocation and expenditure of over 72 billion dong for hazardous duty allowances and in-kind compensation.