HÀ NỘI — Vietnam National Industry – Energy Group (Petrovietnam) has embarked on an ambitious nationwide initiative, STEM Innovation Petrovietnam, to establish 100 internationally standardised STEM laboratories across 34 provinces and cities by the end of 2025.

Officially inaugurated on September 21 and inspired by General Secretary Tô Lâm’s vision, the programme is considered the largest education investment ever undertaken by a State-owned enterprise and a strategic step towards developing Việt Nam’s science and technology workforce.

Each province or city will receive three STEM classrooms, with two for high schools and one for a lower secondary school, prioritising remote and border areas. Petrovietnam aims to complete all 100 labs within 100 days, by 31 December 2025.

So far, 11 laboratories have been finished, while plans for the remaining 89 are underway, with Petrovietnam collaborating closely with local authorities and the education sector to finalise construction and equipment procurement.

Connecting classrooms and building a national STEM ecosystem

Beyond infrastructure, the programme seeks to create a connected national ecosystem for STEM education. Petrovietnam plans to link domestic STEM labs with those abroad, beginning with Singapore, and to develop its own curricula and training programmes to build a network of master teachers across Việt Nam.

The laboratories will feature cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, Internet of Things devices and digital transformation tools, supporting both teachers and students in experimental and creative learning.

 

Experts have described the project as an investment in Việt Nam’s intellectual future. Dr Dương Tuấn Hưng from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology called it a responsible long-term approach to human development.

Independent STEM specialist Đỗ Hoàng Sơn said the 100 labs would serve as centres of creativity and innovation, helping nurture the next generation of scientists and engineers.

National Assembly deputy Nguyễn Thị Hà from Bắc Ninh praised Petrovietnam for investing in youth creativity, saying such programmes help shape the country’s economic future while deputy Nguyễn Duy Thanh from Cà Mau described it as “an investment in intellectual energy”.

Teachers and students are already seeing change.

At Cầu Giấy Secondary School in Hà Nội, sixth-grader Bùi Việt Hoàng said the lab helps students think creatively and learn teamwork, while classmate Nguyễn Kiều Minh found science lessons more exciting and accessible. Educators say the new classrooms foster integrated learning and open pathways to global collaboration.

More than a corporate social initiative, STEM Innovation Petrovietnam is a mission to nurture human capital, empowering a generation ready to shape Việt Nam’s digital and energy future. — BIZHUB/VNS