STEM Innovation Petrovietnam: Pioneering mark, innovative message for the young generation

At the seminar "STEM Innovation Petrovietnam - Realizing the spirit of Resolution 57" organized by New Energy Magazine on the morning of December 7th, National Assembly delegates, experts, and educators in the STEM field focused on discussing the strategic significance of this program.

From the spirit of Resolution 57 to “a gift” for the young generation

Vietnam is setting strategic goals on scientific and technological breakthroughs (Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW) and fundamental innovation in education and training (Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW). In that flow, STEM education becomes a bridge between knowledge - technology - innovation, between schools - businesses - society.

Overview of the seminar.

Based on that idea, Petrovietnam initiated the "STEM Innovation Petrovietnam" program, launched at the Group's 50th anniversary celebration (September 21, 2025). The program aims to build 100 internationally standardized STEM labs in 34 provinces and cities, becoming the largest educational project ever initiated by a business, contributing to the training of scientific and technological human resources and the formation of a new generation of energy-savvy citizens in Vietnam.

The Petrovietnam STEM Innovation Initiative was born at this time as a pioneering mark, a new message from a key national enterprise for the young generation of Vietnam. In the roadmap for the period 2025-2026, it was coordinated with the Ministry of Education and Training, STEM experts, local authorities and schools; by the time of the discussion, 100 STEM rooms had been surveyed and were being installed.

Sharing about the definition of STEM and the program “STEM Innovation Petrovietnam”, expert Do Hoang Son said that Vietnam included the concept of STEM education in the 2018 General Education Program. Based on the definition in the program, STEM is an interdisciplinary education integrating science, technology, engineering and mathematics; learning through practice and connected to the surrounding life context.

National Assembly Delegate Ha Anh Phuong (National Assembly Delegation of Phu Tho Province) affirmed that this is a very meaningful program and needs to be expanded. Petrovietnam has not only stopped at short-term investment but also invested very systematically in education, demonstrating the Group's long-term vision in preparing human resources. In particular, this demonstrates the great social responsibility of the enterprise.

“As a teacher who used to teach in mountainous areas, I encountered many difficulties, for example, students did not have many opportunities to access modern labs or modern equipment. Therefore, I think the Petrovietnam STEM Innovation program is very meaningful for students, helping to reduce regional gaps,” said National Assembly member Ha Anh Phuong.

From the classroom to the national and international stage.

A noteworthy aspect of the seminar was the "real-world" examples of effective implementation, particularly at Cau Giay Secondary School, where a STEM room can lead to changes in teaching methods, student attitudes, and even parental involvement.

Students unleash their creativity in the STEM room at Cau Giay Secondary School.

Teacher Nguyen Thi Nhan, Teachers Group of Cau Giay Secondary School, emphasized that when the STEM Innovation Petrovietnam program was launched, in addition to the school being equipped with modern and advanced technological equipment, it was also a turning point, a big push for both teachers and students of the school to change their thinking and innovate in teaching methods - not only stopping at traditional lectures but also bringing STEM into teaching. As for students, they have been exposed to technology, especially high technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics. Students can assemble robots themselves and bring their own robots to compete in the region and internationally.

From that foundation, the school has formed a vibrant robotics movement with many participating teams; students have the opportunity to practice according to competition standards, make serious "technical manuals", participate in regional, national and international competitions; and more importantly, learn skills that can only be formed when there is a standard practice environment.

As a teacher who has directly taught and guided students on STEM-related projects, Ms. Ha Anh Phuong stated that STEM plays an extremely important role. If innovation and the digital economy are considered the driving forces of a nation's development, then STEM education is the foundation for this process, helping to prepare a high-quality workforce for the future.

The essence of STEM education is to help children form and develop problem-solving and scientific thinking, thereby developing the necessary qualities and competencies in modern society. Children do not just study single subjects, but through interdisciplinary knowledge of technology, science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc. to solve specific problems and have specific solutions, specific models or products.

Businesses collaborate, "creating an ecosystem".

If education is a national policy, then in the context of digital transformation and knowledge economy, business participation is increasingly seen as an important component in forming an innovation ecosystem.

STEM education will create an opportunity to bridge the regional gap. Pictured is the STEM room at Le Quy Don High School, Tuyen Quang province.

Expert Do Hoang Son shared that we can see the difference of STEM at three levels. First is the level of popularization, STEM education for all students in current classes is a mandatory requirement since Resolution 71-NQ/TW. Since then, the implementation of STEM in the locality has become an indicator to evaluate the completion of tasks. Second is STEM for groups of students with career orientation and improvement needs, through clubs. Third is the group of students studying STEM at the "Innovation" level - that is, breakthrough creativity, participating in major playgrounds at the national and international levels. In the implementation of the Petrovietnam STEM Innovation room system, this model fully meets all three of the above functions.

According to National Assembly Deputy Ha Anh Phuong, in the context of the digital economy, students, especially those in junior and senior high school, are the future workforce and must possess high technical skills. STEM education has laid the foundation for them through their studies, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and core principles of the digital economy. STEM education will create opportunities to bridge the regional gap, allowing students from mountainous areas to access future employment. Therefore, STEM education is crucial in preparing us to develop a high-quality workforce for the future.

Along with the development of STEM, it is also necessary to build a mechanism to encourage businesses to participate strongly and sustainably, along with a transparent public-private partnership mechanism to define roles in operations, organization of activities, competitions and experiences. In addition, the human factor is always the key: If you want good STEM students, you need good STEM teachers. Therefore, training "Master Trainers" and policies to motivate teachers are indispensable links.

The significance of Petrovietnam's STEM Innovation lies not in a ceremony or a target number. Ultimately, what matters is how the program is positioned as a model for connection: connecting resolutions and practice; between schools and businesses; between urban and disadvantaged areas; between the classroom and the international arena; between a practical training room and a spreading ecosystem.

PVN