Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology has issued Circular No. 24/2025/TT-BKHCN, introducing a new national classification system for science and technology fields. The regulation, signed by Minister of Science and Technology, will take effect on December 15, 2025, replacing Decision No. 12/2008/QĐ-BKHCN issued in 2008.
The new framework categorizes Vietnam’s science and technology landscape into four hierarchical levels. Level 1 defines six main disciplines: natural sciences; engineering and technology; medical and pharmaceutical sciences; agricultural sciences; social sciences; and humanities.
Level 2 contains 46 scientific branches, coded from 101 to 699. Level 3 expands into 328 specialized research areas, numbered from 10101 to 60499, while Level 4 includes 1,780 subfields, ranging from 1010101 to 6040799. Detailed codes and descriptions are provided in an annex attached to the Circular.
According to the Ministry, the classification will serve as a standardized tool for science and technology statistics, resource allocation, strategic planning, and policy development. It will also support integration with socio-economic statistical systems, enhancing Vietnam’s capacity to monitor and evaluate research activities nationwide.
