High-Speed Railway and Urban Railway Technologies Identified as Vietnam’s Strategic Technologies
The Government has issued Decision No. 21/2026/QD-TTg dated April 30, 2026 on the List of Strategic Technologies and Strategic Technology Products, identifying 10 groups of strategic technologies and 30 strategic technology products prioritized for development in Vietnam to promote economic growth, enhance national competitiveness, and ensure technological security and sovereignty.
According to the newly issued list, high-speed railway and urban railway technologies have officially been identified as one of Vietnam’s 10 strategic technology groups, specifically as follows:
- Digital technologies (artificial intelligence, big data, digital twins, cloud computing, edge computing, Internet of Things, and blockchain).
- Next-generation mobile network technologies.
- Robotics and automation technologies.
- Advanced biotechnology and biomedical technologies.
- Advanced energy and material technologies.
- Semiconductor chip technologies.
- Cybersecurity and quantum technologies.
- Marine, oceanic, and underground technologies.
- Aviation and aerospace technologies.
- High-speed railway and urban railway technologies.
This strategic technology list covers many key sectors of the digital economy and future industries, in which digital technologies are identified as the core group, including artificial intelligence, big data, digital twins, cloud computing, edge computing, the Internet of Things, and blockchain — all of which serve as essential foundations for national digital transformation and digital economic development.
Alongside the 10 strategic technology groups, the Government also issued a list of 30 strategic technology products, including products capable of directly impacting economic development such as AI virtual assistants, industrial robots, cloud computing platforms, and 5G/5G-Advanced network equipment, as well as foundational technologies for the future such as specialized chips, quantum technologies, low-earth orbit satellites, and integrated systems serving high-speed railways and urban railways.
According to the Government, the new strategic technology list was developed with a streamlined approach, focusing on technologies and products that have direct significance for economic growth, national competitiveness, and the country’s long-term development needs. Priority is also given to technologies capable of practical deployment and generating clear value in the short term, rather than dispersing resources across too many areas.
The inclusion of high-speed railway and urban railway technologies in the national strategic technology list demonstrates the Government’s determination to promote the development of modern transportation infrastructure, while also creating an urgent demand for the training and development of high-quality human resources to serve large-scale railway projects in the coming years.
Previously, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 2230/QD-TTg dated October 9, 2025 approving the Project on Training and Developing Vietnam’s Railway Human Resources through 2035, with a vision toward 2045. Subsequently, the Ministry of Construction issued Decision No. 2321/QD-BXD dated December 17, 2025 on the implementation plan for the Prime Minister’s Project, assigning numerous key tasks to the University of Transport Technology in training, research, and the development of high-quality railway human resources.
Accordingly, the University of Transport Technology has been assigned the task of upgrading facilities, strengthening equipment and practice laboratories for railway education and research; aiming to establish specialized practice and laboratory centers serving the training of high-quality human resources, research, technology transfer, and the mastery of high-speed railway, electrified railway, and urban railway technologies. At the same time, the University is also promoting curriculum innovation associated with practical training, developing digital learning resources and online learning platforms, enhancing research and technology transfer, and gradually mastering modern railway technologies integrated with digital transformation, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
In implementing Decision No. 2230/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister and the implementation plan under Decision No. 2321/QD-BXD of the Ministry of Construction, the University of Transport Technology has proactively strengthened cooperation with international partners to seek opportunities for improving training quality, accessing advanced technologies, and learning modern management and operational experiences in high-speed railway and urban railway sectors. These efforts contribute to meeting the sustainable development requirements of Vietnam’s railway industry in the new era.
University of Transport Technology
