The government recently issued Decree 225/2026, which regulates the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science and Technology. This decree takes effect from 1/7 and replaces Decree 55/2025.

Under the new decree, the Ministry of Science and Technology's organizational structure comprises 25 affiliated entities. These include 21 administrative organizations assisting the Minister in state management functions and 4 public service units serving the Ministry's state management functions.

Compared to Decree 55/2025, which was issued in 3/2025, the Ministry's total number of affiliated entities remains unchanged. However, the internal structure has been adjusted from 22 administrative organizations and three public service units to 21 administrative organizations and 4 public service units.

Several units have been renamed to align with their new functions and tasks:

• The Department of Social, Human, and Natural Sciences is now the Department of Social and Natural Sciences.
• The Department of Digital Economy and Society is now the Department of Digital Economy and Digital Society.
• The Department of Information and Statistics is now the Department of Information, Statistics, and Scientific Evaluation.
• The Department of Information Technology Industry is now the Department of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence.
• The Information Technology Center is now the Digital Transformation Center.

The Ministry's 4 public service units include: the Digital Transformation Center, the Academy of Science and Technology Strategy, VnExpress Newspaper, and Vietnam Science and Technology Magazine. Compared to Decree 55/2025, Vietnam Science and Technology Magazine has been added to this list.

The decree stipulates that units operating under their old names will continue to carry out their duties and powers according to current regulations. This will remain in effect until the Minister of Science and Technology issues decisions specifying the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structures of the units under their new names.

The headquarters of the Ministry of Science and Technology at 18 Nguyen Du, Hanoi. Photo: Giang Huy

The headquarters of the Ministry of Science and Technology at 18 Nguyen Du, Hanoi. Photo: Giang Huy

The decree also designates the Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety as a type 1 department. Both the Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety and the National Standards, Metrology, and Quality Committee are authorized to use seals bearing the national emblem.

The Minister of Science and Technology is tasked with regulating the functions, duties, powers, and organizational structures of subordinate units within their authority. The Minister also submits to the Prime Minister a list of other public service units affiliated with the Ministry for promulgation.

The Ministry of Science and Technology is a government agency responsible for state management in areas including: science, technology, innovation, high technology, strategic technology, intellectual property, standards, metrology, quality, atomic energy, radiation and nuclear safety, postal services, telecommunications, radio frequency, digital technology industry, information technology application, artificial intelligence, electronic transactions, and national digital transformation.

Vu Tuan