Dak Lak Experiences an Input and Output Paradox in the Innovation Index

Ranking 24th out of 34 provinces in the Provincial Innovation Index (PII) for 2025 and 2026, Dak Lak province has highlighted a structural imbalance between input and output factors. While successful in institutional reforms and telecommunications infrastructure, the province faces serious bottlenecks in the commercialization of research results and the technological capacity of businesses.

According to data released by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dak Lak ranked 24th with 34.80 points in the 2025 PII report, and remained in the same position in 2026 with 33.66 points. The province achieved high scores in the pillars of administrative procedure reforms and technical infrastructure, boasting a 4G/5G coverage rate of 98%. Conversely, the business sophistication level and the knowledge, innovation, and technology products pillars recorded the lowest levels, with 21.74 and 19.95 points respectively.

Although the region has a workforce of more than 4,500 science and technology experts, it is notable that this potential is concentrated in the public sector, while R&D personnel in private businesses are virtually non-existent. Experts point out that highly qualified personnel are mostly in the fields of social sciences and administrative management, while there is a lack of specialists in key areas such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing.