<p>This study examines trends, research domains, and emerging themes in open access publishing at Vietnamese universities specializing in engineering and technology, with a focus on its underlying drivers, institutional dynamics, and implications for knowledge production. Drawing on a bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed publications from 2013 to 2023, the study aims to identify key characteristics of open access publishing and its role in enhancing research dissemination and scholarly collaboration in Vietnam. The findings indicate a sharp increase in the number of open access publications after 2018, driven not only by increased international collaboration but also by policy-induced incentives embedded in doctoral training, research evaluation, and academic promotion systems. The three most prominent subject areas are Engineering, Computer Science and Agricultural-Biological Science. The research topics covered in open access publications are diverse, encompassing climate change, biodiversity, sustainable development in Vietnam, machine learning, deep learning, materials science, biomedical engineering, etc. The analysis is limited to English-language publications indexed in Scopus. The results offer a clear and valuable overview of the current state of open access publishing within Vietnam’s engineering and technology universities. By linking bibliometric evidence with perspectives from the higher education policy, this study contributes to understanding how open access operates within an emerging research system. The findings offer policy-relevant insights for promoting more equitable and sustainable open science practices in Vietnam and similar low- and middle-income contexts.</p>