Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, Secretary of Party Committee of NAPA, NAPA President, at the celebration.
Dear Her Excellency Madame Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Member of the CPV Central Committee, Minister of Home Affairs!
Dear leaders and former leaders of ministries, departments, branches, central and local organizations; partner units, distinguished guests from Viet Nam, and representatives of embassies in Viet Nam!
Dear former NAPA leaders, lecturers, officials, trainees, and students!
Today, in the joyful and proud atmosphere of these historic May days, the National Academy of Public Administration celebrated its 65th Anniversary. On behalf of the Party Committee, Board of Directors, and the entire staff of NAPA, I warmly welcome and sincerely thank Her Excellency Madame Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Member of the CPV Central Committee, Minister of Home Affairs, along with all distinguished guests, for taking the time to join us in this celebration with generations of NAPA lecturers and students.
The presence of the Minister, delegates, and distinguished guests not only demonstrates special attention and valuable support for NAPA but also serves as a great source of encouragement for the staff, lecturers, and students of NAPA.
Dear Minister and distinguished guests!
65 years ago, on May 29, 1959, the School of Administration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the first training institution in public administration in Viet Nam, was established under Decree No. 214-NV of the Government. Located in Phu Luu village, Tan Hong commune, Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province, the School was tasked with providing training for public officials at the district level. From its humble beginning as a small-scale training center, up to now, NAPA has grown significantly, now boasting its headquarters in Ha Noi and campuses in key regions across the country, i.e. the Central region, Tay Nguyen, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Throughout its history, NAPA has adapted to the specific needs of each period, operating under various names and managed by different agencies, including more than 25 years under Government management. Despite changes in its name and management agency, NAPA’s activities and achievements have consistently underscored its fundamental role. NAPA is the national center for training public officials; it is a special-class public non-business unit aspiring to meet regional and global standards.
Over its 65-year journey, NAPA has trained hundreds of thousands of public officials through various programs on state management knowledge and skills, including official, principal official, and senior official training programs; training for prospective public leaders and managers at the division, district, departmental, and ministerial levels; specialized management knowledge, expertise, and professional skills; public service ethics and professional ethics courses; knowledge of international integration; pre-service training.
To address the need for qualified human resources in public administration at both central and local levels, particularly in the context of administrative reform and the industrialization, modernization, and integration of the country, NAPA began offering a second-degree program in public administration in 1996. By 2000, NAPA started offering a full-time undergraduate program in public administration. At the same time, NAPA has implemented part-time programs in public administration and special enrollment schemes to enhance the professional capacity of public officials and to develop a pool of potential future officials from ethnic minority communities.
Since 1995, NAPA has implemented 28 master’s programs, graduating thousands of students. Since 2003, NAPA has also held 18 doctoral programs with hundreds of PhD students. NAPA has provided a significant number of highly educated human resources in Public Management and other majors, such as Constitutional Law and Administrative Law, Public Policy, and Finance-Banking.
NAPA is a trusted institution for central and local government agencies in researching theoretical issues and developing management policies. Over the past five years alone, NAPA has undertaken 292 scientific research projects at all levels, including 2 national-level projects, 40 ministerial- and provincial-level projects, and 250 institutional-level projects. NAPA has also organized many large-scale domestic and international conferences, seminars, and workshops. These activities have fostered important discussions, contributing to the development of administrative sciences and state management while addressing key issues facing the country. NAPA also collaborates in training and research with more than 50 prestigious training institutions from more than 30 countries as well as international organizations in public administration. Additionally, NAPA has played an active role in training public leaders and managers for Laos, Bangladesh, and other countries in the region.
A source of pride for NAPA is that many of its alumni have been holding significant positions in the Party, National Assembly, the Government, provinces, and cities of Viet Nam; they are also leaders of universities, academies, corporations, and enterprises. In virtually every organization within Viet Nam’s political system, there is the presence and “imprint” of NAPA’s training programs through its alumni. This clearly shows that NAPA has affirmed its position as the national center for training public officials in administration, leadership, and management, contributing to the organization, operation, and innovation of the public service to meet the requirements of each development period. Generations of leaders, staff, and students take pride in NAPA’s historical tradition and its achievements over the past 65 years.
Dear distinguished guests!
Dear NAPA lecturers, staff, and students!
Implementing Decision 27/2022/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister and the merger of Hanoi University of Home Affairs (HUHA) into the National Academy of Administration, as of January 1, 2023, the National Academy of Public Administration has become a larger and more cohesive entity. This merger brings together the 65-year-old traditions of NAPA with the 50-year history of HUHA. NAPA today has new functions, tasks, and legal status. Alongside its mission to train public officials, NAPA has truly become a reputable higher education institution within the national education system.
From the significant achievements gained over 65 years of establishment and development, NAPA has been awarded many noble honors by the Party and State of Viet Nam, such as the Ho Chi Minh Order, the First-Class Independence Medal, the Second-Class Independence Medal, and the Third-class Independence, and many other noble orders and medals. These honors belong to generations of staff, lecturers, and students of NAPA, who have tirelessly strived over 65 years, persistently continuing and advancing its legacy. Today’s generation is honored to inherit and further illuminate this legacy.
Dear distinguished guests!
Today, on behalf of NAPA, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the leaders of the Party, the State, and the Ministry of Home Affairs for always showing concern and providing guidance to NAPA over the years. In particular, I would like to express my profound thanks to the Minister of Home Affairs, who has always been dedicated to the development of NAPA. I sincerely thank the Ministry of Education and Training, central ministries, departments, local agencies and organizations, units, training institutions, and international organizations for their support of NAPA’s activities. I would also like to sincerely thank the officials and residents who have supported NAPA during the harsh years of war and difficult periods, fostering deep bonds that endure through time.
I especially express my deep respect and gratitude to the former leaders, generations of lecturers, and staff who have been dedicated to the development of NAPA, with their passion, resilience, and contributions to teaching and service. They have shaped the prestige and image of NAPA, laying the foundation for its future development. The current generation is fully aware of its duty to follow in the footsteps of its predecessors, contributing to NAPA’s mission and future growth.
I also extend my appreciation and trust to the generations of students who have been and are continuing to strive in their studies and research for the development of society and the construction of Viet Nam. Their efforts have continually enhanced the prestige and position of NAPA.
Dear distinguished guests!
The significant achievements over the past 65 years, along with the established position and stature, are valuable assets and a foundation for the future development of NAPA. In the context of robust development and international integration, and in response to the need to develop a workforce of competent and qualified public officials capable of working in today’s international environment, NAPA aims to truly become the national center for high-quality human resource training on par with regional standards.
The construction and development of NAPA is a continuous process driven by the tireless efforts of generations. As NAPA moves beyond the 65-year milestone of its establishment and development, it enters a new phase with new opportunities and challenges. The position and image of NAPA in its recent development journey are the culmination of the achievements and traditional values of generations of lecturers, staff, and students. This glorious traditional value needs to be respected, preserved, and elevated to new heights. NAPA staff deeply understands that tradition and the past are not only valuable but also serve as a foundation for the present and a source of inspiration for the future.
With immersed pride in NAPA’s history, with respect for previous generations, and a sense of responsibility for the development of NAPA in the new period, all NAPA staff, lecturers, and students are determined to innovate more strongly in all aspects of activities. We will use tradition as the foundation and embrace the spirit of responsibility, solidarity, and collective will for the common development of NAPA as the driving force and mutual value. Based on these shared values, we are determined to successfully complete assigned tasks and strongly promote the role of the national training center for officials. This is to meet the demands of administrative reform and to build a professional and modern state administration serving the people during the period of accelerating industrialization, modernization, and regional integration.
I wish all distinguished guests, generations of lecturers, staff, and students of NAPA good health, happiness, and success. May our community always carry the pride of its past and present as we look to the future, continuing to fuel the traditional flame of passion and creativity, of resilience and intelligence, of unity and consensus. Let NAPA’s glorious tradition be preserved and spread into the future. Together, we are determined to write new chapters of greater success in the development journey ahead for the National Academy of Public Administration.
Thank you very much!
