On November 13, 2024, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) – Ho Chi Minh City Campus hosted the international training course “Applying Design Thinking in Innovating Leadership and Management Training Programs.” This meaningful activity was held as part of Viet Nam’s Convenorship of the ASEAN Public Service Training Institutes Network (PSTI) for the 2023-2024 term. The course was conducted in a hybrid mode (PSTI delegates participating online, live-streaming to NAPA Headquarters in Ha Noi, NAPA Dak Lak Campus, and NAPA Quang Nam Campus, and in-person at NAPA Ho Chi Minh City Campus).
Distinguished international delegates in attendance included Mr. Hajah Roslizawati Binti Haji Ibrahim, Assistant Director, and training officers from the Civil Service Institute, Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam; Mr. Vinntik Sung, Vice President of the Royal School of Administration, Cambodia; representatives from the Civil Service Development Centre (CSDC), National Civil Service Agency (NCSA), Indonesia; Mr. Phetsamone Phetphouvong, Deputy Director General and officers of the Public Administration Research and Training Institute (PARTI), Ministry of Home Affairs, Laos; Datuk Dr. Haniff bin Zainal Abidin, Senior Deputy Director, and training consultants of the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), Malaysia; Dr. Nant Khin Thin Su, Pro-rector of the Civil Service Academy (Lower Myanmar) and officers from the Union Civil Service Board, Myanmar; representatives from the Civil Service Institute (CSI), Civil Service Commission (CSC), the Philippines; Ms. Lena Leong, Deputy Director, International CSC and officers from the Civil Service College, Singapore; Mrs. Pipawin Leesamphandh, Director and experts of the Civil Service Training Institute (CSTI), Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC), Thailand.
International instructors included Dr. Pham Thanh Thao, a design thinking and innovation expert from the French Republic, and Mr. Olivier Lefèvre, a design thinking expert from the Kingdom of Belgium.
From NAPA, there were Dr. Lai Duc Vuong, NAPA Vice President; Dr. Truong Cong Hoa, Acting Director of NAPA HCMC; and leaders from the Department of International Cooperation, faculties, and offices participating in person and online.
An overview of the training course.
In his opening remarks at the training course, Dr. Lai Duc Vuong, NAPA Vice President extended a warm welcome to all distinguished delegates and lecturers participating in the training course on the topic “Applying Design Thinking in innovating leadership and management training programs.” He highlighted that In the context of accelerating digital transformation in the region, ASEAN public service leaders and managers are required to possess not only adaptability but also creative and flexible thinking to address new challenges. Therefore, design thinking, a citizen user-centric approach to promote citizen user experience, has become one of the essential tools for innovation and development in public leadership training.
Applying design thinking in leadership and management training programs is not merely about conveying knowledge; it is a process of creating dynamic learning experiences that enable participants to explore and solve issues creatively. This approach focuses on deeply understanding the needs of learners and public service beneficiaries, thereby helping to develop flexible and effective training programs that meet new requirements for public service. Dr. Lai Duc Vuong believed that the training course would provide participants with fundamental knowledge of design thinking as a creative approach, along with practical experience in applying design thinking in public administration education and research. Participants of the training course are expected to share and dig into possibilities of application of design thinking in the leadership training in each institution of the PSTI network.
Dr. Lai Duc Vuong, NAPA Vice President, delivering remarks at the training course.
Speaking at the training course, Mr. Olivier Lefèvre, a design thinking expert from the Kingdom of Belgium, and Dr. Pham Thanh Thao, a design thinking and innovation expert from the French Republic, presented insights on the core concepts of design thinking. The two experts shared success stories driven by design thinking, explained how the “design thinking” process functions, and highlighted its numerous benefits. They also discussed specific challenges for civil servants in today’s context, including (1) digital transformation skills, (2) multicultural competencies, and (3) lifelong learning abilities. Design thinking is seen as a key to fostering empathy, enhancing cross-border collaboration, prototyping and testing bold ideas, maintaining agility in complex times, and inspiring a culture of continuous learning.
Mr. Olivier Lefèvre, a design thinking expert from the Kingdom of Belgium, and Dr. Pham Thanh Thao, a design thinking and innovation expert from the French Republic, presenting at the training course.
Participants engaged in discussions that enriched their understanding of design thinking theory and its practical applications in research and teaching at NAPA and universities in Viet Nam and around the world.
Concluding the training course, Dr. Truong Cong Hoa, Acting Director of NAPA HCMC, expressed gratitude to the participants. He emphasized that the contributions from experts and scholars, both within and beyond NAPA, are invaluable resources. Although brief and concise, the course content provided participants with highly beneficial information on design thinking and the potential for expanded application within PSTI’s administrative and management training institutions in the future.
Dr. Truong Cong Hoa, Acting Director of NAPA HCMC, delivering concluding remarks of the training course.
Some photos at the training course:
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Toan, Head of the Division of Scientific and Library Management, NAPA HCMC, speaking at the training course.
Ms. Bui Thi Phuong Lan, Lecturer of the Department of Information Technology and Foreign Language Studies at NAPA HCMC, speaking at the training course.
Ms. Nguyen Minh Ly, Lecturer of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources Organization at NAPA HCMC, speaking at the training course.
Dr. Pham Thi Thuy, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Management at NAPA HCMC, speaking at the training course.
Dr. Nguyen Trang Thu, Lecturer of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources Organization at NAPA HCMC, speaking at the training course.
Online participants of the training course.
