On November 29, 2024, the workshop titled “Transformation of Leadership and Management Training for a Future-ready Civil Service” took place at NAPA Headquarters in Ha Noi. This workshop was a key activity within Viet Nam’s term as the Convenor of the ASEAN Public Service Training Institutions Network (PSTI) for the 2023–2024 period.
An overview of the meeting.
Attending the workshop were representatives from the member institutions of the ASEAN PSTI Network: Dr. Noor Maya Salleh, Director of Institut Perkhidmatan Awam, Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam; Pg Sarifah Ferzat Pg Jaafar, Training Officer, Institut Perkhidmatan Awam, Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam; Mr. Sung Vintik, Vice President, Royal School of Administration, Cambodia; Dr. Chantha Onxayvieng, Director General, Public Administration Research and Training Institute (PARTI), Ministry of Home Affairs, Lao PDR; Ms. Soudaphone Nedvady, Deputy Director of Administration and Information Division, Public Administration Research and Training Institute (PARTI), Ministry of Home Affairs, Lao PDR; Datuk Dr. Haniff bin Zainal Abidin, Senior Deputy Director, National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), Malaysia; Mr. Yasir Muda bin Azizi, Senior Training Consultant, National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), Malaysia; Mr. Mohamad Zainudin bin Ashaari, Training Consultant, National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), Malaysia; Dr. Nant Khin Thin Su, Pro-rector, Civil Service Academy (Lower Myanmar), Union Civil Service Board; Ms. Nan Phyu Phyu Pwint, Director, Civil Service Selection and Training Department, Union Civil Service Board, Myanmar; Mr. Fernando M. Porio, Director IV, Civil Service Institute (CSI), Philippine Civil Service Commission; Mr. Gerome Neil D. Sanchez, Human Resource Specialist II, Civil Service Institute (CSI), Philippine Civil Service Commission; Mr. Han Neng Hsiu, Dean and CEO, Civil Service College, Singapore; Ms. Angela Tan, Assistant Director, Southeast Asia Desk, CSC International, Civil Service College, Singapore; Dr. Pipawin Leesamphandh, Director, Civil Service Training Institute (CSTI), Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC), Thailand; Mr. Channarong Sungayuth, HR Practitioner, Civil Service Training Institute (CSTI), Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC), Thailand.
From the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA), there was Dr. Alex Brillantes Jr., EROPA Secretary-General.
On the side of NAPA, there were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, NAPA President; Dr. Nguyen Dang Que, NAPA Vice President; representatives of NAPA faculties and departments, NAPA experts and lecturers.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, NAPA President, at the workshop.
In his opening remarks at the workshop, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, NAPA President, emphasized that in the context of globalization and rapid technological advancements, we are facing unprecedented changes in how public services are organized and operated. Challenges such as climate change, digital transformation, non-traditional security threats, and shifts in socio-economic structures require the public sector leadership and management teams to acquire entirely new capabilities. The workshop’s theme addresses a timely and urgent issue not only for countries in the ASEAN region but also for public services globally: how to innovate approaches, content, and methodologies in leadership and management development to create a civil service that is not only adaptable but also capable of leading in an increasingly volatile future.
The workshop focuses on the following key topics:
(1) Analyzing trends, contexts, and requirements for innovating leadership and management training in the public sector in Asia in general and ASEAN in particular;
(2) Sharing practical experiences from member institutions of the ASEAN PSTI Network;
(3) Engaging in dialogue and discussions to propose strategic directions for developing leadership and management capacities in the public sector, aiming to build a civil service that is agile, innovative, and future-ready.
Dr. Alex Brillantes Jr., EROPA Secretary-General, at the workshop.
Dr. Alex Brillantes, Jr., EROPA Secretary-General, delivered a presentation titled “Leadership and Management in the Public Sector in ASEAN: Current Practices, Transformative Trends and Challenges of the Future.” His presentation focused on several key issues, including the context of being “future-ready,” the civil service and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Principles 5 Es and an A, drivers of change (political, social, environmental, and economic), global trends of civil service reform, the digital divide, the importance of capacity-building for government executives, and the futures of civil service. Building on these points, Dr. Alex Brillantes, Jr. emphasized that for civil service to be future-ready, managers must adopt a new mindset, characterized by agility, sharp observation, and strong analytical skills to accurately anticipate and address practical issues.
Dr. Noor Maya Salleh, Director, Institut Perkhidmatan Awam, Prime Minister’s Office, Brunei Darussalam.
Mr. Sung Vintik, Vice President, Royal School of Administration, Cambodia.
Dr. Chantha Onxayvieng, Director General, Public Administration Research and Training Institute (PARTI), Ministry of Home Affairs, Lao PDR.
Datuk Dr. Haniff bin Zainal Abidin, Senior Deputy Director, National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), Malaysia.
Ms. Nan Phyu Phyu Pwint, Director, Civil Service Selection and Training Department, Union Civil Service Board, Myanmar.
Mr. Fernando M. Porio, Director IV, Civil Service Institute (CSI), Philippine Civil Service Commission.
Mr. Han Neng Hsiu, Dean and CEO, Civil Service College, Singapore.
Dr. Pipawin Leesamphandh, Director, Civil Service Training Institute (CSTI), Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC), Thailand.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Toan, representative of researchers at NAPA – Ho Chi Minh City Campus, at the workshop.
Representatives from member institutions of the ASEAN PSTI Network shared practical experiences and engaged in discussions to propose strategic directions for developing public sector leadership and management capacity, aiming for a flexible, innovative, and future-ready civil service. Key topics of focus included: (1) The training principle of “learning by doing”—emphasizing the practical application of knowledge in leadership and management; (2) Improving the productivity of the public service, restructuring ministries and agencies, and reorganizing government cabinets to harmonize the public and private sectors, thereby enhancing transparency, integrity, and accountability in public financial management; (3) Implementing advanced training programs tailored to the context of digital transformation and globalization for leaders and managers; (4) Prioritizing the development of diverse training programs, especially those focused on building digital governance capacities for leaders and managers; (5) Applying design thinking to enhance the quality of leadership and management training; (6) Increasing the responsibility of training institutions to rapidly equip civil servants with the necessary skills to address challenges of the digital and social era.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Nguyen Dang Que, NAPA Vice President, emphasized that 2024 marks the final year of Viet Nam’s Convenorship of the ASEAN PSTI Network. NAPA has made continuous efforts to promote connections, share experiences, and implement meaningful initiatives within the ASEAN cooperation framework. Today’s workshop is one such effort. On behalf of NAPA, Dr. Nguyen Dang Que extended heartfelt thanks to PSTI representatives for attending the workshop and sharing valuable experiences that provide significant contributions to the development of individual PSTI members and to the overall progress of public services in ASEAN and globally.
