Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien
Secretary of the Party Committee of NAPA, NAPA President
Celebrating its 65th anniversary, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) is entering a new phase of development, not only being elevated in political and legal status but also expanding its scope. NAPA has truly become a comprehensive ecosystem, unified in its functions, tasks, and organizational structure, with pillars in training cadres, civil servants, and public employees; higher education training; administrative science research; giving advice and consultancy to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) on public administration and state management.
NAPA is a special-class public non-business unit directly under MoHA.
1. Significant milestones of NAPA
On May 29, 1959, the School of Administration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the predecessor of NAPA, was established under Decree No. 214-NV, signed by Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Home Affairs Phan Ke Toai. The School is tasked with providing training for public officials at the district level, contributing to the building of a revolutionary government and fulfilling the goals of resistance and national construction.
Faced with the requirements of the revolution, the push to build socialism in the North, and the preparation of the cadre force for the resistance war against America to save the nation, the liberation of the South, and national unification, the Government issued Decree No. 130-CP on September 29, 1961. This Decree renamed the School the Central School of Administration, elevating its legal status in line with its role. The School’s mission expanded to include training cadres and public servants for the administration, as well as preparing cadres to support the South, participate in combat and manage liberated areas when conditions allowed.
After national reunification, the need to train cadres and public servants in the Southern provinces, along with the necessity to innovate the training programs for the new era, became apparent. To reduce overlaps in training nationwide, the Council of Ministers (now the Government) issued Decision No. 91/HDBT dated September 26, 1981, stipulating the tasks and organizational structure of the Central School of Administration.
Responding to the demands of the innovation process, transitioning from a centrally planned, subsidized economy to a market economy under State management, and gradually integrating internationally, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers issued Decision No. 381/CT on November 1, 1990, renaming the Central School of Administration to the National School of Administration.
In implementing the reform of the State administrative apparatus, a top priority was training a formal, professional, and dedicated team of public servants to serve the people. Facing the need for reform in the administrative and market mechanisms and the increasingly significant tasks assigned by the Government, the School needed a higher legal status. Thus, the National School of Administration was renamed the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) according to Decree No. 253-HDBT dated July 6, 1992, by the Council of Ministers. This Decree clearly defined the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of NAPA, placing it under the direct direction of the Government.
Due to the requirement to streamline the state apparatus, on September 19, 2002, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 123/2002/QD-TTg, transferring NAPA to be under the state management of MoHA. On November 13, 2003, the Prime Minister signed Decision No. 234/2003/QD-TTg, specifying the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of NAPA.
From May 2007 to December 2013, NAPA and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics were merged according to Decision No. 60-QD/TW dated May 7, 2007 of the Politburo. NAPA was renamed the Academy of Public Administration under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Administration.
On December 10, 2013, the Government issued Resolution No. 121/NQ-CP, which stated: “Transferring the Academy of Public Administration from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Administration to MoHA as per Conclusion Discussion No. 64-KL/TW dated May 28, 2013 of the 7th Conference of the Party Central Committee (term XI) and Document No. 176-CV/TW dated October 23, 2013 of the Secretariat, with the new name being the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA).
Implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress: “Continue to arrange and reorganize public non-business units to ensure quality and effective operation” and the Conclusion of the Prime Minister at the working session with MoHA on April 28, 2021 (Notice No. 90/TB-VPCP dated May 3, 2021 of the Government Office), MoHA developed a project to merge Hanoi University of Home Affairs (HUHA) into NAPA. This aims to expand scale, enhance resources, save costs, and optimize facilities for research and training for officials at all levels as well as training high-quality human resources for the political and social systems.
Following Decision No. 27/2022/QD-TTg dated December 19, 2022, of the Prime Minister, HUHA was merged into the NAPA. Accordingly, NAPA is identified as a special-class public non-business unit, a national center performing the functions of training and upgrading competencies, knowledge and skills in administration, leadership and management for cadres, civil servants, and public employees; human resource training; research on administrative sciences; giving advice and consultancy to the Ministry of Home Affairs on public administration and state management
On April 5, 2024, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 06/2024/QD-TTg amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decision No. 27/2022/QD-TTg dated December 19, 2022, of the Prime Minister, which regulates the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of NAPA under MoHA. This Decision includes significant adjustments to the organizational structure and the implementation of higher education training tasks at the headquarters and NAPA campuses.
Over 65 years of establishment and development, NAPA has had various names and been assigned tasks corresponding to the practical demands of the revolution in different historical periods. What was once a training institution for district-level officials has become a national center for training cadres and civil servants, conducting scientific research, and advising on policy, with the presence in Ha Noi and other key regions of the country. NAPA has become a cradle of training in the fields of state organization, public management, and public policy. It is also a major, prestigious academic center, gradually integrating into the regionally and globally.
NAPA is the only training institution in the country entrusted with the responsibility of training senior officials and equivalent, contributing to building a team of experts for state administration. It is the first training institution in the country to offer training in state management at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. With over 20,000 cadres, civil servants and public employees trained annually according to rank and title, and thousands of master’s and PhD students, NAPA has made significant contributions to the career development of the cadres, civil servants, and public employees of the Government, MoHA, and the political system.
MoHA leaders congratulating NAPA on the opening of the 2023 – 2024 academic year (on October 12, 2023).
Throughout its history, NAPA has always been a pioneer in innovating training content and methods for public officials, aligning with the practical needs of state administration to enhance training quality. With its growth, NAPA has been entrusted by MoHA with developing training programs and materials at various levels, complementing each other to meet the diverse needs of trainees, i.e. training for officials, principal officials, and senior officials; rank-based, job position, and job title training. NAPA has also successfully transferred these training programs to other training institutions at the central and local levels.
Along with training, NAPA always identifies scientific research, and policy advice and consultation as key pillars in its operations. Therefore, scientific research activities have been promoted, directly supporting training and addressing issues on pressing administrative reform and policy consultation for state management agencies and central and local organizations and individuals. Over the past decade, NAPA has conducted 250 research projects, including 14 national-level and 160 ministerial-level projects. NAPA staff have published thousands of research articles, many of which are internationally recognized for their theoretical and practical contributions. In addition, NAPA’s active involvement in administrative reform in consulting activities shows its commitment to building a constructive, transparent, and service-oriented Vietnamese administration.
NAPA has established an extensive international cooperation network, partnering with leading public administration universities and research institutions across Asia, Europe, and Americas, such as Indiana University (USA); National School of Administration – ENA (now National Institute of Public Service – INSP), French Republic; Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore, etc. Aiming to connect and promote Viet Nam’s image regionally and globally, NAPA has trained many high-ranking officials from various countries in the region, enhancing its and Viet Nam’s reputation in public service training. Numerous international cooperation activities in training and research have been implemented with international organizations and scholars, showcasing NAPA’s research capabilities and earning it respect and high regard in academic forums.
For its significant contributions and outstanding achievements in the reform period, which have furthered the cause of socialism and national defense, 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.
2. NAPA today
Celebrating its 65th anniversary, NAPA enters a new phase of development, enhancing its political and legal status while expanding its scope. NAPA has truly become a comprehensive ecosystem with coordinated functions, tasks, and organizational structure, focusing on training public officials; providing higher education; conducting administrative science research; advising MoHA in the field of administration and state management.
Today, NAPA embodies the tradition forged over 65 years, combined with the over 50-year legacy of HUHA. This foundation creates new cultural values and drives innovation and development. Currently, NAPA possesses significant potential for breakthrough development, aiming not only to be a national center for public servant training but also a national center for high-quality human resource training at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. This meets the demand for quality human resources in the public sector, the political system, and society. NAPA is now a unified and effective collective, aligned in vision, development orientation, foundational values, and the shared effort to elevate NAPA to new heights. This collective effort aims to meet the expectations of the Party, the State, the Prime Minister, the Party Committee of the Ministry, the Minister of Home Affairs, and society at large.
Regarding personnel, NAPA currently employs 1,104 staff members, including 23 associate professors, 236 PhDs, 569 master’s degree holders, 211 bachelor’s degree holders, and 88 with other qualifications. The staff includes 44 individuals with the job title Class I, 311 with the job title Class II, 626 with the job title Class V, and 101 in other classes. NAPA has 507 lecturers, including 23 associate professors, 210 PhDs, 284 master’s degree holders, and 12 bachelor’s degree holders. Among them, there are 35 senior lecturers, 170 principal lecturers, and 302 lecturers. With a relatively well-structured age distribution and a strong desire to contribute, NAPA’s personnel are a crucial driving force for NAPA’s sustainable development. Recent achievements in teaching and research demonstrate significant growth in both the quantity and quality of academic staff. The research personnel are becoming younger and are being strengthened in both quantity and quality.
NAPA has a comprehensive and refined system of programs, curricula, and materials aimed at improving the quality of higher education. NAPA is implementing various training programs for public servants, including training programs and materials for officials, principal officials, and senior officials; training programs according to job position requirements for public leaders and managers at division level and equivalent, district level and equivalent, provincial department level and equivalent, ministerial department level and equivalent; training programs and materials for cadres and civil servants on emulation and rewards; training programs and materials for leaders and managers of public non-business units under central ministries, branches, and non-business units under the Provincial People’s Committee; training programs on public service culture and e-government for public servants…
NAPA also holds a significant position in international forums on public administration. It continues to implement previously signed international cooperation projects while continuously expanding collaboration with new projects and partners in training to mobilize financial resources from projects to support capacity building for faculty members; NAPA also aims to enhance exchanges and learn from experiences in training. NAPA is a member of many international organizations related to public administration, such as the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration (IASIA), Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA), Asian Group of Public Administration (AGPA), ASEAN Network of Public Service Training Institutes (PSTI). NAPA has close cooperation with over 50 prestigious training and research institutions worldwide. Its international reputation is continuously being enhanced. NAPA is serving as the Convenor of the ASEAN PSTI Network for the term 2023 – 2024; NAPA President is currently the Chair of the EROPA Executive Council.
Participants at the 2023 EROPA Conference.
3. Major orientations for NAPA in the new development phase
Honored of the achievements over the past 65 years, NAPA staff and faculty must strive harder to perform their duties, continuously innovate, overcome limitations, and tackle current challenges to ensure NAPA’s continued development in the future. In the upcoming period, focus should be placed on the following tasks:
First, establishing a long-term strategic vision to position NAPA as a prestigious center for public administration and governance training and knowledge transfer in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. Proactively and actively developing programs and plans to realize the goal of turning NAPA into a training center for leadership and management on par with regional level. Building NAPA into a comprehensive, synchronized, and high-quality system for training public servants; providing undergraduate and postgraduate education; conducting scientific research; offering policy advice and consultation.
Aligning the development of NAPA with the goal of building a competent and reputable team of officials at all levels, especially at the strategic level. From the objective of developing the cadre at all levels, NAPA needs to formulate a training strategy, identifying the tasks and responsibilities it can undertake. Knowledge training should go hand-in-hand with character development, emphasizing the formation and development of administrative management thinking that aligns with the requirements of building an entrepreneurial nation. This involves enhancing professional qualifications and operational skills to create a highly professional team of public servants who are loyal to the Party and the State and are dedicated to serving the people.
Second, developing NAPA with a comprehensive perspective, establishing and enhancing NAPA as a national center for the training of public servants, providing high-quality human resource training, and conducting scientific research aligned with sustainable development goals; focusing on key areas with an emphasis on quality and efficiency as the foundation, placing learners at the center, and using NAPA’s autonomy as a driving force; promoting innovation and creativity; formulating and developing a comprehensive and synchronized ecosystem at NAPA.
Third, leveraging internal resources and capitalizing on state investment to improve the quality of the NAPA’s faculty and researchers. This is to ensure that NAPA faculty and staff are at the forefront of knowledge and professional ethics. Special attention should be given to developing a faculty team with high political integrity, ethics, lifestyle, and advanced qualifications. Faculty members should not only excel in their majors but also be well-versed in culture, psychology, and teaching methods, meeting the requirements for developing an advanced, humane, and internationally standardized educational system in Viet Nam.
Fourth, innovating and reforming the training programs for public servants towards practical and career-oriented learning, ensuring that these programs enhance their practical implementation capacity and professional ethics; fostering and spreading the entrepreneurial spirit by equipping public servants with knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, supporting them in their entrepreneurial endeavors; ensuring that training programs serve as tools for building and developing capacities, creating an adaptive, flexible, effective, and efficient public service.
Enhancing the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate education, closely linking it with the realities of socio-economic life and public service activities. Ensuring that undergraduate and postgraduate education provides high-quality human resources in public administration and governance.
Fifth, improving the quality of research and publication of research results, ensuring the applicability of research results in practice; contributing evidence for building a professional, responsible, dynamic, and competent public service. Strengthening international research collaborations and publications to mobilize knowledge from reputable researchers in the region and worldwide, creating practical and highly applicable scientific products. Developing a balanced approach to basic and applied research, advancing administrative science theory in Viet Nam to contribute significantly to administrative reforms, digital government development, digital economy, and digital society.
Sixth, strengthening international cooperation in a dynamic and effective way to support training and academic research. In the immediate future, NAPA will continue to maintain and expand joint training and research programs with current partners; successfully implementing ongoing projects, developing many long-term and short-term training programs for NAPA staff and lecturers. At the same time, to meet the demands of expanding international cooperation in the coming years, NAPA should further develop its international cooperation capabilities, proactively seeking and establishing relationships with international partners rather than passively waiting for partner support.
Seventh, building and developing a Digital Academy with a synchronous digital data platform, starting with governance data systems, data serving training, and academic research. Leveraging digital technology advantages to enable NAPA lecturers, officials, trainees, and students to access new knowledge and achievements in administrative science research, policy science, and other related fields.
Eighth, making good use of all resources to gradually modernize infrastructure, practice facilities, and libraries, innovate working styles, and improve service quality and operational efficiency of NAPA.
Reflecting on the glorious history of NAPA, we have the right to be proud of its tradition and long-standing role as a national center for training public officials. From this pride, the collective NAPA staff and lecturers have been, are, and will strive to make NAPA become a regional-level national center in the training of public officials, high-quality human resource training, research, and giving advice and consultancy regarding policies on administration and state management for the Party and State, living up to the trust of the Party, State, and society.
