On the morning of June 4, 2025, at APAG Headquarters in Ha Noi, the Academy of Public Administration and Governance (APAG) held a ministerial-level workshop themed “Building an Excellent Civil Service to Meet the Demands of National Development in the New Era.” The workshop was conducted in a hybrid format – both in-person and online via the Zoom platform.
At the workshop.
Attending the workshop were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Bac, Standing Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA); Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, President of APAG; and Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh, Vice President of APAG.
The workshop was also honored by the presence of Prof. Vu Minh Khuong, National University of Singapore; Mr. Wu Wei Neng, Chief Executive Officer of the Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG); Ms. Karen Dalkie, Vice President of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE); Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Viet Nam Administration Sciences Associations, Former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Quang Dieu, Director of the Center for Information Technology and Digital Transformation, HCMA; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Nghia, Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, HCMA; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Hau – Deputy Chief of Office, HCMA; Dr. Dinh Duy Hoa, Director General, Department of Administrative Reforms, Ministry of Home Affairs; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Mai, Dean of the Faculty of Human Resource Management, APAG; Dr. Nguyen Thi Hai Ha, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Economics, APAG; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Hai, Dean of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, APAG; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Dean of the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies – Foreign Languages – IT, APAG.
The workshop also welcomed the participation of a large number of researchers, experts, lecturers, trainees, and delegates from central and local ministries, departments, agencies, and international organizations.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Bac, Standing Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, delivered opening remarks.
In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Bac emphasized that “In the context of Viet Nam entering a new phase of development that demands the modernization of public administration, building an excellent civil service is a matter of vital importance. It requires restructuring the administrative apparatus, streamlining organizational structures, and improving the quality of the civil service.” As Viet Nam advances into a new development stage with bold aspirations and deeper global integration, the restructuring of the administrative system, streamlining of government apparatus, and enhancement of civil service quality have become critical missions. The organization of today’s workshop is a highly meaningful initiative, contributing to the concretization of major directions set out in the Party’s resolutions on innovation, integration, institutional improvement, and private sector development. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Bac expressed his belief that, with the participation of both domestic and international experts, the workshop will offer practical insights and proposals toward building an innovative, transparent, effective, and service-oriented civil service that aligns with the expectations of the Party, the State, and the People of Viet Nam.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, President of APAG, delivered the keynote address.
In his keynote address at the workshop, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien emphasized that the workshop was being held in a context where Viet Nam faces an urgent need to strengthen national governance capacity, promote sustainable development, and proactively adapt to profound global changes. He affirmed that “Building an excellent civil service is not merely an administrative or technical requirement, but a strategic mission and a foundational pillar for national development in the new era.” His speech also contextualized the political and institutional landscape by referencing four key resolutions of the Politburo—on science and technology, international integration, legal reform, and private sector development—describing them as the “institutional quartet” that demands a comprehensive, cohesive, and transformative reform of the civil service.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien noted that the workshop was structured into two parts: in-depth expert presentations and a policy roundtable discussion, focusing on seven key themes ranging from institutional reform and technology to the environment and leadership development in the civil service. He expressed his hope that the workshop would create a space for scholars and practitioners to share practical insights, contributing to the formation of a civil service that is innovative, service-oriented, and committed to sustainable development.
He also reaffirmed the pioneering role of APAG in training, capacity building, and research on civil service reform, consistently linking theory with practice and aligning academic pursuits with action, true to the vision of building a modern, democratic, transparent, and effective public administration.
As part of the workshop, a number of presentations were delivered by leading domestic and international experts. These presentations focused on identifying the key factors needed to build a modern, effective, integrity-based, and people-centered civil service.
In the presentation session, experts from Viet Nam and abroad shared insightful perspectives on models of excellent civil service, highlighting critical elements in modern governance, digital transformation, and the development of human resources in the public sector.
Mr. Wu Wei Neng, Chief Executive Officer, Chandler Institute of Governance.
Mr. Wu Wei Neng, Chief Executive Officer of the Chandler Institute of Governance (Singapore), delivered a presentation titled “Building an excellent civil service to promote rapid, sustainable economic growth and enhance national competitiveness”. He emphasized that an excellent civil service is the most sustainable competitive advantage of a nation. According to him, a civil service must not only manage the present effectively but also possess the capacity to lead strategic changes in the future. Drawing on Singapore’s experience, he proposed a civil service model built on four pillars: performance, learning, innovation, and accountability, which is maintained through a continuous evaluation and improvement system to ensure long-term adaptability.
Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Viet Nam Administration Sciences Associations, Former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.
In his presentation, Dr. Tran Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Viet Nam Administration Sciences Associations, focused on clarifying the central role of the civil service in streamlining the government apparatus and advancing digital transformation, through his presentation titled “Requirements for public human resources in the context of streamlining apparatus and digital transformation.” He emphasized six core values that a modern civil service must embody, namely integrity, competence, transparency, dynamism, accountability, and effectiveness. Notably, he recommended redesigning job positions, strengthening talent recruitment, and enhancing digital capabilities for frontline civil servants i.e., those who directly interact with citizens and businesses.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Dean of the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies–Foreign Languages–IT, APAG.
In her presentation titled “The need to build a team of public leaders with capabilities of adaptation, strategic management, policy formulation, innovation and creativity in the current context”, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Dean of the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies–Foreign Languages–IT, APAG, emphasized that public leaders must possess four core competencies, namely adaptability, strategic management, policy planning, and innovation. Based on this foundation, she proposed seven comprehensive solution groups to develop leadership human resources capable of meeting the demands of rapid digitalization and international integration.
Prof. Vu Minh Khuong, National University of Singapore.
Prof. Vu Minh Khuong, National University of Singapore, joined the workshop online to contribute a strategic perspective. He asserted that “strategy is a vital element” enabling the civil service to turn challenges into opportunities. He shared five key lessons from Singapore, including the application of the “three iron disciplines” (vision – truth – execution), the separation of policy design and implementation through the “operations bureau” model, and the development of civil servants based on the principles of integrity – service – excellence. He also highlighted performance- and potential-based pay, as well as evaluation systems focused on results and leadership capacity, as critical factors in building a trustworthy and high-performing civil service culture.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Quang Dieu, Director of the Center for IT and Digital Transformation, HCMA.
On the technology front, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Quang Dieu, Director of the Center for Technology and Digital Transformation at HCMA, proposed building an integrated national digital ecosystem, emphasizing the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data in enhancing governance and public policy formulation. According to him, AI cannot replace humans, but “those who do not use AI will be replaced”, which is a powerful message underscoring the urgent need to enhance digital competencies among civil servants in the context of comprehensive digital transformation.
Concluding the presentation session, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Bac, Standing Vice President of HCMA, summarized the discussion and affirmed key reasons for building an excellent civil service, including transforming mindsets, integrating digital technology, combating corruption, and enhancing administrative reform efficiency. He also outlined strategic directions, including developing the civil service workforce, improving institutional frameworks, implementing comprehensive administrative reform, learning from international best practices, and positioning the civil service as an organic part of the Party’s building and rectification process and the overall improvement of the political system under the comprehensive leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.
The next session of the workshop was the roundtable discussion “Building an excellent public service – streamlining apparatus, transforming institutions, enhancing implementation capacity” moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Hai, Dean of the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, APAG. The session featured the participation of numerous international and Vietnamese panelists, including Ms. Karen Dalkie, Vice President, CBIE; Mr. Wu Wei Neng, Chief Executive Officer, CIG; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Nghia, Director General, Department of International Cooperation, HCMA; Dr. Dinh Duy Hoa, Former Director General, Department of Administrative Reforms, Ministry of Home Affairs; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Mai, Dean, Faculty of Human Resource Management, APAG.
Roundtable discussion: Building an excellent public service – streamlining apparatus, transforming institutions, enhancing implementation capacity.
The roundtable delved into practical and multi-dimensional solutions for shaping an excellent civil service, highlighting three key thematic areas (1) Restructuring the administrative apparatus and enhancing implementation capacity; (2) Institutional reform and the role of leadership; (3) Public–private collaboration, international cooperation, and unlocking resources.
Participants agreed that restructuring the administrative apparatus should go beyond simply reducing staff size or streamlining the organization. More importantly, it must involve redesigning functions, responsibilities, and operational processes to ensure that every public service position is aligned with service goals and performance outcomes. This process must be supported by digital data, modern management technologies, and quantitative evaluation tools, rather than relying solely on formal criteria or subjective experience.
On the topic of institutional reform, many opinions emphasized the need to shift gradually from an “administrative management” mindset to modern public governance, characterized by transparency, accountability, and a focus on outcomes that serve citizens and businesses. Decentralization and the transfer of power should be strengthened, providing greater autonomy to localities and public units in line with their capacity and accountability.
Notably, the discussion stressed that enhancing policy implementation capacity is the decisive factor for the success of any reform. Effective implementation cannot happen without a strong connection between training and real-world demands. This calls for bold reforms in the civil service training system, from curriculum design to innovative, competency-based teaching methods that are practice-oriented and aligned with modern technological and institutional contexts.
A key consensus reached during the roundtable was the need to build an “open” civil service – one that actively learns from international experiences and adopts modern technologies such as AI, Big Data, and integrated information systems. It should also engage with both the private sector and the public in governance processes. Such an approach not only fosters flexibility and innovation within the civil service but also helps build public trust and mobilize societal resources toward achieving sustainable development goals.
Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh, Vice President of APAG, delivered closing remarks.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh, Vice President of APAG, emphasized that the outcomes of the discussions not only provide a crucial foundation for researching, formulating, and refining administrative reform policies but also serve as essential preparation for the modernization of the civil service in the digital era. In particular, he underscored the importance of developing comprehensive digital policy and strategic frameworks, both in state management and in the delivery of essential public services. The application of new technologies will help improve the quality of policy formulation, enhance the efficiency and transparency of public governance, and ultimately contribute to the development of an excellent, professional, and modern civil service that effectively serves citizens and businesses.
Workshop participants.
The workshop concluded in a spirit of open and constructive dialogue, leaving a lasting impression through its insightful exchanges and thought-provoking ideas. Delegates offered many practical recommendations aimed at shaping a modern, transparent, and efficient public administration, one that plays a catalytic role in fostering sustainable development in today’s evolving context. In addition, the workshop served as a platform to connect intellectual resources, promote academic collaboration, and open up long-term cooperation opportunities between domestic research institutions and training centers, as well as international partners, particularly in the areas of administrative innovation and improving the quality of the civil service.
