The Academy of Public Administration and Governance (APAG) was established on the basis of inheriting and promoting the traditions of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), Hanoi University of Home Affairs (HUHA), and the Training School for Cadres and Civil Servants under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Over its 65 years of construction and development, APAG has made significant contributions to training high-quality human resources in public administration, state management, and public governance. This article provides an overview of the APAG’s development history, its outstanding achievements, and its development orientation in the new era.
APAG was established on the basis of inheriting and promoting the traditions of the National Academy of Public Administration, Hanoi University of Home Affairs, and the Training School for Cadres and Civil Servants under the Ministry of Home Affairs. 1. Introduction
Implementing Decision No. 214-QĐ/TW dated December 28, 2024, of the Politburo on the functions, tasks, and organizational structure of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA), APAG has become one of six academies under HCMA, with a new position and new development prospects.
Under the leadership of the Party Committee and the Board of Directors of HCMA, APAG continues to inherit and promote traditions, while undertaking strong innovation and breakthroughs to develop into a national center for training and research in public administration, state management, and public governance. It strives to ensure top national quality, actively participate in regional and international integration, and contribute positively to the mission of training public officials for the Party and the State, thereby advancing Viet Nam’s sustainable development in the era of nation’s rise.
2. Content
2.1. Overview of the development history of APAG
APAG originated from the School of Administration, established under Decree No. 214-NV dated May 29, 1959, signed by Deputy Prime Minister Phan Ke Toai. The School was under the Ministry of Home Affairs, tasked with training district-level public officials. It was located in Phu Luu Hamlet, Tâan Hong Commune, Tu Son District, Bac Ninh Province, and opened its first course on October 16, 1959.
On September 29, 1961, the School was renamed the Central School of Administration under Decree No. 130-CP of the Council of Government, headquartered in Lang Ha, Ha Noi, which is the current location of APAG. On March 30, 1977, the Council of Government issued Decision No. 81-CP, transferring the Central School of Administration from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Government’s Organization Committee. On May 12, 1980, the Council of Government issued Decision No. 142-CP to merge the Central School of Administration and the Central School of Economics into the Central School of Administration and Economics.
On June 8, 1981, the Council of Ministers (now the Government) issued Decision No. 233-CP to separate the Central School of Administration and Economics into two schools: the Central School of Administration and the Central School of Economic Management. The Central School of Administration became an agency under the Council of Ministers, operating under Decision No. 91-HĐBT dated September 26, 1981, which defined its functions, tasks, and organizational structure.
On November 1, 1990, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers issued Decision No. 381-CT, renaming the Central School of Administration to the National School of Administration; from July 6, 1992, it was renamed the National Academy of Public Administration under Decree No. 253-HĐBT of the Council of Ministers. According to this decree, it was directly managed by the Council of Ministers, serving as a center for training state administrative civil servants and conducting research in public administration.
From May 2007 to December 2013, it merged with HCMA, becoming the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration. During this period, it was known as the Academy of Public Administration under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration. In 2013, under Resolution No. 121/NQ-CP, it came under the Ministry of Home Affairs with the name National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA).
In 2017, NAPA received the Training School for Cadres and Civil Servants under the Ministry of Home Affairs, following Decision No. 949/QĐ-TTg dated July 5, 2017, of the Prime Minister on the dissolution of that school.
In 2022, under Decision No. 699/QĐ-BNV of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Decision No. 27/2022/QĐ-TTg of the Prime Minister, HUHA was merged into NAPA, thus completing its organizational model and functions to provide training from undergraduate to master's and doctoral levels, as well as training public officials.
On December 28, 2024, the Politburo issued Decision No. 214-QĐ/TW on the functions, tasks, and organizational structure of HCMA. According to this decision, APAG became one of six academies under HCMA. Subsequently, on January 8, 2025, the President of HCMA issued Decision No. 55-QĐ/HVCTQG on the functions, tasks, and organizational structure of APAG. Under these decisions, APAG is a higher education institution under HCMA, tasked with providing undergraduate, master's, and doctoral training; conducting academic research; transferring technology; engaging in international cooperation; and delivering public services in public administration, state management, public governance, and legal affairs as required by the Party, the State, HCMA, and societal needs.
The merger of NAPA into HCMA is a strategic decision, reflecting the determination and strategic vision of the Party and the State in streamlining the organizational apparatus to be lean, efficient, and effective. This decision aims not only to optimize national resources but also to improve the quality of training public officials, leaders, and managers, thereby meeting the country's development needs in the new era.
2.2. APAG in its 66-year history of establishment and development
Looking back on its 66-year journey, APAG takes pride in having made significant contributions to the nation’s building and development, particularly in training high-quality human resources for the political and social system. APAG is proud of the following notable achievements:
First, APAG has played a core role in training public officials in public administration and state management from the central to the local levels. From 1959 to 2024, APAG has trained over 500,000 intermediate- and senior-level public leaders and managers, as well as tens of thousands of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral graduates in public management, public policy, and state management. Many alumni have held or are holding important positions in the Party, the State apparatus, and political–social organizations.
Second, since 1996, APAG has undertaken the mission of offering undergraduate programs in public administration to meet the demands of administrative reform and international integration. By 2023 (compared to the period before the merger of HUHA), APAG had organized 18 cohorts of bachelor’s degree programs in state management with approximately 27,000 full-time students, nearly 30,000 part-time students, and hundreds of students in the special admission system. At the same time, APAG had organized 29 master’s programs and 22 doctoral programs in public management, supplying highly qualified experts for both the public and private sectors, as well as for the nation.
Third, APAG has been the key institution in developing and implementing training programs and materials for public officials in public administration and state management in Viet Nam. In the period from 2021 to 2024 alone, APAG compiled and had approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs 16 sets of training programs and materials tailored to rank standards, job positions, and professional titles, which have been officially issued and put into use.
This body of experience and valuable intellectual assets forms the foundation for APAG - now as a constituent unit - to continue providing advice and implementing tasks assigned and delegated by HCMA in the training of public officials, delivering public services, and offering policy consultancy in public administration, state management, and public governance.
Fourth, APAG has strengthened international cooperation, establishing relations with more than 50 partners worldwide and actively participating in many prestigious international organizations such as IASIA, AGPA, PSTI, and EROPA. APAG served as Convenor of PSTI for the 2023–2024 term, Chair of the EROPA Executive Council for the 2024–2025 term, and has been a training partner for public officials in several Asian countries such as Laos, Bangladesh, and India.
In recognition of its significant and practical contributions, APAG has been honored with numerous prestigious awards from the Party and the State, including the Ho Chi Minh Order, the Independence Order (First, Second, and Third Class), the Second-Class Labor Order, along with many other distinguished titles.
Currently, APAG consists of 05 functional units, 07 academic faculties, 02 centers, 01 journal, and 03 campuses located in Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Nam Province (Da Nang City as of July 1, 2025), and Dak Lak Province. APAG has 715 staff members, the majority of whom are highly qualified: 01 professor, 17 associate professors, 160 PhDs, and 401 master’s degree holders. As of May 2025, APAG offers 37 majors and specializations at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including 14 majors and 13 specializations at the undergraduate level, 08 fields at the master’s level, and 02 fields at the doctoral level, with a total enrollment of nearly 20,000 students and trainees. On average, each year, APAG admits about 4,000 undergraduate students, 600 master’s students, and 100 doctoral candidates.
Throughout its 66-year journey, under different names and governing bodies at various stages, APAG has consistently strived to move forward, affirming its mark and position as a prestigious national center for training high-quality human resources in public administration, state management, and public governance for both the public and private sectors. Each stage in its development has been a milestone of special significance, contributing to the rich tradition and identity of APAG. APAG takes pride in its achievements and remains fully aware of its responsibility to continue upholding its traditions while striving toward an even stronger future.
2.3. Development orientations of APAG in the new context
Under the care, leadership, and direction of HCMA, in this new era, with new opportunities and prospects, and guided by the core values of “Wisdom – Quality – Modernity,” APAG continues to inherit its fine traditional values, take the lead in innovation and creativity, and strive to become a national key higher education institution. It aims to build a digital academy ecosystem, a green academy, and modern governance in line with international standards, with a reputable position in the Asia-Pacific region in the fields of public administration, state management, and public governance.
In the coming period, APAG will focus on developing the following pillars:
First, strengthening and ensuring the comprehensive leadership of the Party over APAG. Building APAG to embody both the cultural identity of a Party School and the status of a key higher education institution under the Law on Higher Education. Consolidating and maintaining unity and consensus in the leadership and direction of the Party Committee and among all Party members and public officials within APAG.
Second, recognizing that the APAG’s contingent of public officials is its most valuable asset. APAG will focus on investing in human resource development, with an emphasis on the quality of lecturers and public officials who possess high professional qualifications, professionalism, and a pioneering spirit in innovation and creativity. In alignment with the country’s development strategy in the new era, APAG will encourage and guide lecturers and public officials to continue their studies, improve their qualifications, and update their expertise in modern governance, especially in digital capabilities and advanced academic research. Priority will be given to developing young lecturers and researchers in connection with training and academic exchange within the region and internationally.
Targeted investment will be made in APAG public officials, especially lecturers participating in capacity-building projects, mastering digital technology, and applying artificial intelligence in teaching and academic research. APAG will proactively connect and send lecturers to participate in practical activities at central and local agencies and units. It will also build a model of a learning organization, a culture of quality, and a culture of responsibility deeply ingrained in the awareness and actions of every official and employee of APAG.
Third, taking the learner as the center, continuously innovating teaching methods, and developing training programs in a flexible and diverse manner to best meet learners’ needs. Building on the training programs associated with APAG’s brand over the past 66 years, such as Public Administration, State Management, and Public Management, APAG will continue to develop, expand, and specialize in fields and majors such as public governance, local governance, urban governance, administrative technology, data governance, risk and crisis management, policy analysis, and more. APAG will also continue to invest in and develop fields such as law, human resource management, office management, and economic management to meet societal needs.
Fourth, strengthening international cooperation and connecting networks of domestic and foreign educational institutions to provide opportunities for academic exchange among students, trainees, and lecturers in public administration, state management, and public governance. Implementing joint programs with leading universities and academies in the region and internationally in public administration and public governance, aiming to make APAG a prestigious destination for research and training in public administration, state management, and public governance in the Asia-Pacific region.
APAG will continue to collaborate closely with agencies, units, and organizations in both the public and private sectors. APAG will sign and implement cooperation programs with state agencies and enterprises to allow lecturers, students, and trainees to engage in internships, practical activities, and projects, thereby enhancing professional skills. APAG will also carry out programs to invite adjunct lecturers and guest speakers, including leaders and experts currently working at reputable state agencies and enterprises, to participate in lecturing, training, and sharing academic knowledge as well as practical experience, ensuring up-to-date and relevant content while maintaining strong connections between lecturers, students, trainees, and employers.
APAG will promote the establishment of a public governance practice center and organize quarterly and annual public governance dialogue forums on topics closely linked to real-world practice. These forums aim to create a network connecting APAG with state agencies, enterprises, and employers to gather initiatives and ideas and implement them effectively in practice.
Fifth, under the direction and decentralization of HCMA, APAG focuses on mobilizing maximum human and financial resources, building a team of leading experts to develop APAG into a center for research, innovation, policy consultancy, governance technology transfer, and provision of public services based on societal needs. In particular, this includes public services related to policy consultancy, program design, and the organization and implementation of capacity-building training programs tailored to the needs of ministries, sectors, localities, agencies, and units.
Annually, through public governance forums and proactive research on practical issues linked to APAG’s strengths and core values, emphasis is placed on developing policy recommendations, compiling initiatives, and providing consultancy related to administration, state management, and public governance. These aim to supply scientific evidence and arguments to the leadership bodies of HCMA; Party and State agencies; ministries, sectors, and localities, in order to address practical issues in modern national governance.
Sixth, enhancing investment in physical facilities, technological infrastructure, and modern university governance, building a digital academy and a green academy to meet the requirements of higher education development in the digital era. This includes prioritizing investment in smart classrooms, learning management systems (LMS) integrated with artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), augmented reality (AR), and other technologies to personalize learners’ study pathways and support lecturers in teaching.
APAG also implements software for staff management, training management, and learner management; and develops a centralized digital data repository to serve the management and operations of the APAG Board of Directors, unit leaders, and the entire staff, employees, and learners of APAG.
3. Conclusion
Under the leadership of HCMA, APAG continues to inherit and promote the 65-year tradition of NAPA, the 50-year tradition of HUHA, and the 9-year tradition of the Training School for Cadres and Civil Servants under the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the same time, it continues to undertake strong innovations to meet the requirements of improving the quality of training, research, and policy consultancy for the Party and the State in the context of national integration and digital transformation. This marks the beginning of a new stage of development, with great potential, promising prospects, and many opportunities for growth.
The above-mentioned solutions need to be implemented in a synchronized and systematic manner, with a clear roadmap and specific steps. With the attention and leadership of HCMA, and with a sense of responsibility, determination, and great aspiration, all APAG staff will unite and work together to build a modern, dynamic APAG that achieves new accomplishments, meeting the expectations of the Party, the State, and the entire society.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien
Secretary of the Party Committee of APAG
President of APAG