From High-Level Diplomacy to Concrete Cooperation in Training and Public Governance Capacity Development

On May 28, 2026, at the Government House of the Kingdom of Thailand, in the presence of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand Anutin Charnvirakul, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, President of the Academy of Public Administration and Governance, and Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, President of Khon Kaen University, exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two institutions. Khon Kaen University is one of Thailand's leading public universities, with strengths in local development, public governance, and research serving regional development, with extensive experience in linking training and research activities to the development needs of local governments and communities.

On the morning of June 1, 2026, at Malacañang Palace, in the presence of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam and President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien exchanged the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the Academy of Public Administration and Governance and the University of the Philippines with Prof. Maria Vanessa P. Lusung-Oyzon, Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of the Philippines.

As the national university and leading higher education institution of the Philippines, the University of the Philippines plays a central role in high-quality human resource training, scientific research, and national policy consultation. In the fields of public administration, public policy, and development governance, the University of the Philippines is regarded as one of the leading training and research institutions in Southeast Asia, with extensive experience in policy research, public sector capacity development, and the promotion of governance innovation initiatives.

The memoranda of understanding exchanged during this visit focus on areas of direct relevance to the process of reforming national development governance, including public governance, local governance, public sector reform, research and policy consultation, training and capacity building for cadres, civil servants and public employees, scientific research, and public sector capacity development. These are also areas closely aligned with the functions and missions of the Academy of Public Administration and Governance in training and fostering public administration and public governance, scientific research, and policy consultation.

In the context of Vietnam's implementation of strategically significant decisions on organizational restructuring, refinement of the two-tier local government model, acceleration of decentralization and devolution, and enhancement of the state administrative system's implementation capacity, the requirements for development governance quality are becoming increasingly urgent. Governance innovation is not merely about restructuring organizations or operational processes, but also about renewing development governance thinking, improving institutional quality, enhancing policy planning and implementation capacity, promoting the initiative and creativity of localities, and building a cadre of officials with sufficient capacity to lead and implement development governance objectives in the new era. These are also the major orientations that General Secretary To Lam has repeatedly emphasized in his recent writings and speeches on building a modern administration, a streamlined apparatus that operates with efficiency, effectiveness, and performance, and that serves the people and businesses.

Stemming from the requirements of national governance innovation in the new development context, the expansion of cooperation with reputable training and research institutions in the region creates conditions for the Academy to access models of training, research, and public sector capacity development linked to the realities of administrative reform, local governance, and the improvement of policy planning and implementation quality. The cooperation agreements established within the framework of General Secretary and President To Lam's State Visit reflect the increasingly close linkage between high-level diplomacy and human resource development and public sector institutional capacity — factors that are decisive for governance capacity, implementation capacity, and development governance capacity, ensuring that development objectives are translated into practical results.

The memoranda of understanding exchanged on this occasion lay the foundation for cooperative activities in training, research, public sector capacity development, and academic exchange between the Academy and its regional partners. At the same time, this is also an opportunity to share with international friends Vietnam's experiences and practical lessons in reforming the political system, reforming public administration, refining the local government model, and building a governance system that serves the people. This also reflects a new trend in Vietnam's international integration: entering a new stage of development with a proactive disposition of contribution, co-creation, and experience-sharing, rather than merely receiving experience from the outside.

Notably, the exchange of the Memoranda of Understanding within the framework of General Secretary and President To Lam's State Visit coincided with the Academy of Public Administration and Governance's 67th founding anniversary (May 29, 1959 – May 29, 2026), marking a milestone of special significance for the Academy's development. Over 67 years of construction and development, from the mission of training the State's administrative cadres, the Academy has accompanied the process of building, reforming the national administration, and developing the country through many different stages. In the new era, in its role as a unit under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, the Academy continues to fulfill its missions of cadre training and capacity building, scientific research, and policy consultation, meeting the ever-higher requirements of the national governance renewal process and the building of a modern, effective, and efficient administration in service of national development.