I hope you will always strive to do your best, never stop learning, master knowledge, dare to pursue your passions and ambitions, live responsibly toward yourselves, your families, and the Fatherland, and endeavor to become a generation that is

Distinguished: Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Member of the Politburo, President of HCMA, Chairman of the Central Council on Theoretical Studies.

Distinguished: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Doan Minh Huan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Standing Vice President of HCMA.

Distinguished guests!

Dear lecturers, staff, and employees, as well as our beloved students and trainees.

Today, in the atmosphere of the Opening Ceremony of the 25th Cohort of full-time undergraduate programs (academic years 2025-2029), I am deeply delighted and honored, on behalf of the Party Committee and the Board of Directors of APAG, to extend to all distinguished guests, lecturers, staff, and students the warmest greetings and sincerest congratulations.

Distinguished delegates! Esteemed lecturers! Dear students and trainees!

First of all, on behalf of APAG’s staff, students, and trainees, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Member of the Politburo, President of HCMA, Chairman of the Central Council on Theoretical Studies, for his constant attention, for attending today’s ceremony, and for delivering guiding remarks on APAG’s future development.

I would also like to sincerely thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Doan Minh Huan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Standing Vice President of HCMA, together with all distinguished guests, for attending the Opening Ceremony of APAG.

Congratulations and a warm welcome to all the new students of Cohort 25 who have officially become part of the shared home of APAG.

Dear Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Immediately after the merger and renaming into APAG, the institution identified the 2025 student admission as its central task. With collective unity, APAG inherited the 65-year tradition and brand of the former National Academy of Public Administration, promptly developing and implementing the 2025 admission plan in line with its new position, role, functions, and tasks.

For the 2025 undergraduate admissions, APAG enrolled more than 4,000 new full-time students across 14 disciplines and 11 majors.

For the first 2025 postgraduate admissions, APAG admitted 301 master’s students in 8 master’s programs and 48 doctoral candidates in 2 doctoral programs.

Compared with 2024 admissions, both the number of applications and the number of successful candidates continued to increase. This demonstrates APAG’s credibility in training, which continues to receive public interest, trust, and high evaluation. Particularly, the APAG’s brand has expanded further since becoming a unit of HCMA.

In 2025, APAG held the graduation ceremony and conferred degrees to 1,833 new bachelor’s graduates, 210 master’s graduates, and 15 doctoral graduates.

Alongside this, during the first nine months of 2025, APAG successfully fulfilled its tasks across all areas:

On Party work: The Party Committee and Board of Directors provided sound leadership in political and ideological work, ensuring the merger and restructuring tasks were effectively implemented. APAG successfully organized the grassroots-level congresses and the APAG Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term. As of August 31, 2025, the Party Committee had 794 members (460 staff and employees; 334 students), with 27 Party cells and 2 subordinate Party committees.

On organization and personnel: APAG developed 40 regulations and established Steering Committee 35 and Steering Committee 57. It consolidated leadership and management across 18 units and reassigned staff and employees lawfully according to their competencies and job positions. Handovers were completed in line with merger and restructuring requirements.

As of August 31, 2025, APAG had a total of 654 personnel, including 583 staff members, 14 labor contracts, and 57 service support contracts. In terms of qualifications: 1 Professor, 14 Associate Professors, 141 PhDs, 374 Master’s, 81 Bachelor’s, and 43 with other qualifications. Lecturers accounted for 364 out of 654 staff (55.6%); administrative staff made up 189 out of 654 (28.89%); other categories were 101 out of 654 (15.44%).

APAG completed the external evaluation survey of 8 undergraduate programs and officially announced and awarded accreditation certificates at today’s ceremony.

In academic research, APAG organized 12 workshops and seminars, developed 2 policy recommendation reports, held a student scientific research conference with 103 projects involving 369 students, and launched the 5th contest on political essays defending the Party’s ideological foundation, which attracted 5,385 entries.

APAG strengthened international cooperation to advance its development and reputation. In the first nine months, it organized 5 overseas delegations, welcomed 15 international expert delegations, hosted 3 international workshops, and effectively managed Lao international students.

All activities related to planning, finance, office work, library, and journal operations remained stable and ensured quality.

Distinguished delegates, esteemed lecturers, and dear new students of Cohort 25,

The academic year 2025-2026 marks an important turning point in the development of APAG. This is the first year APAG implements Decision No. 55-QĐ/TW dated January 8, 2025, issued by the President of HCMA. Under this Decision, APAG enters a new stage of development as a multidisciplinary higher education institution under HCMA, the Party school named after President Ho Chi Minh. This transformation is both a source of pride and a significant responsibility for all staff, lecturers, and students of APAG to continue striving and building a high-quality learning environment.

Distinguished delegates, esteemed lecturers, and dear new students,

In the context of comprehensive digital transformation, knowledge, technology, and innovation play an increasingly crucial role in national development. On August 22, 2025, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthrough development in education and training, affirming: “Education and training are the top national policy, decisive for the nation’s future. Breakthrough development in education and training must begin with renewing thinking, awareness, and institutions.” The Resolution emphasizes the mission of enhancing the role of higher education institutions, aiming to become leading national and regional centers for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. At the same time, higher education institutions must innovate their governance to streamline, unify, and enhance efficiency; build a high-quality faculty team; expand international cooperation; and particularly focus on fostering a culture of lifelong learning.

This presents both opportunities and challenges for APAG to push forward with stronger innovation and affirm its position within Viet Nam’s higher education system and the region.

Distinguished delegates, esteemed lecturers, and dear new students,

To realize its mission and meet the requirements of renewal in the new context, APAG has identified the following key tasks for the 2025-2026 academic year:

First, thoroughly studying and concretizing the Party’s and State’s directives on the tasks for the 2025-2026 academic year. In particular, carefully and deeply studying Politburo Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthrough development in education and training, as well as the theme of the 2025-2026 academic year of the HCMA system: “Solidarity - Discipline - Exemplarity - Breakthrough - Development,” and translate these into action programs to be effectively implemented at APAG.

Second, continuing to streamline the organizational structure and personnel toward modern university governance. Priority should be given to improving the quality of the faculty and staff. Every lecturer must be a role model of self-study and creativity, serving as a guiding beacon to inspire, awaken aspirations, instill responsibility, and accompany students on their learning journey.

Third, completing institutional accreditation by 2026; developing modern, flexible, interdisciplinary training programs that meet social needs; and improving the quality and effectiveness of education and learner support under the principle of “learners as the center and main agents of the training process.”

Fourth, strengthening international cooperation, expanding networks for student, faculty, and academic exchanges with reputable universities and research institutes domestically and internationally. Proactively integrating more deeply to enhance the APAG’s education and research quality within the network of institutions for administration, public management, and governance training.

Fifth, studying and proposing the establishment of a Center for entrepreneurship, innovation, and knowledge transfer, creating an environment for lecturers, students, and trainees to unleash their intellect and link APAG with agencies, organizations, and enterprises in training, research, and technology transfer.

Sixth, building APAG into a center for research, policy consultation, and public service provision that meets societal needs.

Seventh, continuing to strengthen facilities and equipment to support training and activities of APAG; prioritizing investment in modern classrooms, smart classrooms, practice rooms, digital libraries, and intelligent software systems to improve service quality for learners and internal governance.

Dear first-year students of Cohort 25,

Thank you for placing your trust in and choosing APAG as the place to embark on your journey of study, growth, knowledge exploration, and future building. APAG will always stand by you, support you, and create every favorable condition for you throughout the process of learning, training, cultivating character, and nurturing the aspiration to contribute and take responsibility for society.

APAG - our shared home - with the educational philosophy of “Creating knowledge, innovating with creativity, and assuming national responsibility,” always adheres to the motto: Wisdom - Quality - Modernity as its guiding principle in all activities. I hope that you will always give your best effort, continuously learn to master knowledge, bravely pursue your passions and ambitions, live responsibly towards yourselves, your families, and the Fatherland; striving to become a generation that is “talented, compassionate, and resilient,” as emphasized by General Secretary To Lam at the Ceremony celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Education Sector’s tradition and the Opening of the new academic year 2025-2026.

Distinguished guests,

The new academic year for undergraduate students of Cohort 25 (academic term 2025-2029) has officially begun. Building on the APAG’s 66-year tradition, under the close guidance and leadership of HCMA, with a spirit of innovation, the determination and solidarity of lecturers, officials, and staff, along with the efforts, eagerness to learn, and creativity of our students, APAG is determined to successfully accomplish the tasks of the academic year 2025-2026.

Finally, I wish Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo Member, President of HCMA, Chairman of the Central Council on Theoretical Studies; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Doan Minh Huan, Member of the Party Central Committee, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Standing Vice President of HCMA, together with our honored guests, lecturers, and staff of APAG, abundant health, happiness, and success.

I wish all first-year students of Cohort 25 a new academic year full of energy, creativity, and outstanding achievements. May you have a smooth new beginning and a fulfilling youthful journey ahead!

I hereby declare the official opening of the undergraduate classes of Cohort 25 (academic term 2025-2029)!

Thank you very much!