On September 23, the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) worked with a delegation of experts from the University of Canberra (UC), Australia. The meeting aimed to exchange, supplement, and finalize cooperation agreements between the two sides.
Representing UC were Prof. Simon J. Hoy, Associate Dean (Partnerships and International) of the Faculty of Business, Government, and Law; and Dr. Benjamin Vu from the School of Politics, Economics, and Society.
Representing NAPA were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, NAPA President; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Hau, Chief of the Office of NAPA; Dr. Le Thanh Huyen, Director of the Graduate Training Management Department; Dr. Bui Huy Tung, Director of the Refresher Training Management Department; Dr. Dang Thanh Le, Director of the Institute of Administrative Studies; and Ms. Pham Thi Quynh Hoa, Director of the International Cooperation Department.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien, NAPA President, at the meeting.
In his part, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien expressed his pleasure in welcoming Prof. Simon J. Hoy and the delegation to NAPA, emphasizing the strong foundation and longstanding tradition of cooperation between NAPA and UC. Over the years, both sides have maintained regular collaborative relations. Notably, in 2019, the two institutions signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in training and academic research. In 2022, NAPA organized a delegation to visit and work at UC, where both sides, in collaboration with EROPA, successfully co-hosted the online seminar “Smart City Development: Roles of the Government.” In May 2024, NAPA participated in a working delegation led by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which engaged in discussions on cooperation at the Faculty of Business, Government, and Law at UC.
Building on the foundation of this cooperation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien expressed a desire to continue collaborating with UC in the future with specific objectives:
(1) Extending and renewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) after both sides review and adjust certain aspects to fit the new context. NAPA proposed the following areas:
- Developing a joint master’s program in public policy and public governance, with the degree conferred by UC. Both Vietnamese lecturers and UC professors will participate in lecturing;
- Collaborating to organize short-term training courses for Vietnamese government officials and managers, either in Australia or by inviting UC experts to teach in Viet Nam;
- Organizing training courses for female leaders and young leaders from Viet Nam to study and conduct research at UC.
(2) Coordinating to organize NAPA conferences and workshops through networks such as the ASEAN Public Service Training Institutes Network and the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA).
(3) Proposing that UC send experts to participate in teaching and sharing knowledge and experience in some of the NAPA’s training programs. Additionally, organizing online conferences and seminars to promote joint master’s programs with UC.
Prof. Simon J. Hoy at the meeting.
In his part, Prof. Simon J. Hoy expressed his delight at the warm reception from the NAPA leadership and the continuation of the cooperation between the two sides with clearly planned work activities. He expressed his desire to collaborate with NAPA on issues related to economic management, sustainable development, environmental protection, water resource management, and air pollution reduction. He also agreed to cooperate in organizing international seminars and other activities as proposed by NAPA.
Dr. Dang Thanh Le, Director of the Institute of Administrative Studies.
Dr. Le Thanh Huyen, Director of the Graduate Training Management Department.