The Academy of Public Administration and Governance organizes a talk with Professor Alex Brillantes on public governance serving the people in the new context

Attending the talk was Dr. Hoang Ngoc Hai, Vice President of the Academy; leaders of units under and affiliated with the Academy; along with a large number of lecturers and students of the Academy of Public Administration and Governance.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Hoang Ngoc Hai, Vice President of the Academy, warmly welcomed Professor Alex Brillantes, international experts, leaders of units under and affiliated with the Academy, and all lecturers and students attending the talk. Dr. Hoang Ngoc Hai expressed his pleasure in welcoming Professor Alex Brillantes - a prestigious scholar in Asia-Pacific public administration and governance, a close friend of the Academy, and a long-time companion who has supported connections and spread modern governance knowledge across countries.

The Vice President of the Academy emphasized that the thematic talk is not only an occasion for the Academy's lecturers and students to approach new ideas about modern public governance but also a valuable opportunity to enhance international academic exchange, broaden perspectives, and learn from advanced administrative systems in the region. In the context of Vietnam entering a new development stage with the requirement to build a modern, transparent, constructive, and service-oriented civil administration, the insights shared by Professor Alex Brillantes have practical significance both theoretically and practically.

Dr. Hoang Ngoc Hai affirmed that the question "Who does public governance serve?" posed by the Professor is the core issue for any modern administrative system. No matter how the management model changes, the ultimate goal must always be geared towards serving the people, putting humans at the center of all public policies, thereby creating a humane, transparent, and sustainably developing governance system.

Sharing at the talk, Professor Alex Brillantes presented a comprehensive approach to modern public governance through the "5Es and 1A" value system, in which, besides traditional elements such as economy, effectiveness, and efficiency, he specifically emphasized three foundational values: equity, ethics, and accountability.

The Professor argued that public governance in the new context does not stop at optimizing the apparatus or improving performance, but needs to clearly answer the question of "who it serves," with a focus on disadvantaged, vulnerable groups and those at risk of being left behind. He also shared many international experiences, especially from Southeast Asian countries, on promoting digital governance, enhancing transparency, controlling corruption, and increasing citizens' trust in the public sector.

Furthermore, the Professor emphasized the role of digital transformation in reshaping public governance, from policymaking to public service delivery, while warning that technology only truly exerts its effectiveness when accompanied by clear ethical standards and accountability mechanisms. Comparative analyses of governance models in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia also provided a multi-dimensional perspective, helping learners better understand the differences in governance approaches across regions.

The exchange and discussion session took place enthusiastically with many questions from students revolving around practical issues such as: How to apply the principles of equity and accountability in the practical conditions of Vietnam; The role of young civil servants in promoting innovation and building a service-oriented administration; The impact of digital transformation and artificial intelligence on the transparency of public service activities; and Solutions to improve public service ethics and prevent/combat corruption in the new context.

Many students expressed their interest in balancing management efficiency and ensuring social equity, as well as how to ensure citizens' voices—especially those of disadvantaged groups—are fully reflected in the policymaking process. Professor Alex Brillantes directly answered the questions and encouraged students to proactively learn from international experiences, but with a selective adaptation suited to Vietnam's specific conditions.

Delivering the concluding remarks of the talk, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Dean of the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Sciences - Foreign Languages - Informatics, respectfully thanked Professor Alex Brillantes and EROPA experts for devoting their precious time to exchanging and sharing experiences. She expressed the belief that the talk would bring many practical values, contributing to promoting public governance innovation towards building a service-oriented, modern, and sustainably developing administration.

The talk took place in an enthusiastic academic atmosphere, attracting the participation of a large number of lecturers, scientists, and students of the Academy. This is a meaningful activity, contributing to strengthening international cooperation while simultaneously improving the training and research quality of the Academy of Public Administration and Governance in the new period.