Training workshop “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) for public governance innovation”

Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh, Vice President of APAG, delivered the opening speech at the training workshop.

Participants included Mr. Nguyen Tuan Luong, Head of Accelerator Labs, UNDP Viet Nam; Ms. Anna Ackermann, expert, UNDP Global Digital Office; Mr. Sarim Mehmood, expert, UNDP Global Digital Office; and representatives from the UNDP Viet Nam Accelerator Labs.

Participants from APAG included leaders of departments and affiliated units; lecturers from the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Sciences – Foreign Languages – Informatics; and representatives of staff, researchers, and PhD students.

In his opening remarks at the training workshop “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) for public governance innovation,” jointly organized by APAG and UNDP, Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh emphasized the importance of this activity in advancing the reform of the state administration system.

He expressed his gratitude to UNDP experts, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Luong, Ms. Anna Ackermann, and Mr. Sarim Mehmood, for their collaboration with APAG in enhancing innovation capacity among lecturers and staff. He noted that this training program is a continuation of the fruitful cooperation between the two sides, particularly following the success of the 2025 International Forum on Public Governance themed “Innovation toward National Sustainable Development in the New Era.”

According to Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh, Viet Nam is entering a comprehensive reform phase of the civil service, aiming to build a professional, integrity-based, modern, and innovative administration. Innovation and science-technology are identified as strategic breakthroughs in line with the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW. Artificial intelligence is not only a technical tool but also an instrument of new governance thinking, helping administrative agencies enhance analytical capacity, forecasting, and data-driven decision-making, thereby fostering a smart, transparent, and efficient public service that truly serves the people.

As a leading institution for training, research, and policy consultancy in public administration and governance, APAG identifies innovation as a core value and an operational approach. The training workshop aims to achieve three goals: (1) raise awareness of innovation in the public sector; (2) strengthen the capacity to apply AI in teaching, research, and governance; (3) build a team of lecturers and staff capable of disseminating digital knowledge and transforming creativity into practical competence.

Dr. Bui Phuong Dinh expressed his hope that UNDP would continue to accompany APAG in renewing curricula and training content, fostering an open ecosystem of learning, research, and innovation, where knowledge is shared, technology is responsibly applied, and people remain at the center of development.

The training workshop aims to update knowledge on public sector innovation and the application of AI in governance, teaching, research, and public governance. Its objectives include: developing practical skills to help APAG staff master and effectively use AI tools in their work (such as drafting documents, synthesizing reports, designing online public services, and supporting teaching and research); enhancing capacity for responsible AI use through understanding of ethics, legal frameworks, and risk management; introducing teaching methods on innovation and AI applications in public governance; fostering creative thinking and lifelong learning; and encouraging staff and lecturers to become key drivers of digital transformation within their units.

Participants studied the following topics:

(1) Overview of innovation in the public sector: essential skills, mindsets, and tools – Introducing the innovation process in the public sector and how to creatively and effectively apply AI.

(2) The role of AI in public governance: basic techniques and practical applications – providing foundational knowledge of AI, the government’s role in AI deployment, and the opportunities and risks of AI use in public services.

(3) Application of AI in designing and delivering modern digital public services – introducing the AI product lifecycle and its applications in improving public services.

(4) Building data sovereignty and AI sovereignty in public governance – presenting strategies for effective data utilization and ensuring AI sovereignty for governments.

(5) Practice: Applying AI in administrative work, teaching, and research – hands-on exercises through case studies: 1. Vibe Coding; 2. Data analysis for policy-making; 3. Building an AI assistant for public service.

(6) Application (Mini Sprint): Applying AI to solve real-world problems in public governance – participants select a topic and use AI tools to address practical scenarios.