Opening Ceremony of the Master Program in Executive Public Policy for Ho Chi Minh City’s Civil Servants

On the morning of March 2, 2023, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) solemnly held the Opening Ceremony of the Master Program in Executive Public Policy for Ho Chi Minh City’s Civil Servants. This was the first successful milestone marking the Cooperation Program in the period of 2022-2023 between UEH and the Organizing Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, which was signed in August 2022.

Attending the opening ceremony, on the side of the city authorities were: Mr. Nguyen Ho Hai - Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee; Ms. Le Thi Thanh Thuy - Deputy Head of the Organization Department of the City Party Committee; Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Tham - Deputy Director of Department of Home Affairs.

On the UEH side was the participation of Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dong Phong - Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the University Council; Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh - President; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Phan Thi Bich Nguyet - Chairwoman of the Strategic and Policy Advisory Council; Dr. Bui Quang Hung - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice President; Dr. Dinh Cong Khai - Vice President; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Khac Quoc Bao - Vice President; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Ho Viet Tien - Director of the Graduate School. City officials were included with all the lecturers who teach the program, especially the 41 newly admitted students.

Overview of the opening ceremony

The Master Program in Executive Public Policy (Executive MPP 2023) for Ho Chi Minh City’s Civil Servants in 2023 was an advanced training program in line with international standards, built on reference to public policy programs from major universities in the world such as Kennedy School (Harvard University); Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago; London School of Economics and Political Science; Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore;… but adjusted to suit policy practice in Vietnam. The program focuses on equipping students with the ability to identify key policy challenges in Vietnam, globally in general, and in Ho Chi Minh City in particular while strengthening their capacity to analyze and evaluate policy, planning, and management issues of public policy implementation. In particular, in the context of the rapid development of science and technology and rapid changes in the socio-economic environment, the program will have discussions on the role and strategy of applying innovation and creativity to digital transformation in sectors and industries of the economy, urbanization, and social security policies, climate change responding policies, etc., in order to promote sustainable development, implement goal “rich people, strong country, fair and civilized society”. This is also a training program that demonstrates UEH's social responsibility to Ho Chi Minh City and creates conditions for leaders, managers, and executives at the local strategic level to improve their capacity, contributing to regional and local economic development. The University implemented a scholarship policy that rewards up to 50% of tuition fees for the entire course.

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Ho Viet Tien - Director of the Graduate School, announced the decision to enroll 41 students in the course

Speaking at the opening of the course, Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh - President of UEH shared: “Towards sustainable development goals for HCMC and the whole country in the era of the knowledge economy and global economic integration as defined in Resolution 31 of Politburo, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City with its social responsibility, and at the same time as a leading university in Vietnam in public sector training, wishes to contribute a part of efforts in promoting sustainable development of Ho Chi Minh City, in particular, and the whole country in general through the development and implementation of the Master Program in Executive Public Policy 2023 for HCMC’s Civil Servants. Today, I would like to warmly congratulate 41 students on being admitted to UEH's Master's Program in Executive Public Policy. In order for the course to have the best effect, I hope that the students will arrange their work, ensure class time and subject requirements, and increase self-study and team building to achieve high results in the course, thereby serving their job, contributing to the development of the locality and the country”. He also emphasized that the force of professors and doctors who graduated from many world-renowned universities have a deep understanding of the public sector in Vietnam and many research works on theories related to management, public administration, and economic development policies at the central and local levels, and strong research capacity are the solid foundations for UEH to successfully deploy training programs to provide high-quality human resources for the public sector.

Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh - President of UEH delivered the opening speech of the training course

Le Thi Thanh Thuy - Deputy Head of the Organization Department of the City Party Committee, shared: "Implementing the policy of the Standing City Party Committee on enhancing training and additional in-depth knowledge of public policy for City’s officials and civil servants, especially heads at all levels of the city, improving their ability to analyze and evaluate state management issues, on that basis, having a strategic vision to advise and propose effective solutions for the city to develop in the upcoming period, especially in the implementation of the Politburo's Resolution No. 31 on the direction and tasks of HCMC development until 2030, with a vision to 2045. Based on the above facts, today, the Organizing Committee of the City Party Committee cooperates with the University of Economics of Ho Chi Minh City to hold the opening ceremony of the Master Program in Executive Public Policy. This is one of the coordination contents between the Organizing Committee of the City Party Committee and UEH in the period of 2022 - 2023 to conduct training and improve the quality of the city's civil servants and public employees. For many years, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City has been one of the universities in the city that actively participates in the training of human resources. Therefore, with the desire to coordinate this training in an application-oriented manner associated with the city's practice, it will support and foster the ability to analyze and evaluate policy issues, planning and implementing policies for the comrades who have been recruited to participate in this course.”

Mr. Le Thi Thanh Thuy - Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee of the City Party Committee gave a speech

A student of the Master Program in Executive Public Policy shared her feelings

Delegates and students took memorable photos

In addition, within the framework of the program, a seminar "Solutions to support and develop young talents and future leaders" was also held under the chair of Mr. Le Thi Thanh Thuy - Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee; Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Tham - Deputy Director of Department of Home Affairs; Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh - President of UEH, led the students to exchange and share ideas about working in the public sector.

Overview of the seminar "Solutions to support and develop young talents and future leaders"

At the seminar's conclusion, Mr. Nguyen Ho Hai emphasized: "Thank you very much to the Party Committee and Board of Directors of UEH for actively creating conditions for leaders and officials of the city's Department of Home Affairs to hear the thoughts and feelings of the students. The city desires to make good people, talented and virtuous people participating in the political system, in the units that contribute to the city's construction. This is a very useful opportunity for city leaders to rethink how to have appropriate policies to attract young people with eligible qualities, capabilities, and standards to work in agencies and organizations and positions in the city's political system. At this point, it is hoped that the UEH Party Committee will have solutions to promote the strengthening of leadership in the admission of Party members among lecturers, teachers, and students of schools in the city. I also hope you will carefully consider which job to choose that helps you experience, encounter, and contribute to your youth. I hope you learn about our living society to look at it, to determine our daily labor, and how to live a useful life because each person only goes through their youth once.”

Mr. Nguyen Ho Hai - Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee delivered a directing speech

As a national key university with more than 47 years of experience and restructuring to become a Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City always recognizes the responsibility to contribute to the city's development and surrounding areas. Carrying out its mission of training high-quality human resources for the public sector, over the past time, UEH has built scientific and systematic training programs on Public Policy, Public Management, Environmental Management, Law, Urban Planning, and Innovation,... for the Mekong Delta, the Southern key economic region... Along with training activities, UEH is always ready to carry out projects, research, and development consultancy for the city and regions per the social responsibility of a leading prestigious public university.

Some more photos regarding the ceremony: