Celebrating the 75th Founding Anniversary, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics proudly received the First Class Labour Medal

Attending the ceremony were comrades: Nong Duc Manh, former General Secretary of the Party Central Committee; Truong Tan Sang, former President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Nguyen Van An, former Chairman of the National Assembly; Nguyen Sinh Hung, former Chairman of the National Assembly; Pham The Duyet, former Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Phan Dien, former Standing Member of the Secretariat; with the presence of Politburo members: Le Minh Hung, Head of the Central Organizing Committee; Tran Cam Tu, Head of the Central Inspection Committee; Phan Dinh Trac, Head of the Central Internal Affairs Committee; Nguyen Trong Nghia, Head of the Central Propaganda Department; Do Van Chien, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Nguyen Hoa Binh, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of the Government; General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense; Nguyen Van Nen, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee; and Former Politburo Members: To Huy Rua, former Head of the Central Organizing Committee, former President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics; Le Xuan Tung, former Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee; members of the Party Central Committee, former members of the Party Central Committee, alternate members of the Party Central Committee; leaders of central departments, ministries, branches, and mass organizations, provincial and municipal Party Committees; commanders in the armed forces; assistants and secretaries of Party and State leaders; leaders of academies, universities, provincial and municipal political schools, schools of central ministries, branches, and mass organizations; chief representatives, charge d’affaires, and counselors of foreign affairs of countries that have partnership relations with the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

On the side of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, there were comrade Nguyen Xuan Thang, Politburo Member, President of the Academy, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council; comrade Le Huu Nghia, former member of the Party Central Committee, former President of the Academy; comrade Ta Ngoc Tan, member of the Party Central Committee, former President of the Academy; Vice Presidents of the Academy, former Vice Presidents of the Academy; officers in the Standing Committee of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Trade Union, Chairman of the Academy’s Veterans Association; leaders of units under the Academy’s supervisory; professors, associate professors, people’s teachers, excellent teachers, cadres, civil servants, public employees, lecturers, representatives of the second Training Class updating knowledge and skills for cadres planning to be members of the Party Central Committee, 14^th term, and students from the Academy system at the connecting points in Hanoi, Da Nang, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.

Seventy-five years of glorious tradition

In a speech commemorating the 75^th anniversary of the Academy’s tradition (1949-2024) and upon receiving the First Class Labour Medal, Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, Member of the Politburo and President of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, emphasized that this occasion marks a significant milestone in the construction and development of the esteemed Party school named after the revered President Ho Chi Minh over the past seventy-five years.

On September 1949, the Nguyen Ai Quoc Party School had the privilege of hosting President Ho Chi Minh for the inauguration of the Long-term Theory Class, the second course, at Luong Village, Binh Thanh Commune, Dinh Hoa District, Thai Nguyen Province. He inscribed a very significant directive on the inaugural page of the school’s Golden Book: “Study to work, to be a human, to be a cadre. Study to serve the organization, the class and the people, to serve the Fatherland and humanity”. To attain the objectives, one must achieve: “diligence, frugality, integrity, uprightnes, impartiality, and altruism”. Uncle Ho’s visit marked a significant milestone in the establishment of the Nguyen Ai Quoc Party School, commemorated as the glorious Traditional Day of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.

Amidst two protracted resistance wars and the nation’s renovation process, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, originating from the Central Party School and the foundational ideals of the revered Uncle Ho at the Viet Bac resistance base, has evolved through various stages and names, consistently growing and advancing.

The Academy presently possesses an organizational framework comprising 18 specialized institutes, information and publishing units; 10 functional divisions; regional Political Academies located in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Can Tho, along with the Academy of Journalism and Communication; all systematically integrated with the network of political schools across 63 provinces and municipalities nationwide.

Prof.,Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang highlighted that over the past 75 years, the Academy, with the esteemed duty of executing “the Party’s fundamental work”, has educated hundreds of thousands of mid- and high-ranking Party officials and political system personnel from national to local levels, as well as international students. The curriculum encompasses political theory, revolutionary ethics, leadership and management competencies, and practical organizational skills, effectively addressing the strategic objectives and responsibilities of the revolutionary cause throughout historical epochs.

Exceptional accomplishments

Under the direct leadership of the Politburo and the Secretariat, the efforts to establish a transparent and robust Party Committee at the Academy have been executed synchronously and comprehensively, incorporating numerous innovations and yielding significant results, thereby fostering a united strength to effectively fulfill the political responsibilities assigned by the Party, State, and people.

Since 2014, the Academy has educated and developed over 115,000 advanced political theory students. The Academy, as the Party’s premier academic institution, has been assigned by the Politburo and the Secretariat the responsibility of collaborating with the Central Organization Committee and relevant agencies to facilitate training courses and knowledge updates for members and alternate members of the Party Central Committee, strategic planning personnel, as well as various training programs tailored to specific roles and specialized research and exchange initiatives for cadres from other Parties and States.

The Academy has significantly advanced scientific research by effectively integrating theory and practice, encompassing theoretical inquiry, practical synthesis, and the formulation of strategic guidelines and policies for the Party and State. It aims to preserve and enhance the Vietnamese theoretical knowledge base while selectively incorporating the essence of global knowledge in accordance with prevailing global development trends.

Since 2014, the Academy has accomplished about 280 national-level projects; around 750 ministerial-level projects; and over 1,800 grassroots-level projects. The outcomes of scientific research projects have directly facilitated innovation, enhanced the quality of training, and nurtured personnel; they have significantly contributed to the application, augmentation, and creative evolution of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought, and the theory of renewal; and have produced numerous reports and recommendations that support the formulation and execution of the Party’s directives, policies, and the State’s legislation, projects, plans, and development strategies across various sectors, fields, and regions. Numerous historical documents from Party Committees at various levels have been meticulously assembled and conducted, elucidating the accomplishments and insights gained from the illustrious history of over 94 years of revolutionary leadership by the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The Academy has spearheaded numerous breakthrough initiatives to safeguard the Party’s ideological foundation, actively combating and discrediting erroneous and antagonistic perspectives. It has seamlessly incorporated the protection of this ideological foundation into its content, programs, and lectures, while disseminating articles on the subject through journals, newsletters, information portals, websites, and scientific forums. The Academy’s plan to establish the Political Contest for the Defence of the Party’s Ideological Foundation has evolved into a national-level contest, garnering significant interest and disseminating extensively across the political and social spectrum.

Along with the nation’s extensive international integration, the Academy’s recent international cooperation endeavours have been enhanced in both scope and intensity, adhering to the principle of “utilizing external resources to benefit internal objectives,” primarily to effectively support training, staff development, and scientific research initiatives. To date, the Academy has established collaborative relationships with over 200 foreign partners across 60 nations and territories. The Academy’s communication, publicity, publishing, and scientific information efforts have been progressively enhanced in both scope and quality. The technical infrastructure of the Academy system is perpetually enhanced and modernized; particularly through the development of a smart governance model and the standardization of lecture halls and dormitories, thereby fulfilling the demands of effective teaching and learning, coupled with quality service methods that are professional, amicable, and reflective of the identity, culture, and civilization of the Party school.

After 75 years of diligent construction and development, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics has received numerous prestigious accolades from the Party and State, including the Gold Star Order, the Ho Chi Minh Order (twice), the Independence Order, the title of Labour Hero during the renovation period, and at the 75^th Anniversary Ceremony (1949-2024), the Academy was honoured with the First Class Labour Medal.

The Academy’s prospective trajectory

On behalf of the Party and State leaders to award the First Class Labour Medal to the Academy, Prof.,Dr. To Lam, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, extended warm congratulations and commendations for the significant accomplishments attained by generations of cadres, civil servants, public employees, and students of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics over the past 75 years.

The General Secretary and President conveyed his enthusiasm and pride to the Academy regarding the accomplishments of the Academy named after the esteemed President Ho Chi Minh, which has flourished over 75 years of development. He acknowledged the significant responsibility shared with the Party, people, and military in advancing the nation into a new era of growth, in alignment with President Ho Chi Minh’s aspiration for a peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, and prosperous Vietnam, while recognizing the favourable conditions alongside numerous challenges and difficulties.

Confronted with escalating demands for the training and development of personnel and scientific research, aimed at advising and formulating national construction and development policies, and contributing significantly to the renovation process, the General Secretary and President tasked the school’s personnel, educators, and students with innovating the training and development of cadres, adhering to the principle that “the learner is central, the school is foundational, and the lecturer is the catalyst”. Unwaveringly address the fear of learning, apathy towards theoretical study, superficial engagement, and cursory learning; prioritize education, enhance revolutionary ethics, political fortitude, ideological perspective, and leadership and management skills for students; integrate theory with practice.

The Academy diligently adheres to the mandates for cultivating high-caliber human resources, particularly in leadership and management, as outlined in the Party’s resolutions, directives, and conclusions. It aims to establish suitable training and development programs, continually innovating curricula and content while updating knowledge for leadership and management roles. The Academy integrates theoretical education with practical research, safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation. It imparts vision, strategic thinking, methodologies, and leadership and management competencies tailored to specific positions, agencies, regions, and the nation. This effort contributes to the formation of a cadre capable of fulfilling their responsibilities, embodying the ethos of “Dare to think, dare to speak; dare to act; dare to assume responsibility; dare to innovate and create; dare to confront difficulties and challenges, and dare to work for the common good.”

The General Secretary and President To Lam underscored that the paramount objective of scientific and theoretical research at the Academy is to swiftly address novel and intricate practical challenges; anticipate developmental trends, strategic scenarios that require intervention, and identify obstacles impeding progress. Deliver prompt scientific foundations for formulating the Party’s directives and the State’s policies and legislation to align with the demands of national advancement in the contemporary era, foster unity among the Party and the populace, counteract erroneous and adversarial perspectives, and facilitate the effective execution of the revolution to establish innovative, progressive, and modern production techniques, thereby firmly positioning the nation in the new era.

The objective of scientific and theoretical research is to safeguard and perpetually advance Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, refine the theory of the renovation path, socialism, and the trajectory toward socialism; emphasize the examination of strategic issues such as the retrospective analysis of 100 years of the Party’s leadership in the Vietnamese revolution; 40 years of executing the Platform for national construction during the transitional period in 1991; and contribute substantively and effectively to the establishment of a comprehensive, scientific, and contemporary theoretical framework on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam, on the path to the centennial celebration of the nation’s founding.

Concerning scientific and theoretical research methodologies, General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized the necessity of engaging deeply with practical life and the operations of the Party and political system, grounded in the worldview and methodology of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought. He highlighted the importance of historical and dialectical perspectives for information acquisition, analysis, and theoretical generalization; being attuned to emerging issues and developments globally; and effectively integrating human intellectual advancements to serve the socialist construction in Vietnam.

The Academy must focus on cultivating a team of scientists, leaders, and managers possessing exemplary moral integrity, robust political resolve, and scientific competence; it should also innovate mechanisms for establishing and advancing a cadre of experts and leaders with extensive knowledge and strong connections to practical endeavours.

Comrade To Lam proposed the establishment of the Academy as a role model of Party development; a benchmark for upholding academic and disciplinary standards, a distinguished institution to cultivate the virtues of communists; a foundation for instilling party spirit, party culture, and robust political mettle in cadres and party members engaged in education and training at the Academy. Maintain support for Political Schools to achieve elevated standards; refine the Smart Academy model; and uphold and disseminate the beneficial values of Party School culture to Political Schools and other educational institutions nationwide.

Prof.,Dr. To Lam advised the students of the school to comprehensively grasp and apply the guidance of the esteemed Uncle Ho as articulated in the Golden Book of Traditions during their visit to Nguyen Ai Quoc Central School: “Study to work, to be a human, to be a cadre. Study to serve the organization, the class and the people, to serve the Fatherland and humanity”. Students must be profoundly aware of their responsibilities and obligations to the Party, the State, and the populace; to the imperative of effectively executing strategic objectives, fostering a robust Party, and cultivating a prosperous, powerful nation characterized by democracy, equity, civilization, and the well-being of the people. Subsequently, they must perpetually develop political attributes, ethics, lifestyle, theoretical acumen, political resolve, cognition, vision, and competencies, methodologies, while actively engaging in safeguarding the ideological foundation of the Party, thereby justifying their status as the academy of the Central Party School named after the esteemed President Ho Chi Minh.

The General Secretary of the Party Central Committee, President To Lam, asserts that, drawing upon a distinguished legacy of 75 years of development and a cadre of highly qualified and dedicated professionals, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics will undoubtedly fulfill all responsibilities entrusted by the Party, State, and people, thereby aiding the entire Party, citizenry, and military in advancing the objectives of innovation, national construction, development, and the safeguarding of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Thang, representing the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, acknowledged the directives of General Secretary and President To Lam. The leadership board of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics will shortly examine, comprehend, and concentrate on properly directing and executing the organization. The Academy will intensify its efforts to promote solidarity and unity, aiming to surmount all challenges and successfully fulfill its assigned tasks; effectively executing its mission of training and developing mid- and high-level leaders and managers within the Party and the political system, conducting research, and supplying scientific rationale for the formulation of the Party’s and State’s guidelines, policies, and strategies, while perpetually nurturing the Academy’s illustrious tradition and commendable achievements.

On behalf of the cadres and students of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Assoc.Prof., Dr. Vu Thi Phuong Hau, Head of the Institute of Culture and Development, conveyed her appreciation to the generations of cadres and lecturers who have significantly contributed to the training and development of Party cadres and the advancement of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics over the past 75 years. Inheriting the esteemed legacy of the Central Party School, successive generations of cadres, educators, and civil servants at the Academy, irrespective of their ranks, diligently engage in their responsibilities, whether from the podium or through meticulous study, consistently prioritizing the preservation and enhancement of the Party School’s traditional identity. They remain unequivocally loyal to the Party, the nation, and the people, embodying exemplary standards of democracy, discipline, and innovation in pedagogy and research. They serve as trailblazers and exemplars in cultivating office culture, Party school ethos, service orientation, and commitment, thereby making significant contributions to the nation’s advancement in the new era.