Academy of Public Administration and Governance

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Academy of Public Administration and Governance (APAG; Vietnamese: Học viện Hành chính và Quản trị công), formerly National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), is a special-class public service unit within Vietnam's national education system, operating under the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. As a key national academy, it serves as Vietnam's central institution for training and fostering officials, civil servants, and state managers in public administration, leadership, and management. NAPA also conducts research and provides policy consultation for the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of Vietnam. On September 15, 2022, the Vietnamese government issued Decree No. 63/2022/ND-CP to merge Hanoi University of Home Affairs into NAPA. This merger, formalized by Decision No. 27/2022/QD-TTg on December 19, 2022, took effect on January 1, 2023.

School of Administration (May 1959 – September 1961) On May 29, 1959, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs Phan Ke Toai signed Decree No. 214-NV to establish the School of Administration under the Ministry of Home Affairs, tasked with training district-level government officials. Initially based in Phu Luu village, Xuan Hong commune, Tu Son district, Bac Ninh province, the school held its first training course from October 16, 1959, to January 16, 1960, for 216 district and provincial officials. Deputy Prime Minister Phan Ke Toai presided over the opening and closing ceremonies, with lectures delivered by prominent Party and government leaders, including Truong Chinh, Hoang Quoc Viet, and Tran Huu Duc. Central School of Administration (September 1961 – May 1980) On September 29, 1961, according to Decree No. 130-CP of the Government, the School of Administration was renamed the Central School of Administration. The headquarters of the Central School of Administration was built on a land area of about 15,000 m2, address at: No. 77 Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Lang Ha Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi City. On May 18, 1961, construction began on the project, and on April 25, 1962, the project was completed and put into use. The National Academy of Public Administration is currently working at this facility. When the American empire expanded the war to the North, from September 1965 to the end of 1968, Truong evacuated to Dong Coi commune, Thuan Thanh district, He Bac province. Here, the School continues to open training classes for district-level government officials to serve the resistance war against the US to save the country. Since mid-1972, the Government has advocated separating the government from the Ministry of Home Affairs and transferring it to the Prime Minister's Office of Internal Affairs. The Ministry of Home Affairs at this time only does war invalids and social affairs, so the School only conducts training for war invalids and social workers. In the South, in May 1974, the Southern Government Cadre School was established in the Eastern war zone with Nguyen Ngoc Sat (aka Ba Linh) as Principal. After the South was liberated, on October 30, 1976, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 213-CP to establish the Central Administrative School Branch in the South. The branch belongs to the Central Organizing Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam of the Government of Vietnam, located at the location of the National Academy of Administration of the former Saigon Republic of Vietnam, No. 10, Street 03/02, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon (National Academy of Public Administration facility today). The branch is headed by Doanh Thang Lung (also known as Ba Lung) and Nguyen Ngoc Sat (also known as Ba Linh) as Vice Principals (there is no Principal). On March 30, 1977, the Government Council issued Decision No. 81/CP to transfer the Central Administrative School from under the Ministry of Home Affairs to under the Central Organizing Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam of the Government of Vietnam. The Central School of Administration continues its mission of training government officials to serve in the work of protecting peace and building the country. On August 30, 1977, the Government Council issued Decision No. 231-CP transferring the Central Administrative School from the Central Organizing Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam of the Government of Vietnam to directly under the Prime Minister's Office. The school is responsible for training and fostering senior state management officials in central agencies; presidents, vice presidents, members of the People's Committees of provinces, districts and the equivalent; officers in charge of departments and agencies of provinces and cities; officials doing organizational work at the provincial and city levels; teaching staff at Administrative Schools (now Political Schools) of provinces and cities. According to the above decision, the Central School of Administration has branches in charge of the following areas: – The Central Administrative School official headquarters located in Hanoi city is responsible for training and fostering officials for the Northern provinces. – The Central Administrative School branch located in Ho Chi Minh city is responsible for training and fostering officials for the Southern provinces. – The Central Administrative School branch located in Quang Nam - Da Nang province is responsible for training and fostering officials for the Central provinces. But in reality, the Central School of Administration only has two campuses in Hanoi city and Ho Chi Minh city operating under the direct direction of Duong Van Phuc - Deputy Head of the Government Office. Central School of Administration and Economics (May 1980 - June 1981) On May 12, 1980, the Government Council issued Decision No. 142-CP merging the Central School of Administration and the Central School of Economics into the Central School of Administration and Economics. Professor Mai Huu Khue - former Principal of the School of Economics and Planning - was appointed Principal. Implementing the Agreement signed between the Government of Vietnam and the Government of the Soviet Union, the School opened training courses on economic management for middle and senior officials taught by Soviet professors. Central School of Administration (June 1981 – November 1990) On June 8, 1981, the Government Council issued Decision No. 233-CP separating the Central School of Administration and Economics into two schools: Central School of Administration and Central School of Economic Management. Central School of Administration belongs to the Government. Duong Van Dat - former Deputy Minister of Finance - was appointed Principal. On September 26, 1981, the Council of Ministers (now the Government) issued Decision No. 91/HDBT on the tasks and organizational structure of the Central School of Administration. From here, the school has a relatively complete legal basis to operate, has continuously strived to improve, made basic advances, consolidated and unified the school campus in Hanoi city and its branch. School in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing together Administrative Schools (now Political Schools) of provinces and cities, forming a system of Administrative Schools with the task of fostering and training state administrative management officials. from central to local levels, creating momentum for further development of the university in the new period. On April 9, 1987, Professor Doan Trong Truyen - former Minister and General Secretary of the Council of Ministers - was appointed Rector according to Decision No. 121-CT of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers. The school has transformed the content and methods of training government officials to suit practical requirements and expanded international cooperation. National School of Administration (November 1990 – July 1992) On November 1, 1990, the Central School of Administration was renamed the National School of Administration by Decision No. 381-CT of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now the Government of Vietnam). The school, in collaboration with relevant agencies, proposed a project to reform national administration. On December 1, 1991, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Gia, former Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam and Vice Principal of the National School of Administration, was appointed Principal. National Academy of Public Administration (July 1992 - May 2007) On July 6, 1992, the National School of Administration was renamed the National Academy of Administration according to Decree No. 253-HDBT of the Council of Ministers (now the Government). Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Gia was appointed Director of the academy. From here, the National Academy of Public Administration functions as a center for civil servant training and administrative scientific research of the whole country, has strong comprehensive development, and achieves great achievements in many aspects. ; There are obvious changes in the scale and quality of training and fostering for state officials and civil servants. On December 16, 1997, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duy Gia resigned as Director. Prof.Dr. Vu Huy Tu - former Deputy Head of the Government Office, deputy director of the academy - was assigned the responsibility of Deputy Executive Director according to Decision No. 108/TTg of the Prime Minister. On September 25, 1998, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Hien - former Deputy Minister of Justice - was appointed Director according to Decision No. 885/TTg of the Prime Minister. On December 31, 2006, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Hien resigned as Director of the academy. On January 1, 2007, Associate Professor. Dr. Nguyen Huu Khien - Deputy Director of the academy was assigned the responsibility of Deputy Executive Director according to Decision No. 09/QD-BNV dated January 8, 2007 of the Minister of Home Affairs on assignment to perform executive tasks. working activities of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.