Socialist Republic of Vietnam

National Defence Academy of Vietnam

Curriculum development for senior military officers, civilian officials in the National Defense Academy of

Vietnam meeting new requirements of current situation.

National Defence Academy of Vietnam

Speech by Lieutenant General, Doctor Pham Xuan Hung Member of the Communist Party Committee of Vietnam, Commandant of the National Defense Academy.

The National Defense Academy of Vietnam is a center providing education and training for high-level military cadres, defense and security knowledge for senior officials of the Communist Party and the State of Vietnam, Concurrently, It is also a place of military scientific research and international training cooperation, further training for senior military officers. Over past 30 years, nearly ten thousands of important persons of the Vietnam People’s Army, the Communist Party , the State of Vietnam at the provincial and central level who are assuming different important positions have been trained and educated.

Bringing into full play achievements of education and training, we are of opinion that the core issue with a breakthrough laid here is curriculum development and training methods with the aim of improving the quality of training, creating fighting skill and spirit, leading and commanding competence and qualifications for trainees at operational and strategic level satisfying new developments of the country, region and the world, especially in current complex security environment. To deal with this issue, we have to identify training objective firstly, then develop curricula based on training objective and consider and choose suitable teaching methodology.

I. Training demand analysis (training objective definition).NDA of Vietnam finds out its training objective on the

foundation of analysis and evaluations of two strategic tasks: building and defending the Fatherland, on the basis of impacts of the economic globalization, of regional and international environment as well as other related international issues. At the same time, on the sound footing of assessment for quality of the contingent of senior military officers and civilian officials.

Firstly, senior military and civilian cadres will be taught comprehensive knowledge on matters related to politics, economics, society, technology, defense and security and international relationship etc in accordance with guidelines, policy of the Party and State of Vietnam, forming foundation for learners to get a firm political spirit, competence, qualifications in the responsibilities of the leadership at operational and strategic level in coping with sensitively political, economic, defense and security and international relations issues.

Secondly, along with comprehensive knowledge, specialized knowledge about each position of military and civilian cadres is also required. In fact, this is knowledge of specific purposes. For example, military students are mainly trained the role of leadership, operational command, finding solutions for strategic problems. Instructors, teachers and scientific researchers will focus on studying teaching methodology, defense operational research and military strategic problems. However, senior civilians got specialized knowledge from universities, will be further provided knowledge of defense and security, defense policies, combination between economy and defense, security and external relations.

Thirdly, the nature of macroscopic of a leader, commander at operational and strategic requires students a visionary and strategic thought relying on scientific foundation to apply to the leadership, command, policy making for strategic issues of defense, security, economic development and external affairs policy, especially in resolving sensitive security issues relating to the country’s interest and international relations.

Fourthly, strong development of scientific and technological revolution, problems of economic globalization, of current security problems request strategic and operational people to be equipped with a scientific working lifestyle and methods, a great resolution and clear-headedness in leading and commanding responsibilities as well as solving strategic issues at macroscopic level in homeland and other regional and international related matters.

2. Development of curricula Training program in the National Defense

Academy of Vietnam are divided in following parts:

a. Theoretical knowledge.b. Seminars, homework, exercises.c. Inland and overseas study tours.

a. Theoretical knowledge.- Political, economic and social area:+ Political line, economic and social problems for the CP and State of

Vietnam in the process of industrialization and modernization.+ Ho Chi Minh’s thought on military art.+ Raising awareness of strategic thought.+ Issues in terms of philosophical methodology in the military art.+ Impacts of globalization (mainly in economic field) and knowledgeable

economy on defense and security.+ Combination of economic with defense, security and external relations

development.+ Roles of CP and political activities in building and combating of Armed

Forces.+ State Management on economics, finance, culture and society.+ Vietnam’s point of view for issues of ethnic groups, religion, democracy

and human rights.+ Social policy of Vietnam.- Defense - security area.+ Feature and trends of development of regional and international situation

in the first years of 21st century.+ Terrorism and Counterterrorism.+ Role of some international organizations for world security.+ Traditional and non-traditional security.+ Defense strategy and strategy of national security.+ State management on defense and security.+ Defense policy of Vietnam.

- International relations area.+ Strategy of external relations and strategy of defense and

security of Vietnam.+ Vietnam and international economic integration.+ Some cooperation issues in ASEAN countries.- Military art area.+ History of Vietnam’s military art.+ People’s war to defense the country.+ Military strategy.+ Strategic Operations and operational Art.+ Operational Command in new conditions.+ Participation of the Armed Forces in handling non-traditional

security issues.

- Scientific and technological field.+ Influences of scienctific and technological on economy,

society, defense and security.+ Role of science and technology for the development of

defense technology and equipment for the army.+ Application of information technology to command and

scientific research for military art.- Legal field:+ Building Vietnam’s Rule of Law.+ Vietnam’s Law.+ Administrative reform.+ Some fundamental issues of international laws relating to

Vietnam and solutions for international affairs (maritime law, law on economics

b. Seminars, homework and exercise.There will be seminars for every studying special subject with

assistance of lecturers and teachers. Some issues concerning security can be discussed and done in group or in individual. For example: “drills for settlement for maritime security, handling political riots”…. Exercises focus mainly on strategic operations and civil defense…

c. Study tour.- Inland: trainees will conduct an in-country study

tour in relation to theoretical learning contents in military units, economic enterprises, industrial factories, rural areas and a number of some mountainous, midland and flat areas.

- Overseas study tour in some regional countries and in ASEAN countries with the aim of exchanging experience of study and training methods.

3. Training method and method of learning.- Responsibilities of lecturers and teachers: Presenting

focus of lecture and provoking curiosity, orienting, recommending several alternative for problems so that learners study themselves.

- Inviting speakers who are leaders of M.O.D, Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and some other ministries of Vietnam to give lectures on strategic special issues helping students broaden their mind.

- Learners: Bringing into full play independent thoughts on the theoretical basis to state points of view, solutions proposed by themselves in the process of discussion, free debate on controversial matters to make best use of self-studying role of learners.

- Some on position homework, group homework are also assigned.

- At the end of a course, students will write a graduation paper or an graduation assignment on issues studied.

All in all, objective, curricula and training methods correlate closely with each other, depend on each other and simultaneously request development and renewal to meet requirements changes of situation, particularly, training program is not “stable”. It need to be an open program to easily being added, changed in accordance with new situation.

ConclusionCurriculum development in the National Defense

Academy of Vietnam always play an important, imperative role to satisfy changes of home, regional and international situations. Theory always go in advance to enlighten practice and It is summarized from abundant development and diversification of practices. This is the rule of social development. National Defense Academy of Vietnam always pays great attention to the motto ”theory combined with practice”, “studying with practice” to develop the most suitable and effective curricula meeting training requirements of senior military and civilian officials in new situations. These are some topics we would like to present and discuss with colleagues to learn experience from each other.

Thank you very much for your listening