Inspiring the Aspiration for National Development through Vietnamese Intellectual Strength

Guided by that ideology, education and training are not merely professional fields but fundamental pillars for strengthening the nation, consolidating independence, and achieving sustainable development. The aspiration to “stand shoulder to shoulder with global powers” is therefore not simply a political goal, but a consistent strategic orientation guiding the nation’s development in the modern era.

Within that ideological continuum, in his speech at the ceremony marking the 120th anniversary of the Traditional Day of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, General Secretary and President To Lam reaffirmed the central role of higher education, science and technology, and the intellectual community in shaping the nation’s development strategy in the new era.

From Ho Chi Minh Thought to the Aspiration for National Development in the Digital Era

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 120th anniversary of the Traditional Day of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, General Secretary and President To Lam conveyed a message of profound strategic significance for national development in the new phase. In an era of global competition driven by knowledge, science and technology, and innovation, higher education must become a driving force for national development, a pioneering force in elevating Vietnamese intellect, and a key contributor to realizing the aspiration for a prosperous and powerful nation.

The speech not only reflected the Party and State’s deep commitment to higher education, science and technology, and the intellectual community, but also clearly demonstrated the Party’s renewed development mindset in the era of digital transformation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

A key highlight of the speech lies in its seamless connection between the nation’s thousand-year tradition of love of learning, Ho Chi Minh Thought on education, intellectuals and talented people, and the requirements of national development in the new era.

The General Secretary emphasized that the Vietnamese nation, with its thousand-year tradition of civilization, has always regarded talented people as the “vital essence of the nation.” This belief has been forged over generations and carried forward throughout the more than 120-year history of Vietnam National University, Hanoi — a cradle that has nurtured generations of leading intellectuals, prominent scientists and outstanding national leaders.

In particular, the General Secretary movingly recalled the historic milestone of November 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh personally presided over the first opening ceremony of the higher education system of independent Vietnam at this institution. The image of President Ho Chi Minh presenting graduation diplomas to students, together with comrades Pham Van Dong, Vo Nguyen Giap and Vu Dinh Hoe directly taking part in teaching activities, reflected the strategic vision of the Party and President Ho Chi Minh on the role of education, intellectuals and talented people in the nation’s destiny.

Recalling President Ho Chi Minh’s famous reminder that “An ignorant nation is a weak nation,” the General Secretary asserted that this was not merely a call to fight “the enemy of ignorance” in the early days of the nation’s founding, but also a profound strategic vision of national strength. To firmly safeguard national independence and build a prosperous and powerful country, it is essential to enlighten the people, revitalize their spirit, and utilize their talents.

The speech also set out a clear development vision for the country in the current period. The General Secretary emphasized that in an era of globalization and rapid technological revolution, the risk of falling behind is the greatest challenge to the nation’s future.

“Falling behind is an overarching risk, threatening the destiny and future of the nation. Lagging in development stems from falling behind in science, technology and innovation... In an era of globalization and rapid technological revolution, falling behind means dependence, weakening and losing the opportunity to rise,” the General Secretary emphasized.

This assessment carries profound strategic significance, showing that science, technology, innovation, and human-resource quality are no longer merely drivers of economic growth but also decisive factors directly linked to national autonomy, stature, and strength.

Following this line of thought, the General Secretary particularly emphasized the role of the Party’s recent strategic resolutions, including Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthrough development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation; Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthrough development of education and training; and Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on the development of Vietnamese culture.

According to the General Secretary, “the guidelines are clear, the mechanisms are opening up, and resources have been and are being prepared.” The most crucial task now is to act resolutely, effectively, and comprehensively to realize the aspiration for national development by 2045.

Building a Leading University and a National Innovation Hub

That spirit is clearly reflected in the major orientations set out by the General Secretary for Vietnam National University, Hanoi. First and foremost, he called on the university to constantly measure itself against its national responsibilities and the nation’s aspiration to rise. The word “Nation” he said, is a solemn reminder of responsibility, honor, and the mission to serve the country. Vietnam National University, Hanoi, must become a convergence point for outstanding minds, open new horizons of knowledge, train people with the capacity to lead, and forge Vietnam’s intellectual mettle in the new era.

Notably, the General Secretary called on Vietnam National University, Hanoi, to strive to become a modern, elite, multidisciplinary and multi-field university, operating as an innovation-driven institution with the capacity to lead nationally. “Excellence" must be measured by academic quality, the ability to create new knowledge, train talent, develop strategic technologies, make substantial contributions to the country” he emphasized.

This reflects the Party’s strategic and innovative thinking on higher education in the current period. Universities are no longer merely institutions for human-resource training but must become major hubs of innovation, where new technologies, new knowledge and new sources of national competitiveness are created. The General Secretary also emphasized the need for Vietnam National University, Hanoi, to pioneer research into and mastery of strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology, biotechnology, new materials, big data, new energy and green technology. These fields are the very foundations that will shape the nation’s competitive position for decades to come.

Another notable point in the speech is the need to strengthen close linkages between universities, the State, businesses and society. According to the General Secretary, knowledge generated at universities must not remain confined to lecture halls or laboratories, but must be transformed into practical technologies, stronger enterprises, better policies and improved living standards for the people. He called on Vietnam National University, Hanoi, to become a “brain trust” that the State can turn to for scientific foundations behind strategic policymaking. This is both an expectation and a demanding task for the country’s intellectual community and higher education institutions in the new phase of development.

The speech delivered by General Secretary and President To Lam at the ceremony marking the 120th anniversary of the Traditional Day of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, is not only an affirmation of the glorious tradition of a leading national education and research center, but also a clarion call that powerfully ignites the aspiration for national development through Vietnamese intellectual strength. From combating “the enemy of ignorance” in the early days of the nation’s founding to the aspiration of “standing shoulder to shoulder with global powers,” the country’s development path today is being defined with increasing clarity: knowledge, science and technology, innovation, and the Vietnamese people must serve as both the foundation and the driving force for rapid and sustainable development in the new era.