Dr. Phan Sỹ Nghĩa (standing) officially takes office as President of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work, succeeding Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dương Đức Lân. For health reasons, Mr Dương Đức Lân had asked to step down from the position of President of the Association.

The meeting of the Executive Committee of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work (VAVET&SOW) was held in Ha Noi on 10 May 2024 to review the results of activities in the first months of 2024, discuss directions and tasks for the remaining months of 2024, and consolidate the Executive Committee and the positions of President and Secretary General of the Association.

Participants in the meeting included:

Mr Tạ Tấn – Deputy Director of the Department of Non-Governmental Organisations (Ministry of Home Affairs);

Ms Trần Diệu Huyền – Official, Department of Non-Governmental Organisations (Ministry of Home Affairs);

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Thị Việt Hương – Deputy Director General of the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET), Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA);

Ms Nguyễn Thị Hằng – former President of the Association;

Dr. Phan Chính Thức – former Vice President and Secretary General of the Association;

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dương Đức Lân – President of the Association;

Dr. Phan Sỹ Nghĩa – Vice President and Secretary General of the Association;

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mạc Văn Tiến – Vice President of the Association;

MSc. Trần Thúy Nga – Vice President of the Association;

MSc. Nguyễn Thế Mạnh – Deputy Secretary General of the Association;

Dr. Lê Kim Dung – Member of the Standing Committee of the Association;

together with members of the Standing Committee and the Executive Committee of the Association, the executive boards of several affiliated units and associations, and a number of members of the Association.

Members present flowers to congratulate Dr. Phan Sỹ Nghĩa, the new President of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work.

The meeting reviewed the results of activities in the first months of 2024 and the directions and tasks for the period ahead. Mr Phan Sỹ Nghĩa, Vice President and Secretary General, on behalf of the Executive Committee, presented the report on the results of activities in early 2024 and the directions and tasks for the coming period. Regarding organisational work, the Association continued to grant autonomy to the Journal "Nghề nghiệp & Cuộc sống" (Vocation & Life) until the end of 2025 (the end of the 3rd term); appointed a new President of the Association for Beauty Training and Development; developed and issued the Code of Ethics and Conduct for the Association's activities; and carried out other organisational tasks. On participating in developing and improving policies and in disseminating the law, the Association commented on the draft Scheme "Building and developing the contingent of teachers and managers of vocational education for the period 2024–2035", the draft Circular promulgating the Regulation on the operation of vocational skills assessment organisations, and other documents of MOLISA and DVET.

Regarding professional activities, the Association cooperated with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to organise the workshop "Developing and implementing training programmes integrating international qualifications in Accounting and Business" to support vocational education institutions in renewing and improving the quality of their accounting training programmes; it also cooperated with Finnpartnership to organise two workshops on "Viet Nam–Finland Vocational Training Cooperation" in November 2023 and January 2024, among other tasks.

Regarding international cooperation, the Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ACCA on developing and implementing training programmes integrating international qualifications in Accounting and Business, and another with the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Viet Nam (AHK) on German recognition of the skills that learners have acquired at Vietnamese vocational education institutions when they go to work in Germany. It also worked with Finnpartnership to connect Finnish partners with Vietnamese vocational education institutions in order to develop cooperation projects in the field of TVET.

The Association has also been active in scientific research, communications and other areas of work.

The tasks for the coming period will focus on the following main activities. Regarding organisational work: completing the procedures for obtaining a science and technology operating licence from the Ministry of Science and Technology for the Institute for TVET and Social Security Development; and consolidating the Editorial Board of the Journal "Nghề nghiệp & Cuộc sống" to further improve its quality and effectiveness.

Regarding policy and legal development and legal dissemination: continuing to provide advice and critical review in the process of reviewing and amending TVET policies and legislation, including the 2014 Law on Vocational Education, in line with the policy of MOLISA; and commenting on other relevant legal documents when requested.

Regarding professional activities: implementing the 2024 cooperation activities within the framework of the 2021–2026 Cooperation Programme signed with DVET and with a number of units under MOLISA; and organising vocational skills competitions in Beauty Care and Hairstyling.

The Association will also actively carry out its other tasks: communications, scientific research and international cooperation.

At the meeting, delegates commented on the implementation of tasks and the directions for the remainder of 2024. They proposed that the Association establish clubs for the health sector and the arts sector; prepare the conditions to take part in accrediting vocational education institutions; cooperate with DVET to organise a workshop on training human resources for the semiconductor industry to meet workforce needs in this new field; and recruit new members, especially institutions in the field of social work (Dr. Hà Xuân Hùng, Rector of the University of Labour and Social Affairs). They also proposed that the Association recommend to DVET that its enrolment software be made more convenient and practical for upper secondary school students.

The meeting heard guidance speeches from MOLISA and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Consolidating the Association's leadership – Dr. Phan Sỹ Nghĩa becomes President of the Association

To ensure organisational capacity for the coming period, the Executive Committee agreed to elect several additional members. Specifically, Mr Hoàng Văn Tuấn, Party Secretary and Rector of Thanh Hoa Industrial College, and Mr Nguyễn Thanh Bình, Rector of the College of Construction Mechanics, were elected to the Executive Committee of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work for the 2020–2025 term.

Mr Dương Đức Lân, President of the Association, had asked to step down from the position of President for health reasons. After discussion, the meeting agreed unanimously (100%) that Mr Dương Đức Lân would step down as President of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work for the 2020–2025 term.

The Standing Committee nominated Dr. Phan Sỹ Nghĩa, Vice President and Secretary General of the Association, for election by the Executive Committee as President of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work for the 2020–2025 term.

Result of the presidential election: 100% of the Executive Committee members present at the meeting agreed with the Standing Committee's nomination and elected Mr Phan Sỹ Nghĩa as President of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work for the 2020–2025 term.

The Standing Committee nominated Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mạc Văn Tiến, Vice President of the Association and former Director of the Institute of Vocational Education Science under DVET, for election by the Executive Committee as Secretary General of the Association for the 2020–2025 term. Result of the election: 100% of the Executive Committee members present at the meeting agreed with the Standing Committee's nomination and elected Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mạc Văn Tiến, Vice President of the Association, as Secretary General of the Viet Nam Association for Vocational Education, Training and Social Work for the 2020–2025 term.

The meeting closed at 11:30 on 10 May 2024.