The heartfelt reflections of Vietnam's youngest university president.

Born in 1979, at the age of 35, Dr. Dam Quang Minh was appointed Rector of FPT University, becoming the youngest university rector in Vietnam (as of 2014). On the occasion of the New Year, a Vietnam+ reporter had a conversation with this young university rector.

Dr. Dam Quang Minh, Rector of FPT University. (Photo: FPT University)

"Smart devices are changing ways of thinking."

- You've been in your new position for four months now, how do you feel?

Dr. Dam Quang Minh:The strongest feeling is that I always feel I need to do better, that I lack time, talented people, and ideas, and that I'm constantly searching for those things.

I've been incredibly busy lately, with a huge workload. Firstly, it's because I've never done this before, and there's a lot I need to learn. Secondly, I want to improve even more, which is also the expectation of those who assigned me tasks.
If I'm starting a new job and I'm expected to do better, I have to double or triple my effort, working at 200 to 300% of my capacity.

- With such a great deal of effort involved, what does a typical day look like for the principal, sir?

Dr. Dam Quang Minh:Like everyone else, I wake up in the morning, go to work, and go to bed at night (smiling). My day usually starts at 6 a.m. From the moment I wake up until 8 a.m., I always try to think, write, and tackle the most important things. Waking up after a night's rest is when I'm most alert and clear-headed, and therefore, it's the best time to do important things.

During the day, I'm constantly busy with meetings, discussions, and work-related tasks. In the evening, I make time to meet with colleagues and friends who might offer me ideas.

- There's a reality in our country that people are losing faith in higher education, and many graduates can't find jobs. As the president of a university, what are your thoughts on this?

Dr. Dam Quang Minh:First and foremost, it must be acknowledged that Vietnamese higher education is also affected by global changes. The emergence of smart technology devices is changing the way we communicate, operate society, work, and think about work; therefore, higher education must also change.

In this context, a certain degree of chaos is inevitable, but over time, the value of quality will prevail. Positive signs include the increasing accessibility of universities and their shift away from being the only option, students becoming more aware of their educational investment and school choices, and the fact that substandard institutions are on the verge of bankruptcy. Furthermore, the proliferation of universities has led to fierce competition.

With these impacts, universities, both public and private, have begun to improve their quality. However, it's unrealistic to expect immediate improvements, especially in education. The lifecycle of higher education is four years, and changes only become apparent after several cycles.

The situation with unemployed graduates is similar. Unemployment is a global problem, as technological advancements reduce the demand for manpower; jobs that previously required 10 people now only need one. This inevitable surplus leads to layoffs and job selection.

Vietnam is not immune to this general trend, especially since we have an excess of unskilled labor but a shortage of highly skilled, technically specialized personnel. For example, FPT Software is short of skilled workers and is offering a 20 million VND reward for referring a qualified candidate, yet still cannot find any. This is undoubtedly partly the fault of higher education, which has failed to align its training with societal needs.

"Going to school under pressure is passive."

- As a school principal, how would you solve that problem?

Dr. Dam Quang Minh:At FPT University, we always link education with practice, education with reality, and with the continuous development of science, technology, and engineering. The curriculum is constantly updated. Teachers and department heads always propose new content for training and suggest new applications to keep pace with real-world situations.

Rector Dam Quang Minh presents graduation certificates to students. (Photo: FPT University)

However, the most important thing is to create an environment that motivates learners to study, where learning takes place through practical experience and social experience.

In Vietnam, people pay little attention to this and often think that simply having good teachers and high salaries will guarantee good training. But it's not just that.

The most important aspect of education is creating a positive environment that encourages students to be proactive. Attending school under the pressure of parents and teachers is passive. Students must understand that learning is enjoyable and offers better opportunities for the future. The results are reflected in where you invest your time; investing in sports leads to a strong body, while investing in academics leads to better knowledge and skills.

To motivate learners, we need effective training methods. At FPT, that method is project-based learning, constructivist theory, output-oriented learning rather than focusing on input, and many other factors. With good methods and good mentors, the results will be even better.

Just like in a great movie, the primary roles are played by the scriptwriter, director, and the entire crew. In a school setting, this is the role of the academic director and curriculum development officers. They are the ones who decide how the lesson will unfold, what the script will follow, how assessments will be conducted, how encouragement and motivation will be provided, and what the rules of the game will be.

Unfortunately, people often think that a good film is a good movie, and similarly, in education, a good teacher will guarantee high-quality teaching. Simply put, schools often lack textbooks, or the books are disorganized. With poor teaching tools, how can teaching be effective? Each teacher brings their own method, creating a disjointed and unifying curriculum, so how can it be good?

- In 2015, the Ministry of Education and Training was working to develop criteria for classifying universities. In your opinion, will this create a boost for the transformation of these universities?

Dr. Dam Quang Minh:Policymakers may have their own objectives. But personally, I think that's unlikely to bring about any groundbreaking changes.

The first thing that needs to be done is to make information about the health of a university transparent, such as graduate employment rates, scientific publications, research projects, etc., so that students have a basis for making choices. Don't wait for universities to report; independent social surveys could be conducted. In my opinion, doing that would be a very positive step.

"Rewards are not for the lazy."

- As a relatively successful young person, what advice would you like to share with other young people?

Dr. Dam Quang Minh:Firstly, rewards are never given to the lazy. Whatever you do, you must put your best effort into it. If you only do it half-heartedly, thinking that's enough, then it's difficult to succeed.

Secondly, we must focus on our strengths, interests, and areas of expertise that are most suitable for us. This will create a more positive motivation and emotional connection while working, making us feel happy and less tired.

I believe everyone experiences more failures than successes. What matters is how one deals with them. One must find a balance and maintain a positive mindset.

There are times when I myself don't know what to do or how to do it. At those times, I have to let myself relax, like taking a nap, going fishing, sometimes sitting from morning till night like I'm meditating. If it's too stressful, I take a few days off. You shouldn't make difficult decisions when your mind is stressed.

When you approach a task with a positive mindset, you've already accomplished part of it. Every day, think about new things, what's interesting and worthwhile to do, and view difficulties as challenges to overcome. Victory will bring you joy.

In addition, you should regularly meet and interact with positive people, discover new things in life, and share them with others.

- Thank you!

According to Vietnam+