HCM CITY — President Trần Đại Quang yesterday beat the drum to open the 2016-2017 academic year at Việt Nam National University-HCM City.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the President spoke about the challenges created by the fourth industrial revolution which is occurring around the world today.

“One of the important solutions to develop the country’s intellectual human resources for the fourth industrial revolution is to improve the quality of education and training which directly affects stable development. Education and training gives us a foundation to make achievements in technology and science,” he said.

He said the government attaches great importance to education and training, keeping education reform as a top government priority.

“Investment in education is for the country’s development,” he said.

He encouraged Việt Nam National University-HCM City to develop its leading role in scientific research and technology transfer in the country, and to attract more excellent students to its programmes.

“It should improve the quality of education by standardising training programmes and the process of quality assessment,” he said.

It should also create an environment that stimulates creativity, he said, adding that students and lecturers should conduct scientific research that is highly practical and effective.

After 20 years of development, the Việt Nam National University-HCM City has taken a role as a pioneer in higher education in education and global integration.

It has 32 training programmes that meet ASEAN, European and American standards.

Cybersecurity

The President also spoke about cybersecurity, saying that there had been an increase in hackers’ attacks to collect secret information but also destroy database and IT infrastructure.

The country’s information system, especially key state organisations, is a target of attack by foreign hackers, he said.

The risk of losing secret or important information will have serious consequences if no preventive methods are taken.

To speed up the process of global integration, the country needs to carry out a master plan to develop IT for security as well as take advantage of IT, he said.

The awareness of the importance of cybersecurity for officials and the public needs to be improved as well.

Moreover, policies are being set up that would develop IT experts and scientists.

Training at universities with majors of IT, electronics and telecommunications as well as curricula for cybersecurity at every level of education would be given priority, the President said.

On the occasion, the President helped plant trees during his visit to the Việt Nam National University-HCM City campus. — VNS