On 14 August 2026, Tay Bac University solemnly held a conference to review the 2025–2026 academic year and set out directions and tasks for 2026–2027. The event was an important forum for the whole University to look back on a year of effort, objectively assess achievements and challenges, and draw on collective wisdom to plan the strategy for a new development cycle that meets the requirements of standardisation and integration.
The conference took place in a solemn, democratic and responsible atmosphere, chaired by Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh, Party Secretary and Rector. Attending were Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Deputy Party Secretary and Vice Rector; Dr. Do Hong Duc, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice Rector; Dr. Hoang Ngoc Anh, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice Rector; Dr. Vu Manh Cuong, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Chairman of the University Trade Union; and leaders of faculties, offices, boards, centres and socio-political organisations across the University.
2025–2026: Overcoming challenges, affirming its role as a core training institution
Opening the conference, Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh stressed that the 2025–2026 academic year took place amid strong shifts in higher education. By closely following the macro policies of the Party, Government and Ministry of Education and Training – such as Resolution 71-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in education development, Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, Prime Ministerial Decision 452/QĐ-TTg approving the master plan for the network of higher education and teacher training institutions for 2021–2030 with a vision to 2050, and Decision 2249/QĐ-BGDĐT of 2026 adjusting the master plan for public higher education and vocational education institutions – and with the support of the Son La Provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee, Tay Bac University made the most of the inner strength of its 66-year tradition. Its staff united and successfully fulfilled key tasks, leaving notable marks in many fields:
Photo 1: Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh, Party Secretary and Rector, opens the conference
1. Breakthroughs in training quality and quality assurance: One of the proudest achievements of the year was the remarkable improvement in training quality. With 5,807 students, the University implemented comprehensive learning support and strengthened academic discipline. Admissions continued to shine in Teacher Education and Information Technology, with enrolment reaching 90–100% of quotas. Six programmes (Geography Teacher Education, English Teacher Education, Primary Education, Agronomy, Accounting and Information Technology) were officially accredited, and the successful pilot of computer-based examinations for K66 students laid an important foundation for digitising assessment.
2. Strengthening staff and accelerating digital transformation in university governance: As of June 2026, the University had 403 staff, 72.9% of them lecturers, including 8 associate professors and 105 doctors. Personnel work was carried out rigorously, with the timely consolidation of key leadership and middle management and the reorganisation of the Centre for National Defence and Security Education. University governance was transformed by stronger use of information technology: 100% of documents are processed on the iOffice system, digital signatures were issued to managers, and an internal network and a multimedia learning materials studio funded by National Target Programme 1719 were put into operation. The “Digital Literacy for All” movement spread widely, improving the digital skills of both staff and learners.
3. Affirming capacity in research and international cooperation: Research continued to deepen, with 9 articles in Web of Science (WoS)/Scopus and 112 in national specialised journals. The University managed 1 NAFOSTED project, 15 ministry-level projects and dozens of institutional projects, while strongly promoting research and innovation among students. In international cooperation, it continued to train and manage 336 Lao students, strengthening the special friendship between Viet Nam and Laos, and its cooperation project with NPO-IFPaT (Japan) was approved by JICA for 2026–2029, opening many opportunities for academic exchange and high-quality human resource development.
4. Community responsibility and a flourishing campus culture: With 76.3% of its students from ethnic minority communities, the University pays close attention to welfare policies, scholarships and timely psychological support. Community engagement left a strong mark through projects supporting schoolteachers in Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau to renew teaching methods, the transfer of agricultural and forestry models, blood donation drives collecting nearly 800 units of blood, and hundreds of millions of dong in scholarships mobilised from businesses. The Youth Union remained a leading unit among the province’s schools through the Green Summer and Exam Support campaigns.
Photo 2: Dr. Dang Van Cong, Deputy Head of the Office of Organisation and Administration, presents a paper
Frankly recognising challenges and planning future strategy
Alongside its achievements, the conference demonstrated a democratic and scientific spirit by frankly analysing shortcomings. Local shortages of highly qualified staff (associate professors and doctors) have slowed the opening of new programmes (English Language, Nursing, etc.). The University’s financial autonomy currently stands at 54%, with revenue still dependent on the state budget. In addition, declining enrolment in agriculture and forestry programmes (only 23–50% of quotas) calls for urgent restructuring of programmes to meet labour market needs.
Photo 3: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Viet Hung, Head of the Office of Academic Affairs, presents a paper
For the 2026–2027 academic year, the report on directions and tasks stated that Tay Bac University faces a great opportunity for a breakthrough. Building on its glorious history and following the Central Committee’s resolutions and the Ministry’s orientations, the University will focus on key tasks: accelerating the completion of a lean, effective and efficient organisational structure; resolutely innovating admissions and developing programmes linked to local needs; making the most of the 1719 infrastructure project to optimise academic space; and further advancing comprehensive digital transformation.
The overarching goal is to realise the aspiration: to make Tay Bac University a humane, modern academic space rich in identity, a place that shapes the future of young people from ethnic minority communities and contributes effectively to the socio-economic development of Son La Province, the Northwest region and the whole country.
Concluding the conference, Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh acknowledged and commended the persistent efforts of all staff and students. He emphasised that current challenges are a test of the University’s resilience and governance capacity; with clear thinking, correct identification of core issues and a spirit of unity, the Tay Bac University community will surely turn difficulties into a driving force for innovation.
Photo 4: Overview of the conference
The conference closed with deep confidence. The new momentum and determination from the conference will be a solid foundation for Tay Bac University to enter the 2026–2027 academic year with brilliant successes, further consolidating its position as a leading centre of culture, science and education in the Northwest.
