Welcome Address to New Students by Dr. Truong Tan Dat – Secretary of the Party Committee, Rector of Dong Thap University, at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026–2027 Academic Year.Dr. Truong Tan Dat delivers his address at the Opening Ceremony of the Academic Year 2026-2027
Distinguished Comrade Huynh Minh Doan, former Member of the Party Central Committee and former Secretary of the Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee!
Distinguished Comrade Le Vinh Tan, former Member of the Party Central Committee, former Minister of Home Affairs, and former Secretary of the Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee!
Distinguished Comrade Phan Van Thang, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Dong Thap Province!
Distinguished former members of the Standing Board of the Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee and former leaders of the Dong Thap Provincial People’s Committee over the years!
Distinguished Mr. Canh Chi Dung, Deputy Director General of the Department of Personnel and Organization, Ministry of Education and Training!
Distinguished delegates and partners, respected faculty and staff, and my dear students!
On behalf of the Party Committee and the leadership of Dong Thap University, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the current and former leaders of Dong Thap Province; representatives of the Department of Personnel and Organization, Ministry of Education and Training; representatives of the Department of Personnel and Organization; and representatives of provincial departments, agencies, local authorities, organizations, businesses, and partner institutions for taking the time to join us at today’s Opening Ceremony.
Your presence is a great source of encouragement to the faculty, staff, and students of Dong Thap University. It also reflects your continued interest, trust, and support for the University’s mission of education and human resource development in the Mekong Delta region.
The Nationwide Opening Ceremony has just concluded, leaving us with important directions and messages for the education sector as we embark on the new academic year. In that spirit, I would like to take a few moments to share some thoughts with our students, with the care, responsibility, and reflections of an educator representing more than 600 staff members and employees as we welcome a new generation of students to university life.
First and foremost, I would like to thank you and your families for placing your trust in Dong Thap University and choosing it as the place to begin this important chapter of your youth. From today, you officially become members of a university with more than half a century of development, built upon the knowledge, dedication, and contributions of generations of educators. Your choice brings us great joy while also reminding the University of our responsibility to continuously provide better support for the learning, personal development, and growth of every student.
My dear new students!
Entering university also means embarking on a new chapter of your lives. For many of you, this may be the first time you have lived away from your families, managed your own lives, made your own decisions about your studies, and taken responsibility for your own choices.
Ahead of you are joy, opportunities, and memorable experiences. Yet there will also be days when you feel uncertain, under pressure, or doubtful, and perhaps even wonder whether you have made the right choice. Such feelings are entirely natural, because the journey to maturity is never completely smooth.
The University cannot walk your path for you, nor can it answer every question you may have about your future. What we can and must do is create an environment in which you can study seriously, be respected and heard, take on challenges, and grow even through experiences that do not turn out as expected. Your lecturers are here not only to guide you, broaden your perspectives, and impart knowledge, but also to accompany you as you come to understand your profession, life, and ultimately yourselves.
The 2026–2027 academic year begins at a time when higher education is undergoing rapid transformation. Digital transformation, big data, and artificial intelligence are changing the ways people learn, work, communicate, and create. Many jobs will be restructured; skills once considered competitive advantages may quickly become commonplace; and new professions and opportunities will continue to emerge.
Amid these changes, what concerns us as educators is not simply whether students know how to use technology. More importantly, do you have the knowledge and confidence to master technology? Can you think independently and distinguish right from wrong, and fact from misinformation? Can you protect personal data, respect copyright, and take responsibility for the work you create?
Technology can help you work faster, but it cannot live your lives for you. It can suggest answers, but it cannot shape your character, integrity, kindness, or sense of responsibility toward the community.
Artificial intelligence is neither something we should fear nor a “magic wand” that can replace genuine learning. If you depend on technology to avoid thinking for yourselves, you may complete an assignment but miss an opportunity to develop your own abilities. Conversely, if you learn to ask the right questions, verify information, use AI ethically, and combine it with disciplinary knowledge, artificial intelligence can become a valuable tool that helps you learn more deeply, become more creative, and solve problems more effectively.
Therefore, I hope you will not simply ask, “What can technology do for me?” Instead, regularly ask yourselves, "What do I need to learn in order to master technology?" and “What human values must we preserve in an increasingly intelligent world? ”, and “How can I use knowledge and technology to create value for others?” These questions will help you keep pace with the rapidly changing world without losing your sense of direction or the values that define who you are.
Learning at university will be quite different from learning at school. At school, your teachers may have provided relatively detailed guidance. At university, however, you must take greater initiative in setting your goals, choosing how to learn, finding resources, and taking responsibility for your academic results. Your lecturers will provide direction, open up new perspectives, inspire, and guide you, but they cannot give you the same level of detailed instruction as before. Therefore, from your very first days here, the most important qualities you need to develop are the ability to learn independently and a strong sense of personal responsibility.
In a world where knowledge changes every day, memorizing a great deal of information may no longer be enough, and knowing how to use a few tools may not provide a lasting advantage. You need to learn how to learn, how to think, how to collaborate, how to adapt, and how to remain lifelong learners.
Alongside a solid foundation of professional knowledge, you need to develop your foreign language proficiency, digital competence, communication skills, physical well-being, mental balance, and a responsible attitude toward work.
Do not wait until your lecturers have explained everything before you begin learning. Do not wait until examinations approach before you start reading. Do not study merely to pass a course or obtain a degree. Take the initiative to ask questions, read beyond your textbooks, and participate in research, community activities, entrepreneurship, and professional experiences. Learn to work with people who are different from you, to listen, to debate with reason, and to take responsibility when you are wrong.
I also hope that you will not allow academic pressure to make you forget to take care of yourselves. In the age of social media, it is easy to look at the seemingly perfect images of others and quickly assume that we are falling behind, are less capable, or have taken the wrong path. Yet each person has different circumstances, a different pace of growth, and a different path to follow.
When you encounter difficulties in your studies, finances, health, or emotional well-being, do not suffer in silence, and do not hesitate to seek help. Talk to your families, lecturers, academic advisors, friends, or the relevant units within the University. Seeking support at the right time is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of sound judgment and responsibility toward yourselves.
A university degree is very important, but it is not the only guarantee of your future. What you truly need to build during your university years is real competence, strong character, meaningful experience, and the ability to create genuine value.
Study so that you can build a profession, find employment, and become independent; but more importantly, study so that you can become people of strength and integrity, people who know how to care for others, live meaningful lives, and contribute to your families, communities, and society.
Distinguished faculty and staff of the University!
Amid the profound changes taking place in higher education, the responsibility of educators has not diminished; rather, it has become even more important. When knowledge can be accessed anywhere, the value of educators lies not merely in providing information but in their ability to guide thinking, inspire learners, set an example of academic integrity, and help students use knowledge responsibly.
I hope that every lecturer will continue learning, innovating teaching methods, and mastering technology while always preserving the humanistic values at the heart of education. I also hope that we will pay greater attention to each learner, particularly those facing difficulties, lacking confidence, or still searching for their direction.
I also hope that every unit across the University will take the initiative in working together, beginning with the most practical actions, so that our students can truly experience the dedication, professionalism, and responsibility of the University.
Distinguished delegates and guests!
In line with Decision No. 452/QD-TTg dated February 27, 2025, of the Prime Minister approving the Master Plan for the Network of Higher Education and Teacher Education Institutions for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, and Decision No. 2249/QD-BGDDT dated July 31, 2026, of the Minister of Education and Training approving adjustments to the Master Plan for the Network of Public Higher Education and Vocational Education Institutions for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the Ministry of Education and Training has set the direction for Dong Thap University to continue maintaining and strengthening its role as one of Vietnam’s key higher education institutions for teacher education through 2030. The University will progressively strengthen its regional position in educational technology, STEM education, and agricultural technology in association with innovation, with the goal of elevating its development and standing in Southeast Asia and Asia by 2035, with a vision to 2045.
In line with the policies and directions of the Ministry of Education and Training, the University will continue to reform its governance toward greater autonomy coupled with accountability; advance substantive digital transformation; improve the quality of education, research, and community service; and foster a professional, humane, safe, and inspiring academic environment.
We understand that these directions are meaningful only when they are reflected in the quality of every class, the accessibility and effectiveness of every support service, the development opportunities available to every learner, and tangible contributions to society. The University therefore remains committed to listening, supporting our learners, and continuously improving. At the same time, we hope that every learner and student will see themselves not merely as beneficiaries, but as responsible members of our community who actively contribute to building the culture and reputation of Dong Thap University.
Building on more than 50 years of teacher education and more than 20 years of development as a multidisciplinary university, Dong Thap University has established a solid foundation and progressively affirmed its position in human resource development, research, and community service in the Mekong Delta and across the country.
We believe that the standing of a university is measured not merely by its size or its record of achievements, but, more importantly, by the quality of its graduates, the value of the knowledge it creates, its capacity for innovation, and its meaningful contributions to the development of the community, the region, and the nation.
With our tradition of solidarity and dedication, the capabilities of our staff, the trust of society, and the initiative and responsibility of our learners, I firmly believe that Dong Thap University will continue to develop strongly and sustainably, further affirm its position within Vietnam’s higher education system, and strive to become a highly reputable center for education, research, innovation, and knowledge transfer in Vietnam, progressively extending its standing across the region.
A new journey is beginning. I hope you will learn with aspiration, grow through experience, master technology with wisdom, and live with responsibility and compassion.
Many years from now, when you look back on your time as students at Dong Thap University, I hope you will remember not only the courses you studied or the grades you earned but will also be proud that this University helped you understand yourselves better, overcome your limitations, find the path that is right for you, and become people who make meaningful contributions to your families, communities, and society.
In closing, I wish all distinguished delegates, faculty and staff, and students good health, happiness, and success.
I wish all our new students of the 2026 intake a wonderful beginning to their journey at Dong Thap University.
Thank you for your kind attention!