Dear distinguished delegates, attendees, representatives of educational institutions,
Dear colleagues,
Dear graduate students, university students,

It is on today morning that Dong Thap University held a solemn ceremony to celebrate its 15^th anniversary of establishment, 43^th anniversary of its long teacher and education manager training tradition.
In this bustling and jubilant atmosphere, let’s allow me to stand the behalf of the university leaders and send our warmest welcome to Comrades of leaders, distinguished guests, teachers, entrepreneurs, colleagues, students of different generations.
Your presence in this solemn ceremony shows your sincere concerns, kind-hearted sentiment and a great meaningful encouragement to our university.
It seems to our senses that the Tien River did not sleep last night but it was staying awake with Dong Thap University’s teachers and students of many generations who are going to present here for a meeting after 15 or even 43 years. Some former students, whose hair has turned grey, are coming back to the university with the happiness and excitement of a youthful feeling of teens while others, who used to worked as lecturers, education managers and whose hair has actually turned to the colour of white chalk dust, are beamed with happiness, the happiness generated by coming back to the place with many close and moving memories.
It is popularly said in Vietnamese culture that birds will automatically flock to the land of peace. In the light of that, each gardener finds his own source of joy whenever birds choose one of the trees for their nests. Figuratively, teachers find their joy and happiness whenever they witness s successful student (successful in a variety of aspects, in different social roles and by various contribution). We are now, the ones who have spent almost the whole life working in Dong Thap province and whose eyes have not been as bright, whose memories have not been retentive as they used to be, could be able to recognize our former students right in this meeting, who have met each other here as if there were intended appointment, as if they were coming to their “loving cradle” like “water is converging to the sea of knowledge”
 With my sincere emotions, let me continue this speech in six consecutive parts of full memories
1.The first University of Teacher education in Mekong delta
2.The first multi-disciplinary University in Mekong delta to receive the certificate for higher education quality assurance
3.Important milestones of a 15 year journey of knowledge
4.Former students who are successful and inspire us
5.A university’s vision with desire of Mekong River
6.My deep gratitude

I.Dong Thap University, a university developing from a model of the first university of teacher education in Mekong delta
On this day of 15 years ago, Dong Thap University was established on its preliminary premises of a teacher’s training college following the Decision 08/2003/QĐ-TTg dated 10/01/2003 by the Prime Minister under the context of the social demands for training and fostering teachers and education managers in Mekong delta.
Dong Thap University is the first university in Mekong delta that is directly under the Ministry of Education and Training management and it offers many training programs and training levels. In term of its foundation history, it is considered as an image of “many springs form a river” because the university establishment is the inheritance of training traditions and achievements of its antecedent education institutions: Teachers’ training professional high school of Dong Thap (was established by a Decision of then Ministry of Education And Youth Affairs, right after the liberty day in the south as a result of meeting the need of a professional high school to provide the province with teachers of kindergartens, primary schools in Dong Thap), Teachers’ training.... of Dong Thap, (established in 1977 and renamed to Dong Thap teachers’ training college in 1984), School of kindergarten teacher education of Dong Thap (1980), School of Education manager of Dong Thap (1985) and Dong Thap teachers’ training college (since 1989 by merging college and professional high schools in the province of Dong Thap)
Dong Thap University is entitled to do the following functions and responsibilities (i) training and fostering a staff of scientific and technological workers of university degree and graduate degree for Mekong delta, (ii) providing training and fostering courses on professional and working expertise to teaching staff, education managers, (iii) conducting scientific research and implementing scientific advancement application for social and economic development
II. The first multi-disciplinary university to receive the certificate for higher education quality assurance
On 04/9/2008, Dong Thap University of Teacher Education was renamed to Dong Thap University – A State run University directly under Moet management and of multi-disciplines, multi-training program
Dong Thap University offers training programs on multi-discipline: teacher education, economics – technology, science – technology, social culture – arts of many degree: 3- year college, 4- year university, and graduate, under different training modes: regular, in-service – associated training with a mission “training a high quality human resource of multi-disciplines, of which educational science and teacher education are the core one; conducting scientific research and catering community services that altogether contributes to the socio-economic development in Mekong delta” in parallel with a vision “becoming a training and research centre of high quality and prestige in Mekong delta, one of the leading university of education in Vietnam”
On 8/9/2017, the Centre for Education Accreditation – Vietnam National University of Hanoi signed a decision to recognize and grant a certificate of higher education quality accreditation to Dong Thap University, the first university in Mekong delta to register for education accreditation and to get such a significant certificate.
Additionally, Dong Thap is selected by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Education and Training as one of the national leading education institutions to organize fostering programs to teachers who are working in the state education institutions to get working title under the relevant occupational standards set aside by the State.
III.Important milestones in a 15 year journey of knowledge
Within 15 years of its appearance, the University’s teaching and managing staffs have constantly developed in term of number, quality and structure. In the University, there are 585 employees, both leaders and lecturers, office workers, 92% of them are holders of graduate degree, including 04 associated professors, 80 PhD holders, 299 MA holders (79 of which are Doctoral students) together with hundreds of scientists, teachers, experts of various fields who are taking part in teaching activities, thus contributing to create a dynamic academic environment based on a “hidden teaching program” – a program of fundamental meaning i.e. the university culture. These achievements are considered to be the university’s all-out efforts by the whole university collective because at its inception time of establishment, the university had 165 teachers and managers, 21 of them having graduate degree in comparison to this moment.
In 2003, the University had only 5 training programs for university students but now it is offering 06 training programs for graduate students (Education Management, Primary Education, Vietnamese language, Theories and Methodology of Math teaching, Theoretical Chemistry and Physic-chemistry, Vietnamese history) 32 training programs for university students which attracting 8.000 students of regular training form, 3.600 students of in-service and associated training form.
In its 15 years of development, the University conducted 1.017 research projects, published 1.831 scientific articles on ISSN scientific journals, 235 of which were on International journals, and 150 of them belong to IST category. In term of education communication, the university has been favoured by the national and local media agents in its activities with 1.500 news items, articles have been broadcast on television channels and newspapers.
Teaching facilities and equipment, for example 1.200 computers being connected to internet network, have been constantly purchased, ungraded; lecture halls, classrooms have also been upgraded and built; the university’s areas for learning, scientific research doing is nice clean and green thanks to the collection of 1.000 trees.
For many continuous years, young teachers and students in department of math-informatics teacher education have been awarded by the Ministry of Education and Training for their achievements on doing research projects that won the prize for the National targeted program for Maths development, period 2010-2020. Many students have won the high prize in the National Olympia Contests of many categories, Luong Van Can prize, many former students, who are now teachers in general education schools have won the occupational title of “Golden Chalk”, and thousands of other have been successful in their own jobs as politicians, businessmen, businesswomen; hundreds of students have won high prizes for sports competitions of international and regional level. It is noticeable that, after 15 years of integration and development, the university’s 1.060 excellent students have been officially accepted to be Party members.
There have been such effective models that create, stimulate the spirit of career start-up movement, reading culture and life skill practice as Club of Business start-up for students, Club of Best Sellers, Club of Readers, House of books, Club of Literature lovers and young writers, Club of Scientific research for students, Club of Life skill practice and Volunteers, Club of heritage preservation, Club of Communication and Event...
In its 43 years of training teachers and education managers (1975-2018), 15 years of integrity and development (2003-2008), Dong Thap University has been creating its fine and precious tradition, which are transformed into its solidarity and strength for the construction of a positive university of teacher education. Dong Thap University takes its pride of being an occupation cradle, a firm and proud base for many generations of successful teachers, technicians, state officials, office workers, businesspersons who are working in schools, governmental offices, departments, agencies, enterprises in Dong Thap province and other neighbouring cities and provinces.
IV.Former students of many generation who are successful and inspire us
In the 2017 annual report by Dong Thap University (has been presented to attendees this morning), 30 names of typical students of many generations are honourably and respectfully printed as our recognition for being the most successful students during the time of 15 years of university development and 43 years of training tradition. These students (who are working and serving the community, and are among hundreds of others that we fail to contact) were voted by members of Association of Former students.
These students’ success and contribution (probably intangibly by many extent and in various ways) have actually created positive encouragement and inspiration to those who are learning in the university and more importantly to teachers like us.
I presumably believe that we ourselves, whenever we have been and whatever we have done, have spent some silent moment, thinking about our fine memories at out university time, wishing to come back to the old place and have a look at the familiar seats, rows of benches, and the old Poinciana tree at the Lecture hall No 1, to give a tight hug to a friend and say fine words to each other or just tap on a friend’s shoulders, implying that all disagreements, misunderstandings and faults should be forgiven, to be able to bow to our teacher and proudly claim that:
“Dear my teachers, I have become successful in life”, and sing the university’s tradition song “Dong Thap University – Our beloved University”
Now, we are teachers who have worked with students of many generations, do hope that we could meet our students to be shared and to listen to their stories of success, of ups and downs so as to give each other encouragement and further do the job of “human growing”
On a Facebook page, a former student of Economics and Business Administration department, who is now working and living in Ho Chi Minh city, is so sincere in her status that:
“What I can remember about Dong Thap University is the time we had to stay in the classroom still the late evening to finish the preparation for a presentation, the time we had keen debates with young lecturers, the time we were in the student camp, getting exhausted but merry, the time we went on Green Summer vacation as volunteers and stayed with the local farmers, the time of a student who was studying with all enthusiasm and love for the Land of Pink Lotus...
After many difficulties, Dong Thap University has taken off to strong development airway, confidently proves its roles as a key university to provide human resource of high quality to Mekong delta.
Becoming a student in Dong Thap University was my right decision although this University was not my first choice after high school graduation. I will always take pride of this choice and this university regardless of how long the time will pass.
V.Toward a vision of Mekong River
In the upcoming time, Dong Thap University is going to enhance its accomplishments, trying to minimize its shortcomings and constraints and at the same time concentrating is focus on implementing 08 key tasks and breakthrough measures which are imbued with strategic orientations for the future development period, with creating an academic environment of dynamics, creativeness, humanity and career start-up, including:
(1) Continuously improving the university’s capacities in term of teaching staff’s qualifications, administration, teaching facilities and equipment, actively taking part in digitalized knowledge system initiative by the Government, accelerating international relations and step by step moving toward the response to the development demanded by the context of Industrial Revolution 4.0.
(2) Continuously developing its teaching curricula under the orientation of innovation and creativeness; conducting technological and scientific research toward application direction; attaching great importance to fostering professional codes of ethics and developing students’ practical skills
(3) Further building and developing the university’s culture of sustainable training quality, taking preparatory steps for an autonomy university
(4) Mapping out the university’s development strategies to 2025 and vision to 2035; concentrating its focus on training the human resource of high quality, making considerable investment in the fostering activities to help teachers, lecturers to get their professional title
(5) Further accelerating social work, making effective investment in the work of education communication, introduction and popularization of the university’s image
(6) Further shaping and developing the university’s reading culture, creating and connecting resources for the movement of student’s career start-up
(7) Carrying out the reorganization of the university so as to make its working mechanism ......with flexible administration mechanism (by merging, re-arranging its affiliated units; shifting from management model to administration model; making investment in developing training assisted units and service catering centres)
(8) Taking preparatory steps and necessary conditions for the appearance of a model of “ready-to-share” university by connecting with recruiters, enterprises and specialized institutions of human resource training.
VI.My deep gratitude
On the occasion of its 15^th anniversary of establishment, collective of teachers in Dong Thap University would take this opportunity to thank the Party Committees of different levels, the State, the Steering Committee of the South western of Vietnam, Ministry of Education and Training, other Ministries, centrally run agencies for their close attention, leadership, huge love and responsibility, for guidance and orientation of the university’s sustainable development.
Dong Thap University is deeply grateful to Party Committees, authorities and the people of many cities and provinces, especially Dong Thap province and those that have constantly stood by us, giving us timely supports, creating favourable conditions for our development during the past 43 years. Our thanks will extend to kindergartens, primary schools, high schools, professional high schools, colleges and universities domestically and internationally, education institutions, companies, enterprises, philanthropists...for your assistance, support and companion, It is our big honour and pride because the mentioned help and sentiment are the university’s eternal spiritual asset, a university being born and grown up in the unyielding and heroic land of the south western.
We always take in our hearts the sentiment sent by university’s different leader generations, colleagues, graduate students and students of many training forms. This “love” will surely bear the meaning of university’s tradition, which then will be crystallized to the university’s culture. These individuals have always been with us, following our development paths, giving timely supports for the university’s sustainable development no matter what position they used to be in charge, wherever they live, whatever they do or whichever conditions they are in at the present.
They can be colleagues who retired already, whose hair has turned almost cloud-white, whose eyes have appeared the elapse of time, whose glasses have been more thick, whose health is not so strong as they used to be, and who may have difficulties in walking...have spent their time, energy and intelligence to give important incentives, constructive ideas to the university’s development strategies. How respectful they are!
On our going on business trips, participating in workshops, or working field trips to grassroots units, we met our former students, who are now very successful in their jobs, and were informed of some good news from other students; we have had a very special and warm feeling.
Some of our talented colleagues have “left” the university due partly to personal family conditions but others have “sought” to the university for their working opportunities, research and devotion as a natural law of equality.
By its missions, Dong Thap University always commits itself to take training effectiveness and quality as a measurement of success, as a source of strength to stabilize and further enhance its fine achieved accomplishments; further accelerates integrity for constant development and growth to new height; play its key role in encouraging the growth of the region’s education system and ultimately contributes to the cause of national industrialization and modernization as well as fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training.
Each renowned prize that the university’s student wins, each successfully completed scientific research project or published scientific article or one graduate student, post-graduate student who successfully defended their theses, dissertations and got back to the university’s discontinued job will be the happiness for the entire university, the pride of the whole collective. “The cradle for knowledge incubation” is working as diligently as it has been to create the bright future for the young generations, to maintain and boost its core values of “Appreciating quality; Encouraging creativeness, Promoting cooperation, supporting honesty, highlighting responsibility”
Dong Thap University stays here, being faithful and royal to a “hundred year cause” by the windy but gentle Tien River. As the spring is approaching with warm sunlight and yellowish colour of the lively apricot flowers blooming in the land of Pink Lotus... we, teachers and students, are holding our strong belief by constantly deepening self-studies, boosting creativeness and creating future jobs.
Sitting with each other and by cups of hot sweet coffee in the jubilant atmosphere of the House of Books, just right at the H1 building’s ground floor, we once said figuratively that Dong Thap is comparatively like a 15 year old school boy, the boy at the age of spring time, the age of full desire, the age of bright future. Fifteen years is long enough to have a look at the journey we have gone. In his letter to Dong Thap University on its 15^th anniversary of establishment as his regards and congratulations, Mr Le Minh Hoan, the Secretary of Party Committee of Dong Thap wrote such sincere lines that say:
“What is considered as yesterday achievement will be today accomplishments and tomorrow challenge. An achievement is of tangible values yesterday but it will turns to be intangible today in the light of innovative and creative ideas by each individual in this University and once again may give flower and become fruit as its original values. What is considered as yesterday non-stop transformational moment will be tomorrow demands of fundamental and comprehensive innovation? Yesterday and till today, each individual, organization has sensed a gust of wind named “innovation” around us and tomorrow we are all “caught” in the centre of a storm – the so-called Industrial Revolution 4.0. Yesterday, we were those who wished to stay with the country of S-shaped land, but tomorrow, we must be those who are capable enough to enter into international integrity and live as a citizen of the globe”
We, the collective of Dong Thap University with all honour will receive these Hoan’s sentiment and expectation and consider these shares as a strategic target for our future conquest
Right on the campus of this University, we can sense the bustling and merry noise of birds that are building their nests; we can see the familiar students whose faces and eyes are beamed with light of faith (by Cao Lanh Bridge construction that is about to complete to join two river banks); we can see warm knowledge based burning candles; we can see growing desire and finally the vision that is strongly expected and easily reached.
I would like to end this speech by standing on behalf of the university leaders and sending to cadres of leaders, distinguished guests, delegates, colleagues, students of different generations our sincere thanks and best wishes of good health, happiness and great success.

Thank you!