Expanding the thinking space means expanding the training space

At the working session, Dr. Pham Van Dien, Rector of the Vietnam National University of Forestry (VNUF), informed about the school’s enrollment work and orientation in the coming time.

Accordingly, the school will enroll 25 university majors in 2023. In order to provide students with the most favorable study and living conditions, besides the implementation of exemptions and reductions of 50–100% of tuition fees for each specific subject according to the State’s regulations, the school also connects with many units and businesses to deploy scholarship programs for candidates who are admitted to the school’s university majors. For example, scholarships from the Vietnam Forestry Corporation are for candidates who are matriculated and enrolled in the majors of silviculture, forest resources management, natural resources management, and forest products technology.

According to Mr. Pham Van Dien, the school has been implementing training work under the motto "practical, creative, responsible, effective," integrating the spirit of entrepreneurship and corporate thinking into the school's training activities.

In addition, in order to create a favorable space for learners, the school will synchronously deploy many solutions, such as diversifying training forms and professions; designing and rebuilding the school's landscape and campus; building a digital university at VNUF to serve firstly distance education activities; building a digital library and connecting with the national digital library to create favorable conditions for officials, employees, and students to access mankind’s repository of knowledge, etc.

The school is developing a project to take advantage of its large space to form a miniature park; building a smart forestry model, both creating an environment for students to experiment and developing experience tourism. At the same time, the school is also completing the Vietnam-Korea Innovation Center, the Technical Services Center specializing in wood processing, and the laboratory specializing in wood inspection for training work and other activities.

Minister Le Minh Hoan emphasized that going on a new path will certainly face many difficulties, but if we keep the old way of thinking, we will definitely return to the rut.

VNUF is a multi-disciplinary, multi-subject university. However, there is no independent subject; each subject is closely related to other subjects. Therefore, the school needs to conduct research to develop a training program that integrates the contents of professions and fields related to the forestry sector.

In addition, the school must be imbued with the philosophy of "Human-centered education". Currently, universities only stop at imparting to students the thinking that when they graduate, they will go to work for a certain business or unit. However, in response to society’s changes and requirements, the school also needs to equip students with entrepreneurial and mastery thinking right from the time they are in school.

The Minister also noted that in a world of constantly changing thinking and technology, it will become drier and more difficult to delve into an issue. Therefore, before wanting to delve into a problem, each person must be equipped with various and sufficient knowledge.

"In order to dig a deep well, you must first dig a wide mouth. Before allowing students to delve in order to become experts, they must first equip students with general knowledge and logical thinking," said Minister Le Minh Hoan.

The commander of the agricultural sector also noted that when expanding the thinking space, VNUF will also expand the training space. Learners will find their own joy and passion in an open environment. From there, students will actively find the school, and the enrollment process will also be more convenient.

However, to do this, the Office of Student Affairs must help the school create an open space by regularly interacting with students' families so that the families can better understand the programs and contents their children are studying. Besides, building startup and reading book clubs for students to freely express themselves, creating excitement and motivation for learning.

"VNUF must consider the training of entrepreneurial thinking for agricultural students not to advertise and attract students but to train a new class of agricultural entrepreneurs for the country," emphasized Minister Le Minh Hoan.