My childhood did not begin in tranquility. The shadow of deprivation and poverty fell upon me when I was only six. My greatest pain was the sudden passing of my mother and two siblings, which left me an orphan. From then on, I had to fend for myself; I worked as a live-in servant until the age of ten. Those years of deprivation taught me to take care of myself and instilled a vital principle in me: no matter the circumstances, never stop or give up. The harshness of life crystallized into three spiritual pillars inside me - three core virtues: the ability to endure hardship, a deep sense of responsibility, and an unyielding desire to contribute something, that my life would not pass in vain. These became the compass for all my decisions in later years.
The years I lived, worked, and trained with the revolution provided me with another great teacher: discipline. It molded me throughout the war of resistance against the Americans and continues to do so to this day. From serving as a liaison officer and organizing movements to facing life-and-death situations surrounded by enemy forces and enduring grueling days rebuilding our forces in the harshest localities, I was always ready to join at the front and never once did I refuse a task the Party entrusted to me, no matter how difficult and even if it put me in imminent danger. Those years forged me into a steadfast and enduring person who is willing to make sacrifices and to work until strength runs out.
In 1960, after I graduated high school, I was assigned to return to Central Vietnam to build up the revolutionary movement from scratch. Upon arriving in Hue, I enrolled at Hue University but had to move to Saigon, since Hue did not offer a mathematics program - that made it easier for me to gather students. At the time, most students were from middle-class families with ties to the Saigon regime and many were Buddhist. I organized them into the core of the movement, weaving together a network of young people, high school students, and university students for liberation from Quang Tri to Phu Yen.
Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son (sixth from left) presents
the Prime Minister's decision to transform Duy Tan University into Duy Tan Institution
In the memory of our generation of young intellectuals, the most profound and sacred moment is still the day on Thuan An Beach in March 1963. Encircled by the enemy, on that quiet, desolate shore, we secretly founded the Student Federation for Liberation of Central Vietnam. Twenty-seven young people, representing the hopes and aspirations of youth from Quang Tri to Phu Yen, were elected to the executive committee. That midday, we embraced one another tightly and swore to fight with every ounce of our youthful strength. It was not just a shouted oath; it was a vow that sealed our lives.
War is atrocious. Indeed, when peace was restored, only five of those twenty-seven were still alive to return home. The remaining twenty-two had fallen on the battlefield in the service of their nation. To this day, I can still recall each of their faces, each of their voices. Every time I think of them, I am filled with boundless pride mixed with an unnamable sorrow. The joy of the restoration of our nation’s independence is forever intertwined with the pain of knowing that those brothers-in-arms never lived to see the day of victory. The verse I wrote in my poem “Que huong oi” still reverberates in my mind: “Generation after generation answers the call, defending our land with all their hearts.” It is a line I cannot forget about a generation of young people who feared no hardship, who willingly set aside their pens and books to hit the road and join the resistance, hearts ablaze with ardent patriotism.
When the war was over, I returned home to Quang Nam and once again faced a great challenge. Looking toward Dai Loc from the National Highway 1A road, about fifteen kilometers from my village, all you could see was flattened devastation. Tears welled up in my eyes. I cried not only for the loss of my home, the rice fields, and the bamboo hedges, but also for the immense devastation that had befallen my homeland. Our people had been held back for far too long by the poverty and backwardness that the war had caused. Generations had grown up without the chance to study, without ever seeing the wider world. At that fateful moment, the dream of doing education that had been smoldering inside me since I was eighteen became a calling pulling at me more than ever. Only through education could we rebuild a land that had been stripped bare in every aspect and nurture a new generation of young intellectuals to restore our homeland and continue in the footsteps of those who had laid down their lives. I always remind myself of Phan Chu Trinh’s movement: educate the people first, then one can work on the rest.
I did not want a comfortable path; I was ready to confront the root of the social problems of the day: lack of knowledge, lack of culture, and lack of mental discipline. I told myself that if I cannot create a serious place for learning, training, and personal growth, then the sacrifices of my fallen comrades who will “forever be twenty years old” will have been for naught - for how far a nation can go is determined only by where its education is.
When I began with the creation of Duy Tan University, our goal was to educate generations with the knowledge to shape both themselves and their homeland. Beyond that, I wanted them to become educated and cultured individuals who know how to behave in polite society, who understand what life is about, who put the collective first, and who do their work until the end. In my mind, a school is a place that plants the seeds of intellect, discipline, and character. Only a genuine education system can mend the wounds of a war-torn, impoverished nation and put the country - and especially my home of Central Vietnam - on a path of sustainable development.
In the early years of Duy Tan University, we started with whatever was available and whatever could be done right away. I opened “precursor” centers as a foundation. The first was the Practical English Center, which taught English to thousands, followed by the Electronics Center. We teamed up with the Hanoi University of Science & Technology to offer vocational bachelors in IT and with Ho Chi Minh City Open University to provide training in management. My goal then was crystal clear: to equip learners right away with foreign languages, informatics, and management thinking. These were the first bricks in the creation of a true university. However, wherever I went, I met with skepticism. A government official once bluntly called me “insane and eccentric”, since even public institutions were struggling then, and there I wanted to start a private university in Central Vietnam. I did not argue; I simply looked him in the eye and said that my capital was not land or money, but knowledge and social connections. If used wisely, knowledge and connections naturally generate wealth and opportunity.
To learn economic accounting, I accepted the position of director of the Quang Nam-Da Nang Tourism Company for five years. I traveled widely to learn how to run a business; I read, researched, and took extensive notes to develop a business plan. On a flight, I met an American businessman and persuaded him to visit Danang and invest there. As a result, one of the first Vietnamese–American joint ventures of that era (the Furama hotel Danang) was born. When the project took off and they invited me to become chairman of the Board of Directors, I declined. My dream was not to become a commercial business magnate, but to build a university.
Raising capital for the final and decisive stage is always the hardest part. My wife (Nguyen Thi Loc) and I decided to mortgage our modest house on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street to fund the venture. The bank only provided 132 million VND. The bank director, a former student of mine at Tran Quy Cap senior high, saw the risk and tried to dissuade me: “If you don’t get the permit to start the university, where will you and your family live?” I firmly replied, “I accept all risks. This is the cause I’ve been working for all my life. You just follow your bank’s rules; I won’t betray your trust. I’ll fully comply with the terms of the contract, even the risk of losing my house!” I even joked with him that, “Let’s play by the ‘code of the streets’: if I lose the house, it’s none of your business where my family lives afterward!”
Administrative procedures of the time were a maze. We worked from 1990 until late 1993 to finally establish the Founding Council. Initially, I proposed the name Central Vietnam Private University, but it was rejected on the grounds that, in the future, many other universities might want to use “Central Vietnam” in their names. My wife eventually suggested “Duy Tan”, inspired by Phan Chu Trinh’s reform movement. The application still met with snags, though, because Duy Tan was also the name of an emperor. I requested a direct meeting with PM Vo Van Kiet and explained how the Duy Tan movement that Phan Chu Trinh launched in 1906 in Quang Nam then spread nationwide, carrying the message of educating the people and strengthening their will first, then improving their livelihoods. When he heard this, the prime minister nodded and allowed the name Duy Tan University.
Three decades passed really swiftly. Perhaps the proudest milestone for my colleagues and me throughout this journey was on October 7, 2024, when we received the government’s decision to administratively upgrade Duy Tan University. The joy we felt then was not one of loud celebration; it flowed inward, straight into the heart, bringing me back to memories of the small home once mortgaged, the faces of fallen comrades, and the eyes of teachers and students who had been steadfast in their trust alongside me. That decision was the affirmation of what once seemed an impossible dream: from an impoverished, war-torn Central Vietnam, with no money, no house, no land, we were tenacious in our faith in higher education. Amid the overwhelming happiness and pride of that moment, I felt the heavy responsibility and saw the long-term road ahead more clearly than ever. “A broader mantle must go with broader shoulders.” DTU now stands on a par with regional and national universities, but this pride does not bring me relief. Instead, it places upon me and upon all of us here an even greater responsibility. For when we carry the name of university, when we rub shoulders with other prestigious universities, our standards must be higher, our training standards more rigorous, our academic discipline more exacting, and our duty to our country and to the young people of Central Vietnam even deeper and stronger. I understand very well that we did not come to where we are today to get something back, but to take up another demanding mission. All fame, in the end, is but like the scent of flowers; what makes it last is the strength that grows from within that fame!
From its very first days, Duy Tan University decided to operate as a non-profit to protect its long-term mission. For me, money is merely a means, not the ultimate goal. My wife made it clear that, once we had invested into the university, we would not invite any more shareholders. I agreed and bound myself to that principle. Saying “non-profit” is not absolutely accurate, because an institution needs profit to reinvest and develop, but I affirm that we do not distribute that profit to anyone. A university can and must generate profit to develop, but that profit must have only one destination: to return to the learners, to the lecturers, and to facilities - to improve education quality.
More importantly, being a non-profit requires the entire system to run on its true value: students’ employability, research capacity, and the trust of businesses and society. At DTU, the true “profit” comes from the quality of our students when they leave here, with minds of skilled and honorable professionals who live useful lives.
Under the leadership of General Secretary To Lam and with the Party’s strategic vision for a stage of national growth, our country is initiating a powerful shift in development orientation. A series of important policy directives, such as conclusion nr. 91, continue to affirm the implementation of resolution nr. 29-NQ/TW on the fundamental and comprehensive reform of education & training to meet the demands of industrialization, modernization, and international integration. Resolutions nr. 57-NQ/TW, 68-NQ/TW, and 71-NQ/TW clearly define the pillars of national reform. Resolution nr. 57-NQ/TW identifies science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation as “top strategic breakthroughs and main driving forces” to propel the country toward strength in the new era. Resolution nr. 68-NQ/TW emphasizes that the private sector is a vital engine of the economy and a pioneering force in science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation, thereby contributing to the realization of the objectives of resolution nr. 57. Meanwhile, resolution nr. 71-NQ/TW of 2025 reaffirms that education & training, and especially higher education, are the “core drivers in developing high-quality human resources and talent and in developing science, technology, and innovation”. These are the intellectual backbone and motivation for the full and successful implementation of the Party’s major policies.
Having worked in higher education for a long time, I always keep a close eye on the laws, policies, and resolutions of Party and state with the mindset of an insider. From my personal perspective, resolution nr. 57 on the development of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation can only truly fulfill its role as a key breakthrough when placed in a unified framework with conclusion nr. 91, resolutions nr. 71 and 68, and other related documents. Implementation of the entire policy system must be synchronized, disciplined, and consistent to achieve the goals of resolution nr. 57 in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Policies on education, science, technology, and the private sector need to complement and support each other. This must be vividly reflected through the mutual support of higher education institutions, scientific research, and innovative enterprises - where talent is nurtured, knowledge spreads, and the digital transformation is advanced, creating an essential foundation for the era of AI and sustainable development.
I place great expectations on the political determination that shines through in the directives of Party and state, but that expectation primarily lies in how the spirit of these resolutions must be transformed into persistent, consistent action from the central government to each individual educational institution. Only then can universities truly uphold and capitalize on their role as centers of education, research, and knowledge transfer that serve national development with the noble mission entrusted to them by Party, state, and people.
From its earliest days, Duy Tan University chose the motto “Vietnamese spirit, creativity, innovation, reaching for new heights”. However, the speed of success also depends greatly on specific policies and the commitment to regular implementation by both teachers and learners.
Policies to attract and bring together elite intellectuals from various sources - skilled domestic and overseas Vietnamese intellectuals, and even international specialists - must be regarded as a strategic spearhead next to a worthy working environment, competitive compensation mechanisms, and a genuinely free academic space where expertise is respected. Only when all these elements are aligned can we build the necessary resilience; domestic resources alone are not enough. I hope that resolution nr. 57 will become the central driving force among all the afore-mentioned resolutions, allowing science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to soon take root in everyday life through concrete, steady, and effective steps. The strength that comes from high-quality human resources built upon the nation’s steadfast tradition of love for learning will give the impetus that makes higher education the foundation that supports strategic policies and leads the nation toward prosperity and strength.
Coming from a poor background and formed in the army and in war from an early age, I always adhere to two fundamental principles in life: value health and time. One may lack many other things, but a damaged health or wasted time is lost forever. I maintain discipline in every aspect: in myself, in my work, and in my relationships with others. I live a healthy life, do not let material concerns take me stumble, and am always strict with myself. As Confucius taught: “Cultivate yourself, then put family in order, then govern the state, then pacify the world.” And so I believe that, to achieve great things for society, one must first cultivate personal discipline.
An individual with discipline grows stronger every day, and a disciplined society over time becomes powerful. Japan is a prime example. Their remarkable development stems from the discipline in every citizen’s actions. I have applied discipline to each working day: set clear plans for every task, at day’s end record in my notebook what was completed and what remains unfinished, reflect on why this was not finished, on what resources were lacking, and on who is needed for a given role. This is how I continuously refine myself. Discipline creates depth of intellect, and intellect in turn gives quality in work and lets us take our work to completion.
For me, the greatest happiness after all the ups and downs of life is simply returning home alive. Having survived fierce battles and still being here today, to build a university to make up for my fallen comrades, that is the most precious gift that fate has granted me. Happiness, to me, is when one can live to serve, to contribute to society and to one’s country. There is nothing more valuable than that. Each day that I can do something kind, contribute even a small effort to the community, that is my joy, my happiness. As Einstein once said, a person is happiest when they can love. Therefore, I believe that to love in any form - to love one’s family, to love oneself the right way, to love society, to love science and the values one pursues - is part of the truest and most complete happiness.
Today’s young generation lives in a time when education and intellectuals enjoy special attention from Party and state. Learning opportunities are more extensive than ever. Opportunities, however, mean nothing without the right mindset. The road ahead only becomes clear when one is determined to learn for growth and service, and not merely to get to the end of one’s studies.
Take good care of your health and your time, for both pass quickly; they move side by side but in opposite directions. From the moment you enter university until about age 35 are your golden years to accumulate knowledge and build character. Frankly speaking, if a person fails to lay their knowledge foundation at the age of 18 - 22, it becomes very difficult to break through later in life. No need to wait for something grand to happen; simply persevere in doing what is right, what is good, and do it all the way, day after day - from the classroom to your work, and later from your family to your community.
“Each person, while alive, should plant a tree of life, so that when they are gone, they leave behind a shade for others.” The size of that shade depends on each of us, on the discipline we maintain, the knowledge we gather, and the kindness we sow. To plant the tree of life, to nurture the seeds of knowledge, that, I believe, is the big mission entrusted to every future young generation.
(Media Center)