During a visit to the American National University (ANU, founded in 1886), when discussing doctoral training, Dr. Eric Rothgery, Director of the ESL (English as a Second Language) Program, stated that successfully defending a doctoral dissertation is only the beginning of a mission to spread knowledge, foster creativity, and contribute to the development of the community, the country in which one lives, and ultimately, humanity, because we are human beings endowed by nature with greater intelligence than other animals.
If we consider the PhD (Ph.D.) as the maximum qualification, then ANU does not have a postdoctoral research program for those who already hold a PhD, aimed at enhancing scientific research capabilities and contributing to the country's development.
This opinion has made me think a lot about elite education in my country. On May 22, 2025, the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported that "Hanoi National University has just issued a plan for 'Investing in the development of outstanding scientists and strong research groups with international standards'," and "In 2025, Hanoi National University will focus on developing a team of 200 outstanding scientists." Based on this premise, if all higher education institutions in our country are determined, then a number of thousands is modest. The issue is that it needs to be substantive.
TALENT DOESN'T MAKE YOU EXCELLENT!
Elite education focuses on developing outstanding talent, not only in knowledge but also in ethics, skills, and holistic thinking, so that they become global citizens capable of leadership, guiding society, and contributing to national prosperity. Its goal is to nurture exceptional individuals who are responsible, ethical, and serve the community, not to create highly skilled but indifferent and self-centered individuals.
But whether it's elite education or general education, families, schools, and society must guide young people to understand their responsibilities in life. The greatest responsibility is protection – protecting oneself, protecting loved ones, protecting the community, the village, and even more importantly, protecting the nation and the country... Knowing this responsibility strengthens moral character, enabling them to overcome all obstacles and rise strongly. What is called moral character is actually faith, that is, a firm belief in a kind of truth, one that is eternal and unchanging, which can help us uncover the hidden potential within ourselves. This is called overcoming oneself.
Elite education aims to select and nurture individuals with exceptional qualities to become future leaders, leading experts, or thinkers. In many countries, when children enter kindergarten, they are transferred to what is called a "pre-primary school." Before entering, the children must undergo a short, public interview with psychology and education experts to identify promising talents. Depending on each child's intellectual development, the experts will work with parents to determine what support is needed.
This story reminds me of our ancestors' experience in selecting seeds for each crop, learning cultivation methods, and exploring the soil and environment... But good seeds, which our forefathers still considered last among "water, fertilizer, labor, and seeds," have created the brilliant rice-based civilization that we see today.
Dr. Eric Rothgery (center), author Vu Gia (far right), and the ANU leadership team. (Photo provided by the author)
For a long time, we've had a system of specialized schools and selective classes at the secondary level, as well as talent and advanced programs at key universities. This shows that we recognized the importance of elite education from a very early age. However, in a seminar organized by the Institute for Advanced Studies in Mathematics on August 2, 2025, Associate Professor Ton Than – the teacher of many mathematicians and also the teacher of Professor Ngo Bao Chau – said: "Even the training of gifted students still heavily emphasizes rote learning, teaching tricks and practicing difficult problem-solving. This teaching method only creates math problem solvers, not people with the ability to solve life's problems."
Therefore, I think making mistakes isn't scary; only by making mistakes can you learn what's right and what maturity is, simply because mistakes come at a high price. But the scariest thing is making mistakes without knowing you're wrong or without the courage to acknowledge your mistakes.
Integration for Learning
At the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition and the opening of the 2025-2026 academic year, General Secretary To Lam directed: "Strengthen international integration in education. Integration is for learning from best practices, narrowing the gap, and spreading best practices; encourage co-training, program linkages, credit recognition, faculty and student exchanges, and attract international scholars; thereby, enhancing the position of Vietnamese education." This is the foundation for our elite education to truly rise and "stand shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the world," as President Ho Chi Minh wished and as the nation aspired to.
While focusing on elite education, it's also essential to cultivate a spirit of progress. What does "progress" mean? It means moving forward without turning back, regardless of obstacles and difficulties. Once you've chosen a path for the future, don't focus on how far you can go, but rather on whether you have enough enthusiasm to take that step. Elite education aims to produce "people with the ability to solve life's problems" with kind hearts, not those who prioritize self-interest at the expense of others.
Excellence is the finest and most beautiful essence, so from studying to doing anything else, if one does not cultivate inner self-improvement, one can never achieve greatness. Education for excellence aims to create individuals who are responsible, grateful, and reciprocal, enabling them to confidently bước into a new era of national progress. Anyone who desires shared wealth and prosperity but doesn't consider shared hardship should go to sleep, because such good things happen in dreams.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/de-tinh-hoa-phai-hoi-du-nhung-gi-196260210124819063.htm
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