With a view to upgrading the quality of training of military logistics and financial officers in meeting the requirements of building the Army, which is revolutionary, regular, elite, advancing towards modernity, proactively approaching and applying the fourth industrial revolution’s achievements to innovate training approaches is one of the key targets deployed by the Logistics Academy with many drastic and synchronous solutions.

Accurately comprehend and put into practice the Prime Minister's Directive No. 16/CT-TTg, dated May 4, 2017, on enhancing ability to approach the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industrial Revolution 4.0, or IR4); the Ministry of National Defence's Decision No. 889/QD-BQP, dated March 22, 2018, on approving the "Action plan of the military school system under the impact of the IR4 in the period of 2018 - 2020 and the following years", over the years, the Logistics Academy has developed an action plan with many contents and solutions suitable to the characteristics of the training institution specialising in finance and military logistics. In particular, the application of the IR4's accomplishments to teaching techniques innovation and breakthroughs to raise the standard of training to fulfil the needs and tasks in the new situation is a focus. The Academy has highlighted the following to accomplish that goal: Commanding faculties and authorities to actively innovate teaching methods combined with inheriting and developing traditional teaching approaches, building and changing high-quality human resources in combination with infrastructure modernisation and information technology resources in IR4. Notably, the Academy has put into operation the systems for managing and assisting the teaching and learning activities, including E-Learning, He-Learning, etc. This database integration system utilises the Institute's intranet cyber environment to enable its lecturers and students to update lectures with comprehensive and in-depth information; to implement teaching strategies appropriate for each subject; to interact with educational management organisations; and to use smart software for testing and evaluating knowledge, skills, and students' attitudes. To date, 100% of the Academy's lecturers have been able to use e-lectures in accordance with the aforementioned methodology, flexibly updated and applied teaching methods, meeting the requirements of promoting learner-centred form, and making a significant contribution to improving the quality of education and training.

Currently, the Logistics Academy's education and training are impacted by the need to strengthen the Army and defend the Fatherland in the new scenario as well as by the significant influence of the IR4. In order to take advantage of the chances and accomplishments, overcome obstacles and challenges brought about by this wave, and effectively perform assigned tasks, the Academy concentrates on promoting the roles and duties of organisations and individuals, in particular party committees and commanders at all levels, in leading, directing, and putting new teaching techniques into practice in line with the current circumstances and development tendencies of the IR4.  Thoroughly grasping and implementing Resolution No. 1657-NQ/QUTW, dated December 20, 2022, of the Central Military Commission on renovation of education and training work in the new situation, the Academy has been focusing on researching and developing thematic resolutions on leadership to improve the quality of education and training; in which, continuing to identify innovative teaching methods as a breakthrough. At the same time, directing departments, faculties, and student management units to thoroughly grasp all subjects; concretised by action plans and programs to implement the resolutions close to reality. To achieve high efficiency, the Academy promotes the role of agencies, faculties, student management units, scientific councils, etc. in consulting to the Party Committee and the Academy's Board of Directors about policies, measures to initiate training approaches; maintaining the severe manner of passing and approving lectures; strengthening lecturers' examination, assessment, and experience in teaching innovative activities; correcting and reassigning tasks in situations of lack of effort or inability to satisfy the standards of teaching method innovation; immediately rewarding, organising learning, popularising, and replicating collectives and people with innovative and successful teaching performance. Simultaneously, fostering political and intellectual education, as well as conducting specialised activities, numerous seminars across the Academy, establishing a democratic atmosphere, and exploiting group work’s abilities in investigating and suggesting innovative teaching approaches. As a result, an agreement on awareness and action has been reached, boosting the synergy and sense of responsibility of each officer, lecturer, and student in carrying out this critical work.

Applying IT in the teaching and learning of foreign language at the academy

Implementing the motto: "The quality of the school's training is the combat readiness of the unit" and "Truthful teaching, substantive learning, substantive assessment of results", the Academy advocates for the continual renewal of learner-centred teaching approach, boosting learner optimism and initiative, and promoting the use of information technology in lectures, exercises, and rehearsals. To fulfil the established goals and requirements, the Academy urges the necessary authorities to work closely with faculties, departments, and student management units to focus on honestly and seriously investigating and assessing existing teaching methods, traditional teaching methods, to promote reasonable factors and eliminate inappropriate elements of traditional teaching methods. Simultaneously, updating and adding new parts, and expanding the method's content, and making the teaching and learning techniques suitable for each topic and training object to fulfil the standards' of training output. With social sciences and humanities subjects, the Academy innovates teaching methods by combining traditional programs with active teaching ways, strengthening exchange and feedback activities; promoting the role of information exploitation orientation of lecturers and application of software to design lectures according to system logic diagrams, and integrating detailed content associated with visual immediacy. With specialised subjects in logistics and finance, due to the requirement of a large amount of information to be transmitted, with many data, it requires students to capture, synthesise, and analyse information and apply modern software into the process of studying, researching, and working to meet the requirements of digital transformation. As a result, the Academy innovates in the direction of employing integrated active teaching techniques, improving updating, and using software in teaching, so providing circumstances for students to both study and practice to grasp the theory. In order to meet the training requirements of trainees commanding tactical and operational logistics, the Academy has oriented to associate teaching with scientific research activities, focusing on practice; promote the role of lecturers in orientation and support students to develop and deploy topics close to the reality of logistics activities at the unit; strengthen the application of information technology, especially software to make logistics-ensuring documents on 2D and 3D digital maps and implement online methods of reporting, assigning tasks, handling situations, etc. through the intranet in exercises and rehearsals.

With the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), big data (Big Data), etc. and new teaching tools, IR4 has changed the way teachers and students teach, learn, and communicate. In this context, technological means and intelligent software are becoming an increasingly important driving force in promoting communication and information exchange, increasing the intensity of both teachers and learners, shortening teaching time while ensuring that learners fully and deeply understand the content. Faced with this tendency, the Academy urges the appropriate authorities to actively investigate and comprehend the development trend of science and technology; on that basis, advise and propose investment plans and teaching equipment refurbishment. In the up-coming time, the Academy will focus on modernising operating quarter, specialised classrooms, and computer systems, as well as digitising textbooks and research materials and creating a foundation for developing digital libraries, among other things, to support teaching and learning activities. Promoting internal resources, in conjunction with research, construction, and development of teaching support software, information security software, and so on, to integrate and optimise the E-Learning system. Actively evaluate and complete legislation and regulations, fostering a favourable environment for the use of information technology in teaching and scientific research, and fulfilling the demands of digital transformation. In the face of the IR4’s rapid developments and the high demands on the quality of human resources to fulfil the objectives of developing the Army, defending the Fatherland, the renewal of teaching techniques and enhancement of educational quality in Military schools in general and Logistics Academy in particular, is a necessity. In keeping up with this new trend, the Academy continues to make a full use of opportunities and outcomes from the Industrial Revolution 4.0 to research and apply, constantly improve the quality of teaching and scientific research, to train an increasingly high-quality contingent of logistics and military financial officers, meeting the requirements of tasks in the new situation.

Major General, Dr. LE THANH LONG, Deputy Political Commissar of Logistics Academy