Fully grasping higher echelons’ directives, resolutions, and instructions on personnel work, particularly Resolution No. 769-NQ/QUTW by the Central Military Commission on “Building a contingent of military cadres in the 2013-2020 period and beyond”, and its function, missions, and realistic conditions, Party Committee and Directorate of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre (hereafter the Centre) formulated Resolution No. 93-NQ/ĐU, dated 27-01-2011 on “Abroad training for cadres towards 2020 and beyond” in a bid to lead its personnel work, and build a contingent of highly skilled science and technology cadres. According to Resolution of the Centre’s 6^th Party Congress (2015-2020 tenure), “Focusing on attracting science cadres from various fields, with great importance attached to Russian Federation-trained cadres. Building a contingent of science and technology cadres quantitatively and qualitatively, successfully fulfilling the Centre’s missions in the new period.” On the basis of higher echelons’ resolutions of personnel work, all-level party committees and organizations issue special resolutions, action programs and plans with a focus on political missions in conformity with democratic centralism and procedures for personnel work. The Centre’s Party Committee has directed its affiliates to closely combine personnel work with political, ideological, organizational and policy works; to promote directive and leadership role of all-level party committees, commandants, and political agencies in building a contingent of science and technology cadres in a democratic, focalized, effective fashion whilst associating the building of a pool of key cadres and leading experts with that of all-level party committees and a contingent of commandants; properly implementing the work of preliminary and overall assessment to proactively remedy weaknesses and shortcomings. Over the past years, the Centre has actively employed a number of cadres with extensive expertise, and attached importance to sending its staff on specialized training courses in Russian Federation. At present, the Centre’s contingent of science and technology cadres satisfies fundamental requirements in quantitative and qualitative terms (100% of its scientific cadres held a bachelor’s degree in which 60% had postgraduate degrees).

In the time to come, under the auspices of the two Governments of Vietnam and Russian Federation, particularly of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence, the Centre will continuously see its growth and development in terms of organizational structure and missions. To accomplish the assigned political missions, the Centre’s Party Committee and Directorate have worked out breakthrough policies and solutions pertaining to the building of a contingent of science cadres, meeting its development requirements in the new situation.

Signing the minutes of the meeting of the Coordinating Committee for Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre (December 2016)

First, accelerating the work of propagation and education to create a remarkable transformation in personnel work amongst the Centre’s affiliates especially party committees and organizations, key cadres, and political agencies. Accordingly, the Centre’s Party Committee has directed its affiliates to reform the propagation content and diversify propagation forms in tandem with the building of a contingent of science cadres; to foster overall strength of various organizations and forces, etc., with emphasis devoted to Resolution No. 769-NQ/QUTW by the Central Military Commission; Directive No. 697-CT/QUTW by the Standing Board of the Central Military Commission; special resolution by the Centre’s Party Committee on personnel work, particularly on a contingent of science and technology cadres, thereby rendering its affiliates fully conscious of the decisive role of a pool of science and technology cadres in the performance of every office and unit’s missions; of the building of a pool of “virtuous and capable” cadres resting with every organization and force, particularly party committees, commissars, and political agencies, consequently forging their higher sense of responsibilities and duties to build a quantitative and qualitative contingent of science and technology cadres, matching mission requirements.

Second, strictly abiding by leadership principles and procedures for personnel work; while well conducting personnel management. Grounded in higher echelons’ personnel regulations, party committees at diverse levels need to continuously verify, supplement, and perfect leadership principles, and procedures for personnel planning in line with their units’ particularities. On the basis of political tasks of the Army and the Centre, the building of a pool of cadres should be carried out in tandem with that of a pool of party members, key cadres, and party committees at various levels while it is necessary to closely combine personnel management styles with the masses’ supervision role. Democratic centralism principles should be actively inspected and supervised in personnel work with a focus on promoting a sense of responsibilities, flexibility and creativity amongst party committees and their heads; aligning the building of a contingent of science and technology cadres with the execution of Resolution of the 4^th Plenum of the Central Party Committee (12^th tenure) on Party building and rectification as well as the Directive No. 05-CT/TW by the Politburo (12^th tenure) on “accelerating the study and  following of Uncle Ho’s thought, morality, and lifestyle” via daily concrete deeds.

Third, making appropriate adjustments to a quantity and structure of science and technology cadres, which is a matter of urgency. Presently, the number of science and technology cadres still faces a shortage of 12% of its total actual strength; there is a shortage of over 20% in the number of science and technology cadres cum public servants with expertise, etc., which has a considerable impact on the performance of the Centre’s missions. Therefore, all-level party committees and political agencies need to verify and firmly grip their personnel developments; give proper advice and recommendations to higher echelons on personnel planning and appointment whilst offering suggestions to higher echelons on supplementing and staffing understrength units; streamlining and fostering a qualitative contingent of science and technology cadres especially in the Centre’s affiliates in an effective genuine fashion under the motto “Attracting science cadres from different fields; attaching great importance to Russian Federation-trained cadres with expertise”.

Fourth, strengthening the work of training to improve the comprehensive quality for a contingent of science and technology cadres. The Centre advocates associating fundamental training at home and abroad and in military and non-military schools with in-service training; actively sending its cadres on training courses in Russian Federation; and placing emphasis on training highly skilled cadres. Yearly training plans have been formulated in line with the Centre’s particularities. On the basis of Circular No. 195/2011/TT-BQP, dated 24-11-2011 by Ministry of National Defence and the Centre’s mission requirements, the Centre has handpicked and sent cadres with adequate capability on training programs abroad or run by military and non-military schools. Science and technology cadres have been regularly trained and updated on latest scientific and technological development and application in military-defence field, and modern research orientations, content, and methods. The content of training and updating should be comprehensive, ranging from research ability to political ideology, moral dignity, lifestyle, etc. Refresher courses should be properly conducted along with the motto “primary in-site training, higher echelons train lower echelons; experienced and capable cadres train young ones, and independent study and research. The effectiveness of Russian training for science and technology cadres should be promoted through innovative methods in order to satisfy mission requirements.

Fifth, the work of assessment towards science and technology cadres should be adequately carried out; aligning personnel assessment with personnel planning. Genuine personnel assessment facilitates right personnel planning and posting. Resolution of the Centre’s 6^th Party Congress stated “properly conducting personnel assessment, taking work performance as a yardstick for personnel planning and pay rise”. Accordingly, party committees at diverse levels renovate the work of annual and unscheduled personnel evaluation in line with their assigned duties and responsibilities in a comprehensive, democratic, transparent, objective fashion. Grounded in registered personal plans and work performance records by science and technology cadres, party committees and commandants at all levels keep track of and assess their capability and professionalism. The building of a contingent of science and technology cadres should be coupled to all-level commanding and managing personnel planning. Annually, grounded in Instruction No. 2878/HD-CT, dated 25-12-2015 by the General Department of Politics and initial personnel planning, the Standing Board of the Centre’s Party Committee, political agency, and all-level party committees proactively verify, supplement, and put cadres with adequate capability and credibility and young science cadres with high expertise in personnel planning of scientific and technological units in a procedural, democratic, transparent, continuous manner in conformity with Circular No. 139/2016/TT-BQP, dated 17-9-2016 on standards for personnel posting of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre.

Sixth, properly adopting cadre policies. It is necessary to proactively give recommendations to higher echelons on drawing up and promulgating special allowance policies for pubic servants in the Centre. Due attention has been paid to executing the army rear policy, supporting cadres’ destitute families, and enabling them to settle down and show single-minded devotion to their duty whilst offering suggestions to higher echelons on policy of attracting, managing, and utilizing science and technology cadres with high expertise.

The building of a contingent of science and technology cadres is a matter of paramount importance to the Centre’s Party Organization, and a political responsibility falling on its affiliates and staff, party members, and soldiers. Under the spirit of Resolution of the 12^th National Party Congress, particularly Resolution of the 4^th Plenum of the Central Party Committee (12^th tenure), and Resolution of the 10^th Military Party Congress, promoting its 30-year tradition of construction and maturity, the Centre’s Party Organization has been determined to obtain higher achievements and build a contingent of science and technology cadres quantitatively and qualitatively, contributing to the successful fulfilment of every mission and target set by Resolution of the Centre’s 6^th  Party Congress.

Senior Colonel Trinh Xuan Son, Secretary of the Centre’s Party Committee

Commissar of the Centre