Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan said over the past years professors and people’s teachers have actively contributed to scientific research, education and training for the younger generation. Many works by intellectuals have been used by the Party and State in its planning, policies and strategies for national construction and defense.

In the context of the country’s economic integration process, which is expected to pose many opportunities and challenges, Minister Nhan said, the Party and State want to build a generation of intellectuals to effectively serve the national industrialization and modernization. He expressed his hope that the intellectuals, particularly professors, associate professors and people’s teachers, will actively engaged in national development.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, 44 teachers were recognized as professors, 411 as associate professors, and 13 as people’s teacher in 2006, raising the total number of professors and associate professors in Vietnam to 7,000.