[FAIE] PhD Nguyen Van Tan Served as the Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor for a 73-Year-Old Candidate

As a 2/4 war invalid, Mr. Doan Hoang Hai overcame numerous difficulties, followed President Ho Chi Minh’s example, and continuously strived in learning and self-improvement. With that determination, Mr. Hai has just been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree at the age of 73.

Following President Ho Chi Minh’s Example of Lifelong Learning

Recently, Tra Vinh University held a Graduation Ceremony awarding degrees to 7 new Doctor of Philosophy graduates and 408 master’s graduates. During the ceremony, delegates paid special attention to Dr. Doan Hoang Hai, as he was the oldest doctoral graduate at the event.

Dr. Doan Hoang Hai was born in 1951, originally from Ba Tri District, Ben Tre Province. He currently serves as Standing Deputy Head of the Ben Tre Fellow-Countrymen Liaison Committee in Ho Chi Minh City; Deputy Head of the Information – Postal Communication Resistance Tradition Club under the Central Office for South Vietnam. He is also a Member of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ben Tre Province for the 2024–2029 term.

He pursued doctoral studies in Business Administration at Tra Vinh University and successfully defended his doctoral dissertation entitled “Factors Affecting Human Resource Development in Enterprises: The Case of Ho Chi Minh City Telecommunications.” His supervisors were PhD Nguyen Van Tan – Head of The Faculty of Administration International Economics (FAIE), Lac Hong University – and Associate Professor PhD Nguyen Van Nguyen, Rector of the School of Economics and Law, Tra Vinh University.

Upon receiving his doctoral degree, Dr. Doan Hoang Hai shared that more than 50 years ago, he had been stationed in Duyen Hai District (now Duyen Hai Town, Tra Vinh Province). The protection and care of local mothers and sisters helped him overcome hardships and dangers and complete the tasks assigned by the Wireless Information Division of the Sai Gon – Gia Dinh Regional Party Committee in Tra Vinh.

Although he is a 2/4 war invalid, Mr. Doan Hoang Hai overcame difficulties and was determined to obtain his doctoral degree despite his advanced age.

Out of gratitude, more than five years ago, he was introduced by an acquaintance to return to Tra Vinh and enroll at Tra Vinh University for study and research. According to him, the land of Tra Vinh had sheltered and protected him during wartime, and now it is where he continues to study, enhance his knowledge, and contribute.

Sharing about his learning motivation, Dr. Hai stated that lifelong learning means studying and following President Ho Chi Minh’s example. Learning and self-learning help update and enhance one’s knowledge, create opportunities to contribute intellectual value to society, and set an example for children and grandchildren. He revealed that currently some of his children and grandchildren have obtained master’s degrees and others are pursuing doctoral studies.

Concerns About Human Resources in the Telecommunications Sector

Dr. Hai confided: “Age, health, and personal circumstances were the greatest barriers, as I had to study systematically, conduct self-research, analyze data, carry out sociological surveys, and write the dissertation. At this age, health limitations and travel conditions are significant challenges. However, with strong support from my family and relatives, along with the dedicated guidance of my supervisors, I was able to complete my doctoral dissertation within the prescribed timeframe.”

Regarding his decision to choose the topic “Factors Affecting Human Resource Development in Enterprises: The Case of Ho Chi Minh City Telecommunications,” Dr. Hai explained that he himself has worked in the telecommunications sector. Several decades ago, he recognized both opportunities and challenges related to human resources in enterprises, particularly in telecommunications.

Dr. Hai believes that the country is entering the Industry 4.0 era and transitioning toward a digital government and digital society, with information technology experiencing rapid growth. Therefore, sectors, especially information technology and telecommunications, are facing both difficulties, challenges, and opportunities.

“My research updates trends, technologies, and solutions for human resource development in the telecommunications sector to proactively adapt to the era. I hope that this dissertation will provide valuable benefits to enterprises in effectively utilizing and developing their human resources in alignment with development trends,” Dr. Hai shared.

After obtaining his doctoral degree at the age of 73, Dr. Hai plans to maintain his health to continue studying and improving his knowledge in order to contribute further research values to society.

In addition, Dr. Hai stated that he is currently participating in publishing the Can Tho City Gazetteer on Posts and Telecommunications. In the coming time, he plans to write and publish books on standards and ethics of leaders and enterprise managers, and to continue teaching specialized topics on entrepreneurship and digital business at universities.

According to Dai bieu Nhan dan Newspaper