Opening ceremony of the Training Course on Management and Operation Skills for Middle-Level Managers of Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation

Opening ceremony of the Training Course on Management and Operation Skills for Middle-Level Managers of Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation - FAHASA

On the evening of May 21, 2024, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) in collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation - FAHASA solemnly organized the Opening Ceremony of the a course on Management and Operation Skills Training - FAHASA 2024 for middle-level managers (Leaders of product fields, leaders of affiliated units) of Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation. This activity was organized under the frame of the Memorandum of Understanding on training and fostering human resources between the two parties.

Overview of the Opening Ceremony

Attending the Opening Ceremony, on behalf of UEH, there was the presence of Prof. Dr. Su Dinh Thanh - Director of UEH; Mr. Truong Minh Kiet - Head of Department of Marketing and Communication; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Pham Quang Huy - Deputy Head of Department of Undergraduate Training, Lecturer of the course; Assoc.Prof.Dr. Tran Dang Khoa - Head of Strategic Management Department - School of Management - UEH College of Business.

On behalf of the Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation, with the participation of Mr. Pham Minh Thuan - Chairman of the Board of Directors and Mr. Pham Nam Thang - General Director along with learners of the Management and Operation Skills Training Course - FAHASA 2024 .

Opening the course Prof.Dr. Su Dinh Thanh - President of UEH - remarked: "In October 2023, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City was transformed following the model of a multi-disciplinary university, becoming one of the 7 current universities across the country. With internal resources accumulated over nearly 50 years and the strategy of Connecting the Community and Spreading Knowledge, UEH always accompanies partners to develop together and serve the community towards sustainable development. In recent times, UEH has also cooperated in training with many corporations listed as Vietnam Electricity Group, Vietnam Rubber Group, Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group, and Liksin Packaging Printing Company, etc. Continuing this journey, UEH would like to thank the leaders of Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation for trusting and accompanying UEH to organize the Management - Operation Skills Training Course. - FAHASA 2024 for middle-level managers of Fahasa. I wish all learners to achieve good results, thoroughly apply the knowledge they have acquired to leadership work in their units, and see them all at the course summary."

Prof.Dr. Su Dinh Thanh - UEH Director - at the Opening Ceremony

Representing FAHASA, Mr. Pham Minh Thuan - Chairman of the Board of Directors of FAHASA - remarked: "I am a former student of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Planning Batch 5, Department of Planning, after demobilization, I entered the school in 1979. The lecturers at that time were leading professors from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City listed as Professor Tran Dinh But, Professor Ho Duc Hung, Ms. Ung Thi Minh Le, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Te, Mr. Le Thanh Ha and Ms. Phan Thi Minh Chau. It can be stated that University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City is the place where I spent my vibrant and heroic student days, although it was difficult but fun. In 1999, I returned and studied in Batch 6 of Graduate studies at the school. Throughout my university life, I was most attached to University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City. It was not just me, in the leadership of Fahasa, there are many employees who have graduated from the school. With affection, attachment and gratitude, we do thank the school for nearly 50 years of training many leaders for all sectors, all levels and for us at Fahasa.

Fahasa was founded in August 1976. In December 2005, the company was equitized and currently, Fahasa has 30% state capital. In nearly 20 years of operating as a joint stock company, Fahasa has grown 15 times. In accordance with what I learned at University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, I have built Fahasa a very clear development strategy since 2005, which is to build a system of professional bookstores nationwide. In 2005, Fahasa only had 18 bookstores in Ho Chi Minh City with small areas ranging from 100-200m2; curently, Fahasa has 120 bookstores with sizes ranging from 500-2000m2 spread across 47 provinces and cities. From Quang Tri to the South, 100% of Provinces have Fahasa bookstores. Fahasa's revenue in 2023 was 3,900 billion. Fahasa was in the top 400 largest companies in Vietnam. Allof Fahasa's bookstores are directly rented, staffed, managed and operated by the company. Fahasa does not franchise, does not lease brands, and does not contract, so, today we have more than 2,200 employees. From Quang Tri onwards, 100% of goods are supplied from Ho Chi Minh City, bookstores only sell goods, do not import goods. That's why we effectively manage our product quality, price and origin of goods. Our staff is required to be professional and skilled. That's why FAHASA is very interested in training our team.

The managers studying here are all employees who have been with Fahasa for a long time, at least 10 years, at most more than 30 years. They have a lot of enthusiasm, passion, and experience, but to a certain extent, they are lacking knowledge. To compensate for this aspect, Fahasa pays special attention to training, and this is also the reason why Fahasa cooperated with University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City to organize the "Management and Operation Skills Training Course - FAHASA 2024" for middle-level managers. According to my planning, there is not only one course. After completing this course, the two parties will sit down and have a longer plan. There will be courses for intermediate- and senior-level staff. We entirely understand that the problem we are facing is the lack of the latest knowledge and expertise.

For this course specifically, we had an internal meeting and agreed that we must ensure the spirit of learning and education seriously, and require learners to discuss and interact with lecturers about real-life situations taking place at Fahasa, what they still lack in terms of knowledge, and about connecting knowledge with work practice. I hope that what Fahasa employees learn today will immediately work."

Mr. Pham Minh Thuan - Chairman of the Board of Directors of FAHASA - at the opening ceremony

"Management and Operations Skills Training Course - FAHASA 2024" will be held in 3 sessions per week, Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and Saturday morning until the end of June 2024. After that, it will switch to 02 sessions a week at Fahasa until the end of August 2024. At the end of each seesstion, learners will take a multiple-choice test. At the end of the course, learners will report their group Action Program will be issued a course completion certificate by UEH if they meet all requirements.

Assoc.Prof.PhDr. Pham Quang Huy - Deputy Head of UEH Department Undergraduate Training - announcing the decision to open the course

On the occasion of the opening ceremony of the course, Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation - Fahasa awarded the Library of University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City 500 books of various genres, including specialized books in English and life skills books useful for UEH students with a total value of 100 million VND.

Ho Chi Minh City Book Distribution Corporation - Fahasa donating books to UEH Library

After nearly 50 years of establishment and development, UEH always promotes its strengths in training by coordinating and developing short-term training courses to update knowledge for leaders and senior managers of businesses with state and defense capital such as Vietnam Electricity Group, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City Hospital, 175 Military Hospital, Liksin Printing and Packaging Corporation, 16 Company Limited (16th Army), aiming to meet high-quality human resources in the public sector with the capability of implementing a strong socio-economic development strategy according to the policies of the Party and Government.