Hai Phong promotes “Learning City” model for sustainable growth

The signing of the cooperation program between the Department of Education and Training and the city’s Association for Promoting Learning for 2026–2030 is not merely a routine collaborative activity, but a long-term strategic policy set within Hai Phong’s new development context.

Following administrative consolidation, Hai Phong not only maintains its role as the economic, political, cultural, and defense-security center of the Northern Coastal region, but is also one of the three growth poles of the Northern Key Economic Region (Ha Noi – Hai Phong – Quang Ninh). At the same time, it serves as the maritime gateway for northern provinces. Such a position requires a corresponding development foundation, in which the learning capacity of the entire society becomes a decisive factor.

With a population of more than 4.6 million people, 1,648 general education institutions and over one million students, Hai Phong possesses a large and well-developed education system. However, this very scale also presents a fundamental challenge: if learning remains confined to schools alone, the city will not be able to meet the demand for improving the quality of human resources in the context of increasingly deep international integration.

Therefore, building a “Learning City,” where lifelong learning becomes the driving force of a major urban center, is seen as essential for achieving breakthrough and sustainable development.

In the digital era, development advantages no longer depend primarily on infrastructure or geographical location—factors that can be improved relatively quickly—but rather on the adaptability, self-learning ability and capacity for continuous knowledge upgrading of the workforce.

As the third-largest economy in the country, and a hub for supply chains, logistics, industry and services, Hai Phong is facing increasing pressure regarding labor quality. Without the formation of a learning society where knowledge is continuously updated, its geo-economic advantages will be difficult to transform into long-term development strengths.

In this context, the cooperation between the two agencies carries strategic significance—not only in terms of implementation, but also in building a modern learning ecosystem. It represents the linkage of two key pillars: state management of education, which provides direction and leadership, and social organizations capable of widespread outreach, directly promoting learning movements within communities.

When these two pillars operate in harmony, learning will no longer be confined within school boundaries but will become a continuous flow throughout social life, forming a foundation for sustainable development and improving the quality of the city’s human resources.

The core value of the program lies not in the scale of activities, but in its focused and in-depth approach. First, raising awareness of lifelong learning is not limited to communication campaigns, but aims to change behaviors and foster a learning culture within each individual and community. Standardizing and improving models such as “Learning Citizen,” “Learning Family,” “Learning Unit,” and “Learning Community” will contribute to establishing an interconnected learning network that spans schools, families, workplaces and residential areas.

At the same time, the program emphasizes mobilizing social resources to promote learning and talent development, while enhancing the effectiveness of Community Learning Centers. It also includes coordinated efforts to implement a plan for Hai Phong to become a member of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities.

This is not merely an integration goal, but a concrete process of applying knowledge-based development criteria directly linked to improving human resource quality in the new development phase.

For a leading urban center like Hai Phong, choosing knowledge-based development has become an inevitable requirement. Building a learning city is the way for the city to transform its population scale into an advantage and turn human potential into a driving force for growth. In the era of global integration, this is the most effective path for going faster and further.

Bui Hanh

Bui Hanh