Challenges and qualities of lecturers in the new era

The new point here is to aim at creating an open, flexible and interconnected institution, in which public investment plays a leading role, inspiring socialization. In that context, the role of lecturers is seen more clearly: They are both the direct factor in creating knowledge and the bridge to bring major policy orientations into training practice, to prepare the country for a new generation of citizens - with knowledge, skills and aspirations to contribute.

General Secretary To Lam and excellent students. Photo: Ministry of Education and Training

Knowledge - the foundation for creating the future

The teaching profession is first and foremost a profession of knowledge. University lecturers are considered “living knowledge warehouses”: they teach, research, transfer technology, and provide academic guidance to students. Degrees and professional qualifications are necessary, but never sufficient. The knowledge of lecturers does not stop at books but must always be updated, linked to social reality, to science and technology that are changing every day.

An automotive lecturer cannot ignore the development of electric vehicles, artificial intelligence or hydrogen batteries. An economics lecturer must understand and incorporate new trends such as e-commerce, digital economy, green transformation into his lectures. And a medical lecturer will find it difficult to fulfill his duties if he does not keep up with the progress of biotechnology or new-generation pharmaceuticals.

Such knowledge requires humility, curiosity and a spirit of lifelong learning. A true teacher must “learn before teaching, learn in parallel with teaching”, so that each class hour is not only about imparting knowledge but also about sharing experiences, leading students into the open world of academics.

Skills - the key to turning knowledge into value

Profound knowledge will not be of full value without pedagogical skills. A teacher’s skills are not only about lecturing, but also include the ability to inspire, listen, manage a classroom, conduct scientific research and adapt to change.

A monotonous lecture can easily tire students. However, if the same content is conveyed in familiar language, linked to real-life situations, combined with interactive teaching methods and technology applications, the knowledge will become vivid, easy to remember and deeply engraved in the learner.

Pharmacy students during a practical session. Photo

Pharmacy students during a practice session. Photo courtesy

In the digital age, lecturers must also master online platforms, simulation software, artificial intelligence tools, and know how to encourage students to actively participate. Outside the classroom, skills in connecting with businesses, implementing research topics, and expanding international cooperation are also indispensable requirements. Today's lecturers not only teach theory but also bring students closer to the real-life professional environment - becoming a bridge between "academics" and "life".

The lasting value of the profession

Students and young lecturers of Ho Chi Minh City National University during scientific research hours. Photo: nhandan.vn

If knowledge and skills are the “backbone” of the teaching profession, then the heart is the “soul”. A lecturer may be good at his/her subject but if he/she lacks sympathy, listening and dedication to his/her students, it will be difficult to instill trust and arouse their aspirations.

A university teacher is a communicator, a companion, an advisor, and sometimes even a “second father or mother”. They share with students their career concerns, support them when they stumble, and guide them when they are at a crossroads in life. That is the “teacher-student relationship” that time or technology cannot replace. That heart is also associated with social responsibility: strict but humane in assessment; principled but not distant; both imparting knowledge and nurturing dreams. That is the quality that creates the lasting value of the profession.

The social role of the teaching profession

Many universities are having solutions to attract good lecturers to improve training quality and international integration. Photo: PHENIKAA

Many universities are having solutions to attract good lecturers to improve training quality and international integration. Photo: nhandan.vn

In the context of integration and educational innovation, the teaching profession faces many challenges, with an increasingly heavy workload: teaching, research, international publication, project participation, methodological innovation, etc. In addition, the new generation of students is more dynamic, more practical, but also easily distracted by technology, requiring lecturers to constantly innovate and keep up with the psychology of learners.

Many young lecturers face difficulties in income and pressure of professional competition. But it is in these challenges that love for the profession and sense of responsibility are fostered, proving the mettle of dedicated teachers.

The teaching profession is not limited to the classroom, they are the ones who directly participate in training high-quality human resources - the decisive factor for the development of the country. A generation of mature, creative, socially responsible students, including the silent achievements of hours in class.

Moreover, lecturers are also the bridge between academic knowledge and community life. Scientific research, technological initiatives, socio-economic solutions, etc. from lecturers not only contribute to academic development, but also directly serve the cause of national development. In the era of globalization, lecturers also represent the image of Vietnamese education in the international arena, through cooperation programs, academic exchanges and teaching for foreign students.

A true teacher is someone who knows how to balance all three of these elements, so that each class hour is not only a lesson, but also a journey to sow faith, inspire dreams and nurture the personality of the young generation. Society may change, technology may develop, but the core values of the teaching profession - knowledge, skills, heart - will always remain.

Tu Huu Cong

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202509/thach-thuc-va-ban-linh-nguoi-giang-vien-trong-thoi-dai-moi-a7c189c/