The predecessor of the Faculty was the Ethnology - Archaeology Department, established in 1960 within the Faculty of History, Hanoi University; in 1967 it became the Department of Ethnology; and in 2004 it became the Department of Anthropology. In 2010, the Department of Anthropology separated and became directly affiliated with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and in 2015 it developed into the Faculty of Anthropology.
The Department of Anthropology is home to many renowned educators and scientists such as Assoc. Prof. Vuong Hoang Tuyen, Professor Hoang Hoa Toan, Prof. Phan Huu Dat, Prof. Hoang Nam, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Luong, Assoc. Prof. Le Sy Giao, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lam Ba Nam... Currently, the Department has 17 faculty members, including 6 Associate Professors, 5 Doctors, and 4 PhD candidates, with nearly 80% of the faculty trained at foreign universities.
The Faculty serves as a center for exchange and connection in anthropology both domestically and internationally, having organized and implemented numerous collaborative research activities and training programs for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Since 1960, Soviet ethnologist Bushugin has assisted in developing the ethnology curriculum and teaching. During the period of reform, many universities, international organizations, and anthropologists from various continents have sought out the Faculty for collaboration and joint implementation of anthropological research, training, and international publications. This convergence, exchange, and connection have provided the foundation for the Faculty to build and disseminate anthropological knowledge for six decades.
Over the past 10 years, the Faculty's faculty has led and implemented 37 research projects, published more than 50 international papers, and 22 reference books and monographs. This achievement not only makes the Faculty a leading unit in scientific research, cooperation, and international publications, but also contributes original research works to the world of anthropology and participates in discussions on several academic issues at international scientific forums.
Regarding training, from 1971 to the present, the Faculty has trained more than 1,500 bachelors, masters, and doctoral graduates, many of whom have become leading officials, managers, and key experts in research institutes, higher education institutions, and Party and State agencies.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Suu - Head of the Department of Anthropology, affirmed: "60 years of tradition is not only the past but also a great asset for the present and the future. It is a journey of building and developing the Department of Anthropology to firmly establish its position, standing, and identity as one of the leading centers of Anthropology in Vietnam, recognized on the world map of Anthropology."
In this new phase of development, the Faculty of Anthropology clearly defines its national, regional, and global vision; with a spirit of commitment, innovation, and connectivity, it will further enhance the quality of scientific research, expand international cooperation, provide high-quality teaching, and effectively apply anthropological knowledge to solve problems in contemporary social life.
Professor Hoang Anh Tuan, Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, acknowledged the contributions of the Faculty of Anthropology to the development of the University and the country: The Faculty has a team of highly qualified professors with extensive collaborative networks, participating in research programs both domestically and internationally. The Faculty is also one of the units with a consistently high percentage of postgraduate and doctoral students studying abroad each year. In addition, it has a large team of collaborators and visiting professors; and a stable number of permanent staff participating in the Faculty's activities. Particularly, with its strong training position and international network, the Faculty's achievements in publishing domestic and international publications are outstanding.
The university hopes that in the future, international cooperation will continue to be a highlight of the Faculty. The Faculty's staff will continue to receive attention for development in both quality and quantity. The Faculty will maintain its unique identity of academic excellence in training while proactively engaging with new development trends; incorporating its academic strengths into key social research programs, participating in policy consultations for the Party and the State; and affirming its pioneering position in anthropological research at the international level.
Associate Professor Dr. Lam Ba Nam - President of the Vietnam Association of Ethnology and Anthropology - shared memories and expressed gratitude to the early generations of ethnologists and educators such as Professor Dang Nghiem Van, Professor Phan Huu Dat, Professor Nguyen Duong Minh, Professor Nguyen Quoc Loc, etc. These professors not only imparted knowledge but also ignited passion and love for this field of study and profession in their students through their own exemplary scientific work. Throughout its long journey of development from the Department of Ethnology to the Faculty of Anthropology, despite many difficulties, the Faculty has always remained steadfast in its forward-looking development. The Department of Ethnology is the only department teaching and researching ethnology in the North and has helped establish ethnology training units in many universities in the South. Although it is only a department, its scientific standing is immense, thanks in large part to the talented scientists and educators who have built the prestige and foundation for the Faculty of Anthropology today.
Professor Vu Duong Ninh - Chairman of the Association of Retired Faculty Members of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, and a former student of the first cohort of the History Department - shared his memories of his early days studying and researching History and Ethnology at Hanoi University. The lectures in class and the fieldwork experiences provided him with a solid foundation and practical knowledge of Ethnology, which greatly benefited his later career in History research and teaching. He affirmed the important role of the field of study in the development of society and expressed his hope that the Department would become a world-class center for research and training in Anthropology.
During the celebration, the Faculty also announced the establishment of the Nguyen Van Huyen Fund, named after Vietnam's first ethnologist. The family of the late Professor Nguyen Van Huyen donated 150 million VND to the Faculty to establish this fund.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Huy - representing the family and founders of the Nguyen Van Huyen Foundation - shared: The Foundation will award prizes annually to graduate students and doctoral candidates who propose excellent research ideas that are of high quality and feasibility. The Foundation will contribute to supporting and encouraging young anthropologists, graduate students, and doctoral candidates of the Faculty to dedicate themselves to scientific careers with a serious spirit, conducting outstanding research during their dissertations, aiming to become highly skilled anthropologists and contribute to the development of the country.
The Faculty of Anthropology received a commendation flag from the Minister of Education and Training for its achievements in the emulation movement for innovation in teaching and learning during the 2018-2019 academic year.
The Faculty also awarded 15 scholarships from the Phan Huu Dat Award for the 2019-2020 academic year to 13 undergraduate students, 1 graduate student, and 1 doctoral candidate.
| As part of the activities celebrating its 60th anniversary, the Department of Anthropology organized a series of scientific activities on December 15-16, 2020, including the publication of two books.Ethnic Studies in Vietnam - Culture and DevelopmentandAnthropology - the science of human beings;The exhibition showcases photographs reflecting milestones and achievements in the Faculty's 60-year development; organizes student scientific research conferences, graduate and doctoral research conferences; and international workshops.Anthropology and development in contemporary Vietnam. |
| Professor Nguyen Van Huyen was the first ethnologist in Vietnam to receive formal training in modern anthropological research methods in France. He left behind many groundbreaking works for Vietnamese ethnology and anthropology. His life and scientific and educational career serve as a shining example among the golden generation of intellectuals who dedicated their lives to the independence of the country in the 20th century.Call-and-response singing by young Vietnamese men and women.His work, published in Paris in 1934, is a masterpiece, a model of a holistic approach to studying language and folklore in Vietnamese social life.An Introduction to the Study of Stilt Houses in Southeast AsiaPublished in the same year was the first work to open up a regional approach to anthropology, specifically to Southeast Asia. These works, along with others on the Giong Festival, the Yen So Village Festival, the formation of villages in the Northern Delta, maps showing the distribution of village tutelary deities, rural life and the lives of impoverished farmers, the Tay script, Tay wedding songs, the Mother Goddess religion, etc., have become solid foundations of Vietnamese ethnology from its inception. |
