Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung: Proud to have grown up from the Faculty of History

Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung is one of the few scientists who was awarded the title of professor and left his own mark in contemporary Vietnamese history at a young age. After graduating from the Faculty of History, Hanoi University of Science (now the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), he was fortunate to be recruited as a lecturer by the school, then sent by the school to study and research for nearly 10 consecutive years in the Federal Republic of Germany - one of the countries with the most advanced education and basic science in Europe. He completed his master's program with honors (with Death) in 1997 at the University of Passau and the excellent doctoral training program (great and longat Humboldt University in 2002. Returning home with in-depth, interdisciplinary knowledge of Vietnamese history and culture, along with a theoretical foundation and modern scientific research methods, he continued to be guided by respected teachers, and was facilitated by the Faculty of History and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to quickly integrate into the training and scientific research career with many important contributions.

Professor, Dr. Pham Hong Tung/Photo: Thanh Long

In the field of training, Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung has been teaching many subjects/topics for training institutions under Hanoi National University, such as Modern Vietnamese History.,The subject of August Revolution in 1945 in Vietnam, the subject of Political Ideological Trends in Modern Vietnamese History for students of Vietnamese History; the subject of Vietnamese Political Culture, the subject of Vietnamese Political History for students and postgraduates of Political Science; the subjects of Cultural Space of the Red River Delta, Theoretical and Methodological Issues in Regional Studies, Vietnam Studies in Vietnam and in the World for students and postgraduates of the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences. In addition, Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung also participates in teaching in English and German for foreign students, trainees and postgraduates in international training programs such as the CIEE (Council of International Education Exchange) program, the EAP (Education Abroad Program), and cooperative programs with Princeton University and Connecticut University in the US. In 2007, he was invited by the University of Freiburg (Germany), one of the most famous universities in Europe, to be a visiting professor. He was also assigned by Hanoi National University to conduct a number of online lectures for Tokyo University (Japan) and Seoul National University, etc.; Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung has been and is participating in guiding doctoral and graduate students, compiling textbooks and lectures. He is known as a teacher with a deep and up-to-date professional knowledge base, an engaging teaching style, strict with himself and his students, but also youthful, humorous and individualistic. Perhaps those who are students of Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung feel that: he not only gives them knowledge, but more importantly, teaches them how to think, especially scientific critical thinking, instilling in them the passion and courage to explore the "thorny" issues of history.

Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung is always proud to have studied and grown up in the Faculty of History, University of Social Sciences and Humanities - one of the cradles of modern Vietnamese historiography, where he was fortunate to be guided and taught wholeheartedly by many talented and virtuous teachers, and to be wholeheartedly helped by many colleagues and friends. Thanks to the guidance of the teachers and the Faculty of History, he has tirelessly pursued his ambitions associated with the basic research directions of modern and contemporary Vietnamese history, such as the history of patriotic and revolutionary movements of the masses in modern Vietnam, the August Revolution of 1945, some issues on the political history and political culture of modern and contemporary Vietnam, the international factors and aspects of the decolonization movement in Vietnam, etc. These are the basic and important contents of modern and contemporary Vietnamese history and are also the areas where the most heated debates of the research community take place. In every research direction, Professor Pham Hong Tung has made very unique contributions, adding historical information, new and sharp perspectives, approaches and interpretations.

He is the Director of the Institute of Vietnamese Studies and Development Sciences, VNU/Photo: Thanh Long

In his research practice, Professor Pham Hong Tung always focuses on adhering to the basic principles of history, which are seriousness in criticizing historical materials, honesty, objectivity, comprehensiveness and specificity. He often shares with colleagues and students the principle of ensuring multidimensionality in approaching and interpreting historical events, characters and processes. For him, history itself is an interdisciplinary science, and therefore, the coordination and application of many systems of methods and approaches of history and other specialized sciences such as sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, economics, philosophy, political science, regional studies, etc. in research is of great interest to him. He also attaches great importance to cooperation and dialogue in historical research. He participates in many research groups both in Vietnam and abroad to complete interdisciplinary research programs on the history, culture and society of Vietnam and of the Southeast and East Asian regions. With a truly inquisitive and serious scientific spirit, Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Tung participated in many seminars, conferences and scientific forums both domestically and internationally, where he was always ready to share his opinions, viewpoints, methods, contribute information and documents and did not hesitate to debate fiercely with colleagues to clarify academic doubts.

In addition to teaching and research, in recent years, Prof. Pham Hong Tung has also participated in management and leadership, mainly in the management of scientific and technological activities at VNU. Therefore, management activities are always closely linked to professional activities, creating conditions for him to have the opportunity to interact and work with a large team of scientists from many different fields of expertise. Through this, he has more opportunities to learn more, broaden his vision and understanding.

Although he has achieved some outstanding achievements in the study of modern and contemporary Vietnamese history, Professor Pham Hong Tung still shares that these are only initial results; that his work and goals are still ahead. Hopefully, with his inherent ambition, talent and diligence, he will continue to make even greater contributions to the country's training and scientific research career.