Professor Pham Tat Dong - an outstanding educator, scientist, and social activist.

For over 60 years of service and management in the education sector, Professor Pham Tat Dong, in particular for the Psychology and Sociology Department, has made significant contributions to its development. From 1991 to 2001, Professor Pham Tat Dong served as the first concurrent Head of the Department. Our department is very proud that Professor Pham Tat Dong was both a skilled politician and administrator, as well as a renowned scientist. Knowing that Professor Pham Tat Dong was the Deputy Head of the Central Committee for Science and Education and was very busy, the Hanoi University administration at that time still earnestly invited him to serve as the concurrent Head of the Department. Also on the Department's leadership team during that period were three Vice-Heads: Associate Professor Nguyen An Lich, Dr. Tran Thi Minh Duc, and Ms. Doan Ngoc An – all invaluable collaborators of Professor Pham Tat Dong.

On December 10, 1997, the Director of Hanoi National University signed a decision to establish the Faculty of Sociology under the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University. However, research and teaching in Sociology at the University had actually begun about 30 years prior. From a Sociology Department within the Philosophy Faculty of Hanoi University, the Faculty of Sociology and Psychology was formed in 1991 by combining the Sociology Department with the Psychology Department and the Education Department.

In the early 1990s, with the development of the market economy, many social issues arose, requiring sociological research and investigation. Sociology permeated many fields of study such as economics, culture, education, population, health protection and care, urban planning, etc. Under the leadership of the Faculty Board and especially the role of Professor Pham Tat Dong, the faculty of the Sociology - Psychology Department developed a teaching program and plan to truly function as a department, while also preparing for the separation of Psychology into an independent department in a short period of time. After more than 5 years of active effort, the teaching staff had sufficient resources to reorganize into a department. The splitting of the Sociology - Psychology Department became a major event: for the first time, Sociology became an independent department. From 1997 to 2001, Professor Pham Tat Dong was the Head of the Faculty, with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen An Lich and Dr. Vu Hao Quang as Deputy Heads. In 2000-2001, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen An Lich retired and Master Trinh Ngoc Thach was appointed as Deputy Head.

In 2001, Professor Pham Tat Dong retired from managing the Department of Sociology. A new Department of Sociology leadership team was established, headed by Associate Professor Dr. Vu Hao Quang, inheriting valuable achievements and experiences to build and develop the department. However, he still participates in the Department's Scientific Council and is the Head of the postgraduate program development committee for Social Work within the Department of Sociology.

Since its official establishment, over nearly 25 years of operation, the two faculties of Sociology and Psychology have contributed to the training of many generations of undergraduates, graduate students, and doctoral candidates, with an ever-expanding scale. Starting from the cradle of Philosophy, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities now not only has its own Psychology major, but has also developed new majors in Sociology and Social Work. Many staff members trained by the Faculty have been recruited as lecturers at the Faculty and other colleges or universities. Some have worked in research institutes, radio and television stations, cultural and social agencies, businesses, and social organizations. Wherever they are and whatever professions they pursue, the graduates of the Faculty will never forget the school that helped them soar to great heights. As for Professor Pham Tat Dong, despite his busy schedule, he still devotes his attention to all aspects of the Faculty's activities. During his tenure, Professor Pham Tat Dong visited almost every internship and field trip group in the localities to offer encouragement. The work of investigating and interviewing households during internships and field trips was arduous and tiring, but whenever we received news that Professor Pham Tat Dong was coming to visit, we were incredibly excited and proud. Our passion for the profession and sense of responsibility towards our work were amplified.

In the field of staff training, Professor Pham Tat Dong encouraged all faculty members in the Department to actively pursue further education and self-training to improve their skills. Throughout their careers, many faculty members of the Department have always remembered and appreciated his contributions.

In the field of scientific research, Professor Pham Tat Dong is a prominent figure among leading social science and humanities researchers in Vietnam. He has led and successfully completed numerous valuable scientific projects with passion and a serious scientific spirit. He has led many research projects, creating opportunities for many faculty members in the Sociology Department to participate in research, enhancing their research capabilities and professional skills. His guidance and assistance in experimental surveys and field trips have yielded many practical results for faculty members and staff. Through these experiences, faculty members have had the opportunity to participate in many national and ministerial-level projects. Thanks to these opportunities to learn from his experience and conduct research on specific topics, we have continuously improved our professional capabilities.

In 2006, Professor Pham Tat Dong led the research project KX.09.11 on the personality traits of people in Thang Long - Hanoi. This was considered a difficult but very interesting and important topic, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi. Over three years, from 2007 to 2009, he successfully completed a State-level independent research project.Building a learning society model in Vietnam.From 2013 to 2015, the Professor chaired a State-level research project.Orientation for improving social security and social welfare policies in our country under new conditions.With the participation of faculty members from the Sociology Department, the project received excellent results. Simultaneously, Professor Pham Tat Dong directed the assessment of the learning situation of primary school students and the development of a list of occupations for people with disabilities. In addition, he chaired numerous state-level scientific research projects and programs, authored 32 books and co-authored 46 others, published 87 scientific articles in domestic and international journals, and presented 141 scientific papers for conferences and seminars both domestically and internationally. He also supervised 25 doctoral students and 30 master's students. Those who supervised or reviewed his work received many valuable contributions and creative scientific ideas. I am one of the very fortunate individuals to have Professor Pham Tat Dong supervise my doctoral dissertation. During my time working under his guidance, I have accumulated a great deal of experience. From the first draft and subsequent sections that he read and corrected, I still keep them as a beautiful memento of my life as both a student and a teacher. Indeed, in life and in work, not everyone is lucky enough to have such mentors. As for Professor Pham Tat Dong, everyone who has ever interacted with him, worked with him, or collaborated with him shares the same admiration and respect. He handled all matters with intellect and a kind heart, always encouraging and motivating us to study, research, and create.

Despite extremely limited time, Professor Pham Tat Dong never forgot his duties as a member of the Central Theoretical Council and a member and head of the general education subcommittee of the National Council for Education. Because of his theoretical work, the Central Committee of the Party appointed Professor Pham Tat Dong to participate in the document drafting committee for the Party Congresses of the 7th, 8th, and 9th terms. Before the 10th National Party Congress, even though he had retired, Professor Pham Tat Dong still participated in summarizing 20 years of national reform.

Professor Pham Tat Dong is also the Editor-in-Chief.The World Within Us MagazineHe wrote the following introduction to the magazine: "A pure heart is an indispensable element of human life. The greater a person's inner world, the more their intelligence is enhanced, and the more abundant and robust their physical and mental health becomes. That is the ultimate goal that all socio-economic policies aim for."The world within us"Considering the cultivation of the mind as my guiding goal." It is precisely because of this emphasis on virtue.Heart,Professor Pham Tat Dong founded the Organization for Supporting and Educating Disadvantaged Children in Vietnam (OSEOC), serving as its Director and establishing affiliated centers in Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Tinh, Ha Tay, Viet Tri, Quang Ninh, Hanoi, and other locations. For over 10 years, he served as Vice President and General Secretary of the Association for the Promotion of Learning, and recently, he was appointed Director of the Center for Research on Children's Rights. The center is implementing many activities that are yielding positive results. He has made significant contributions to building and developing movements to promote learning and talent, particularly in establishing community learning centers at the commune and ward levels and promoting the movement to build studious families, contributing to the development of a learning society in Vietnam. Starting in 2014, he participated in directing Project 281.Promote the lifelong learning movement within families, clans, and communities by 2020.

Appointed Chairman of the Vietnam-Korea Friendship Association, Professor Pham Tat Dong made every effort to ensure that the people-to-people diplomacy assigned by the Central Party Committee was carried out to the best of his ability. Despite being constantly busy with the work of the Association for the Promotion of Learning, scientific research projects, doctoral dissertations, and master's theses, Professor Pham Tat Dong remained healthy, serene, and full of life. I think that to achieve all of this, theHeartHis character was always pure. He truly wasoutstanding educators, scientists, and social activistsour.