The teacher was wholeheartedly dedicated to the cause of training archival staff in Vietnam.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities and the 20th anniversary of its establishment, as a student, I would like to dedicate my special respect to the first teachers of the Archival Studies department – ​​one of the somewhat "quiet" departments at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, but one with the mission of training individuals who will contribute to "increasing the value of historical documents so that they benefit future generations."

And…one of our most respected teachers, whom all of us in the “Archives Family” cherish and admire – is Associate Professor, Distinguished Educator Vuong Dinh Quyen – the captain in the early stages of Vietnamese archival studies.

Associate Professor and Meritorious Teacher Vuong Dinh Quyen - one of the educators who contributed to opening and building the field of Archival Studies at Hanoi University/Photo: Thanh Long

He was a pioneer in establishing and developing the field of Archival Studies.

In 1968, after graduating from the Faculty of History at Hanoi University, he was retained to work with the first staff members in establishing the Department of Archives within the Faculty of History. Along with pioneers such as Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Tham and Associate Professor Nguyen Van Ham, he was one of the first to lay the foundation for the development of a field of study and the first university-level training institution for archival studies in Vietnam. In 1970, he was appointed Head of the Department of Archives within the Faculty of History and continued in this position until 1993. In 1996, when the Faculty of Archival Studies (now the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management) was established, based on the separation from the Department of Archives within the Faculty of History, he assumed the position of Party Secretary and Chairman of the Scientific and Training Council. He served for many years as Party Secretary and Vice-Head of the Faculty of History. Throughout his more than 30 years of dedication to the Department and the Faculty, he devoted all his intellect and passion to the cause of training archival staff in Vietnam.

He was not only one of the first people to establish the Department but alsois the helmsmanTo maintain the Department's existence even during the most difficult and challenging times. Recalling the years 1986-1987, due to development requirements, many staff members of the Department were sent abroad for further education and training, or transferred to other agencies. At that time, the Department only had 3 staff members left, so some suggested transferring or merging the training in this field to another school. Despite his worries and concerns, he remained steadfast, encouraging the remaining staff to strive to continue the teaching program, actively conduct research, and find ways to ensure the Department's continued existence and development. In the early 1990s, amidst the country's and the university's reform and development trends, he and his colleagues promoted the idea of ​​separating the Department of Archives and History to develop into an independent faculty, making it a reality. In June 1996, after much effort, the Faculty of Archival Studies was established at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, marking a crucial new stage of development not only for the Faculty but also for the entire university. As the Party Secretary and Chairman of the Scientific and Training Council, he continued to support and advise the Faculty's leadership on future development directions and immediate tasks. In subsequent developments such as renaming the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management; expanding the scale and types of training, especially the opening of postgraduate training programs (Master's and Doctoral degrees in Archival Studies) within the Faculty; and improving the quality of training to meet the ever-increasing demands of society, his contributions were extremely practical and effective.

A serious scientist, a dedicated teacher.

Associate Professor and Meritorious Teacher Vuong Dinh Quyen at the celebration of his 80th birthday (June 2015)

In his teaching activities, he dedicated all his intellect and passion, along with the first teachers of the former Department and the current Faculty, to focusing on this.Develop and continuously improve training programs.He holds bachelor's degrees from full-time, part-time, and postgraduate programs. In addition to traditional subjects, he was one of the pioneers who proposed that faculty members in the Department research, compile, and teach many subjects such as: Document Drafting Techniques, Office Administration, Archival and Records Management in Businesses, Office Secretarial Skills, History of Vietnamese Archival Studies, Document Standardization, etc. To improve the quality of teaching, he collaborated with faculty members of the Department and the Faculty.Organizing the compilation of basic textbooksHe was the editor-in-chief of the textbook.Theory and practice of archival work (1982), is a co-author with Associate Professor Nguyen Van Ham in the textbook.General Text and Archival Studiesand is the author of the textbook.Theory and methods of document managementIn addition, he is the author and co-author of many other monographs such as:State administrative documents and official correspondence during the feudal period of Vietnam.(2002)History of Vietnam's archives(2010)…He also chaired many research projects and has published dozens of articles in scientific journals. His serious attitude, sharp thinking, and rigorous arguments based on convincing evidence are always prominent hallmarks of a scientist in his research works. Over the past several decades, his works and those of his colleagues have not only served as textbooks and reference materials for students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities but have also been used in most training institutions in Archival Studies and Office Management throughout the country.

When speaking of him, remembering him as a teacher on the podium, generations of students have passed down the image of a...exemplary and respected teacherHe arrived at class on time and left just as punctually. His lectures were always meticulously prepared. Many students and trainees confided: "Listening to and watching Professor Quyen lecture, we see not only the image of a teacher but also the image of a father. He explains things thoroughly, provides detailed guidance, and sometimes repeats himself many times because he worries that we haven't understood and might not apply what we've learned correctly at work." For over 30 years guiding students on internships, he has always been very attentive, personally inspecting and reviewing everything. He always criticizes young staff members for being vague and not specific enough. He often says, "N"Office jobs, especially clerical and archiving positions, must be trained not only in theory but also with a strong emphasis on practical application." He personally developed the extremely detailed and meticulous internship outlines for students in both full-time and part-time programs – making a significant contribution to improving the quality of training in the Faculty. Even now, many students still remember Professor Quyen's handwriting, correcting assignments and dissertations – a clear, slightly broken but still firm and decisive handwriting.

Over the past several decades, he has continuously supervised hundreds of undergraduate and graduate theses and scientific reports for students, including several doctoral and master's students. One doctoral dissertation and several master's theses supervised by him have been successfully defended. He has worked wholeheartedly and with all his heart for his students. He not only imparts knowledge but also inspires and instills in them dreams, aspirations, and the will to overcome difficulties. He is also a role model for young staff members in terms of his dedication and passion for scientific research, using research to serve teaching.

A responsible and dedicated manager.

For nearly 30 years as Head of the Department of Historical Archives in the Faculty of History and in his capacity as Party Secretary and Chairman of the Scientific and Training Council of the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management (1996-2000), he was always concerned and thoughtful about the development of the department and the faculty. Many ideas and directions initiated by him, such as: developing new courses, applying specialized knowledge to serve social needs in the organization of archival documents, establishing part-time programs in localities, separating the department into an independent faculty… have become reality, making important contributions to the existence and development of the field of study and the Faculty.

In his role as a manager, Associate Professor Vuong Dinh Quyen also made an important contribution - that is theIdentifying, nurturing, and training young staff members for the Faculty.Through lectures, interactions with students during internships and outside of class, and with his keen and insightful observation, he discovered many students with excellent qualities, ethics, and the demeanor of a teacher. Together with other teachers, he helped and nurtured them to become outstanding students. Most of them are now young staff members of the Faculty, continuing to receive his dedicated and effective support, as well as that of many other teachers, to quickly mature. In recent years, and certainly in the not-too-distant future, they will form a strong and dynamic faculty, capable of maintaining and developing the achievements that he and his colleagues have painstakingly built.

For over 30 years of quiet work and dedication, he was highly regarded by the Party and the State, trusted by his colleagues, and loved by his students, but he also faced hardships. Yet, he never complained, grumbled, or felt guilty. In 2000, he was awarded the title of Outstanding Teacher by the State – a news that brought joy to everyone. He said, "Being recognized by the Party and the State, by the school, my colleagues, and my students like this, I am already very content."

As his student from his undergraduate days to becoming a lecturer and the first doctor he mentored and assisted, I would like to dedicate these final lines to him as a personal tribute. On the day the Faculty celebrated his awarding of the title of "Outstanding Teacher" by the State, I was moved to tears. Tears of joy for him, of gratitude, and also tears of affection for him, but above all, I cried with happiness that our Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management had such a wonderful teacher.