Lecturers and students from the Faculty of Literature - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, attended the 3rd Asian Film Festival - Da Nang. More broadly, the issue remains highly relevant: How should Literature and the field of literature be valued in schools? How can Literature be made more engaging for students? What needs to be done to make literature training programs more attractive to young people? Through this special topic, it is hoped that the opinions from the teaching staff can offer some insights into these aspirations.
Looking deeper into current training trends and career movements, it's clear that the field of Literature is quietly opening up a new "map of opportunities"—where those who can write, tell stories, possess cultural depth, and have creative linguistic abilities are highly valued in many areas of the knowledge economy and cultural industry.
The rapid development of economic, engineering, and technological sectors in recent years has led many to question: what is the purpose of studying Literature? The percentage of students choosing Literature and Humanities majors in university entrance exams is trending downwards, while more practical fields with better job prospects are gaining popularity. In this context, the training and development of human resources in the field of Literature faces the need to reinvent itself and find a direction suitable for modern society.
In-depth, interdisciplinary trainingAt the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, the Faculty of Literature is gradually changing to adapt to new trends. "Taking academia as the foundation, modernity as the trend," this philosophy is helping the training program expand into applied, interdisciplinary approaches. Traditional courses such as literary theory and history are being revamped and connected with subjects on popular culture, art criticism, literary and film adaptation, screenwriting, etc.
One sign of this "opening up" is the introduction of the Film and Popular Arts training program. Students learn film theory, scriptwriting, filming and editing, and event organization in a creative space right at the school. "Instead of repeating existing film or arts training programs, this opens up a new direction, supplementing human resources to fill gaps while focusing on exploiting internal cultural resources to build a cultural industry in accordance with the Party and State's policy," shared Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thu Hien - Head of the Literature Department.
In the same spirit, the Faculty of Creative Writing and Journalism (Hanoi University of Culture) also focuses on building an open training environment. In particular, the Creative Writing major, which has a unique role, aims to train professional writers capable of multidisciplinary interaction and flexibility between creative writing and journalism, media, publishing, and editing, according to Dr. Do Thi Thu Thuy, Head of the Faculty. The program has been streamlined, increasing practical application with modules on creative writing, applied writing, and editing-communication. The admission process has also been expanded; in addition to entrance exams, there is a talent scouting program from universities nationwide, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's project to discover and nurture literary talent.
According to experts, today's education is not limited to the classroom but extends to the living and professional world. At some educational institutions, literature students are being given opportunities to participate in experiential learning models such as Film Clubs, Folklore Clubs, and Literature Faculty Drama Nights. In addition, there are seminars with writers and researchers, internships at newspapers, publishing houses, and media outlets, along with numerous scholarship opportunities, study abroad programs, and participation in international projects.
It is clear that the strategy of developing the cultural industry and encouraging content creation is opening up great opportunities for academic fields such as Literature, Classical Chinese and Vietnamese Studies, and Creative Writing. The important question now is not only "Why study Literature?" but also "How can we study Literature to create value?".
| More than a year after graduating, Tran Thuy Dung, a former student of the Faculty of Literature, shared: "Besides specialized knowledge, soft skills such as effective communication and document drafting are necessary... Especially foreign languages to increase career opportunities." |
New career mapThere was a time when, despite talent, passion, and a certain level of literary knowledge, graduates found it difficult and not easy to find employment. However, nowadays, Literature and Creative Writing majors are showing a new "career map" emerging with many dynamic positions in society. From "traditional" professions such as: teaching in secondary schools, university and college teaching, book editing, research, and literary creation (of course, only a small number pursue research and creative writing)... to more "modern" fields: scriptwriting, content production, creative writing, and scriptwriting for media activities, programs, and events…
Observing and evaluating the training results over the years, according to Dr. Do Thi Thu Thuy, the outstanding characteristic of creative writing students is their ability to tell stories in their own unique, creative, and personalized way. "This is essential in today's media environment, which demands high-quality and distinctive content," Dr. Thuy shared. In reality, students of Literature are not only renewing themselves but also contributing to the recreation and reshaping of contemporary cultural values through their roles in media, art, publishing, appraisal, and criticism.
At the Faculty of Literature, with the philosophy of "Fundamental Knowledge - Independent Thinking - Proactive Adaptation," administrators and lecturers are aiming for a generation of dynamic, integrated learners with a solid foundation of knowledge. In particular, the field of Sino-Vietnamese Studies, long considered to be "selective in terms of students," has seen significant progress. With its interdisciplinary nature and ability to connect ancient culture with modern language, many Sino-Vietnamese students, after graduation, have worked in Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, museums, historical sites, tourism units, translation, and editing traditional cultural content for mass media activities… In addition, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thu Hien shared: “We always strive to maintain a network of alumni as a career bridge for current students. They are introduced to internships at reputable places such as Nhan Dan Newspaper, VOV, Women's Publishing House, Literature Publishing House, and Thieu Nien Tien Phong Newspaper… to quickly familiarize themselves with practical work.”
