“Academic is the foundation, modern is the trend”: orientation for the development of basic sciences in the current period

The workshop was honored to welcome the participation of leaders of VNU-Hanoi, VNU-HCM, leaders of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the University of Natural Sciences under the two VNUs, the University of Education, Danang University, Dalat University, along with researchers, lecturers and a large number of postgraduate students, graduate students and students of the universities.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Bao Son, Vice President of VNU, delivered the opening speech at the Conference – Photo: Ly Nguyen

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Bao Son - Vice President of VNU shared his approval and joy when seeing the two Universities of Social Sciences and Humanities under the two VNUs have taken the initiative to organize an important scientific event to discuss issues related to training and basic science research. Mr. Son affirmed the fundamental role of basic science in the development of science and technology, especially new breakthrough technologies. However, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Bao Son also acknowledged that enrollment in basic science majors is facing many difficulties and this is a global issue. In Vietnam, basic scientific training and research are also facing difficulties in the context of university autonomy when higher education institutions must both be self-sufficient in revenue and fulfill their duties to the country in basic scientific training and research. Therefore, the Workshop is a truly important forum for discussion, thereby making policy proposals to remove existing difficulties and promote basic scientific training and research to serve the cause of socio-economic development of the country.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan - Principal of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM presented the opening report of the Conference - Photo: Ly Nguyen

Following Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Bao Son, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM briefly reported on the main topics of the papers submitted to the Workshop. The Workshop received the attention of researchers and managers from the two VNUs and other educational institutions with 20 official papers after the scientific review process. The twenty papers were divided into 3 main groups of topics including: (1) Current status of training and scientific research in basic sciences; (2) Identifying challenges and proposing solutions in training and scientific research in basic sciences; (3) The role of basic sciences in socio-economic development. The papers covered the current issues in training and basic science research, recognized the efforts of relevant parties as well as proposed a number of practical solutions. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan also expressed her desire to expand the scale of the Conference into an annual event that gathers more universities with basic science training and research nationwide to receive more comments and discussions to enhance connections and discussions, thereby proposing increasingly practical solutions, and not stopping there, after the Conference, the discussion results will be summarized by the Organizing Committee into policy recommendations sent to competent central agencies to contribute to building solutions to improve the effectiveness of basic science research and training in our country today.

Following the introductory report is the presentation of important papers chaired by the presiding panel. The presiding panel includes: Associate Professor, Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM; Professor, Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-Hanoi; Associate Professor, Dr. Luu Trang - Rector of the University of Education, Danang University; Professor, Dr. Le Thanh Son - Vice Rector of the University of Natural Sciences, VNU-Hanoi; and Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Minh Triet, Vice Rector of the University of Natural Sciences, VNU-HCM.

There were 04 presentations, respectively, presenting their opinions on the role and position of basic science in the overall picture of science and technology in general and in our country in particular, as well as pointing out the challenges that basic science fields are facing in training and research from the theoretical and practical perspectives of leading universities in the fields of social sciences and natural sciences in the North and the South. Regarding the role of basic science, the reporters all agreed on the fundamental role of basic science in the development of science and technology through scientific inventions, thereby developing core technologies to deploy into breakthrough technology products, as well as acting as a scientific argument for the country's economic - cultural - social development policies and, more importantly, creating and leading values ​​as the spiritual foundation for society, especially the social sciences and humanities. Regarding training, the knowledge and skills of learning basic sciences are comprehensive and interdisciplinary, equipping learners with the ability to acquire and effectively apply specific skills in many diverse fields and professions. Regarding solutions, the presentations made a number of recommendations, including: (1) There should be a mechanism for ordering human resources in basic sciences from the State, while increasing investment from the budget, combining autonomy with university autonomy according to the output-based assessment mechanism, as well as supporting lecturers and students in basic sciences; (2) It is necessary to understand university autonomy correctly to avoid forcing basic sciences, with their important role, to compete on their own in a fierce university education market like today; (3) There needs to be reforms in the training programs of basic sciences with output standards of capacity to meet the skills needs of society, especially foreign languages, as well as communication to the community to gain the cooperation of society; (4) There needs to be support in terms of mechanism and finance to increase the effectiveness of basic scientific research to approach international trends.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Thanh Nam - Head of Training Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-Hanoi, reports on paper number 1 - Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Prof. Dr. Vo Van Sen - Chairman of the Science and Training Council of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM, reports on the second paper - Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, Head of Training Department, University of Science, VNU-Hanoi, reported on paper number 3 - Photo: Ly Nguyen

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Man - Head of Science and Technology Department, University of Science, VNU-HCM, report number 4 - Photo: Quynh Nguyen

After four presentations, the Workshop entered the discussion section with the contributions of delegates. (1) Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh, former Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, shared suggestions emphasizing the need to increase the quality of enrollment, innovate training programs with a focus on foreign language proficiency and especially have the necessary financial support to attract students in specific majors such as archaeology and Han-Nom. (2) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Luu Trang shared the experiences of the University of Education, University of Danang, that is, there needs to be a change in the thinking of teachers and students about the job prospects after graduation of students majoring in basic sciences, accordingly, it is necessary to eliminate the mindset of working in the right field and should consider university training as just the first step to participate in the labor market. In addition, the school needs to closely cooperate with the locality and businesses to create internship and practical conditions for students and promote the image of the school and basic science fields through the students they are training to serve the locality. (3) Coming from the Central Highlands region, MSc. Tran Thong, Vice Rector of Da Lat University, expressed his joy in participating in discussions on issues related to basic science and wished to continue to participate in contributing to the following seminars. (4) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Te, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM also shared his enthusiasm for training and research in political science as well as his commitment to the training of basic science in the school. In his sharing, (5) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Te, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM also shared his enthusiasm for training and research in political science as well as his commitment to the training of basic science in the school. In his sharing, (5) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Te, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM also shared his enthusiasm for training and research in political science as well as his commitment to the training of basic science in the school. Dr. Phan Thanh Binh, former Chairman of the Committee on Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children of the 14th National Assembly, former Director of VNU-HCM, summarized the contents that he liked from the Workshop as well as gave his comments. According to Associate Professor Dr. Phan Thanh Binh, research and training units need to affirm to themselves the position of basic science as the foundation of science and technology to achieve breakthroughs as well as human development, thereby widely promoting this importance to the whole society. (6) Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Phuong Cham, Director of the Institute of Cultural Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out the necessity of linking training with research and the fact that basic scientific research needs to be viewed differently in terms of career prospects, skills as well as its interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary content. Basic scientific research is inherently interdisciplinary and learners, through the process of learning and practicing research, can develop comprehensive skill sets to develop professional skills and thereby access good job prospects in the labor market.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - former Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-Hanoi, spoke at the conference - Photo: Anh Thu

Associate Professor, Dr. Luu Trang - Principal of the University of Education, Danang University shared at the Workshop - Photo: Anh Thu

MSc. Tran Thong - Vice Principal of Dalat University - Photo: Anh Thu

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Te - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM - Photo: Anh Thu

Associate Professor, Dr. Phan Thanh Binh - former Chairman of the Committee on Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children of the 14th National Assembly, former Director of VNU-HCM, shared the conclusions from the Workshop and made some recommendations - Photo: Anh Thu

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen ThiPhuong Cham - Director of the Institute of Cultural Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences shares his views on basic scientific research - Photo: Anh Thu

Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan delivered a speech to summarize the workshop with the main comments: "Academics are the foundation, modernity is the trend" to summarize the role and reality of basic science training and research in the current situation. Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan summarized the main points of the workshop including: (1) The workshop is a self-commitment of universities to the career of training and research in basic sciences; (2) Reaffirming the irreplaceable role of basic sciences in science, technology and society; (3) Society has not yet properly recognized the role of basic sciences, so there has not been proper attention from the community as well as from a policy perspective; (4) The discussion results at the workshop will be summarized into policy recommendations presented to ministries and branches through the two National Universities; (5) Universities themselves need to have basic initiatives to implement fundamental solutions for their units; (6) The participating units agreed to organize an annual conference with the expectation of creating a community of universities and basic science research institutes.

Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, delivered the closing remarks of the Conference -Photo: Ly Nguyen

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Thi Phuong Lan - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM, on behalf of the Organizing Committee, declared the closing of the Conference - Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Conference scene - Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Conference scene - Photo: Ly Nguyen