Speech by Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long at the Ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the tradition and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Distinguished leaders of central and Hanoi city departments, ministries, and agencies,
Distinguished leaders, teachers, staff, employees, and students of Hanoi National University and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities throughout the years,
Dear comrades and distinguished delegates,
1.Today, we are delighted to celebrate the 80th anniversary and 30th anniversary of the development of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. This important event coincides with the 43rd anniversary of Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20th - a celebration for all teachers nationwide.
On behalf of the Government and the Prime Minister, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the leaders, generations of teachers, staff, employees, and students of the School, as well as all distinguished guests.
Dear comrades and distinguished delegates,
2.The University of Social Sciences and Humanities is a higher education institution with a long history; it was the birthplace of many of Vietnam's first modern social sciences and humanities disciplines, laying the foundation for the development of other fields and gradually asserting its position in academic life domestically, regionally, and globally.
Eighty years ago, just days after the victory of the August Revolution in 1945, the Faculty of Literature – the predecessor of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi – was established. Over its 80 years of formation and development, under various names, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has traversed a unique historical journey, closely intertwined with the historical periods of the nation.
During the arduous years of the resistance war, alongside imparting valuable knowledge amidst bombs and bullets, many lecturers of the School bravely and resolutely volunteered to go to the front lines with their own blood; many students also temporarily set aside their studies and took up arms to answer the call of the nation.
In the current period of national construction and development, many generations of students from the University have matured and succeeded in various fields, making important contributions to the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. In particular, Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, is also an alumnus of the University's Faculty of Literature. This is a source of pride, affirming the University's role in education and training, as well as in building a strategic cadre of the Party and the State. 3.Through the report and documentary we have just watched, we are delighted and warmly congratulate the school on the important achievements it has made, most notably:
(i)The school plays a key role in teaching Vietnamese to Vietnamese people abroad; it has compiled and developed a Vietnamese language curriculum framework and a Vietnamese language teaching channel for Vietnamese people overseas.
(ii)It has established the oldest national educational brand for training human resources in basic sciences within the social sciences and humanities, such as Sino-Vietnamese studies, religious studies, anthropology, history, culture, and archaeology.
(iii)The university has excelled in student recruitment and training organization with 28 undergraduate programs, 36 master's programs, and 32 doctoral programs, affirming its pioneering role in developing the first multi-level training programs from master's to doctoral levels, training high-quality human resources for the country.
(iv)Scientific research has always been given priority, with many scientific works awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize; many national-level research projects have been applied in the planning of the Party and State's guidelines and policies; contributing to providing scientific arguments for protecting the ideological foundation, building and developing the country.
(v)With these outstanding achievements, the School has been honored by the Party and State with many prestigious awards such as: the title of Hero of Labor (2005), the Ho Chi Minh Order (2010), the First-Class Labor Order (2015); and today, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its tradition and the 30th anniversary of its establishment, the School is honored to receive the First-Class Labor Order.
On behalf of the Government and the Prime Minister, I commend and warmly congratulate the achievements of generations of teachers and students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, which have made practical contributions to the development of the country.
Contributing significantly to the School's achievements, we express our gratitude to generations of outstanding intellectuals such as Professor Dao Duy Anh, Professor Dang Thai Mai, Professor Tran Van Giau, Professor Tran Duc Thao, Professor Dinh Gia Khanh, Professor Cao Xuan Huy, Professor Hoang Xuan Nhi, Professor Phan Huy Le, and many other renowned professors who, due to time constraints, cannot be mentioned in today's ceremony.
Dear comrades and distinguished delegates,
4.The new stage of national development presents opportunities and advantages, but also numerous difficulties and challenges. Recently, along with many important and groundbreaking decisions in various fields, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 71 on the development of education and training; thereby, further affirming the view that education and training is a top national priority; identifying high-quality human resources and scientific and technological talents as the driving force and competitive advantage of the country.
In this context, the social sciences and humanities are identified as the foundation for sustainable development, meeting the requirements of national construction, development, and defense in the new era. Without a strong foundation in basic sciences, there cannot be breakthroughs in applied sciences, much less an independent and sustainable development strategy. As a leading center of social sciences and humanities nationwide, the University needs to continue to lead in research and training in basic sciences, contributing to the preservation and development of fundamental cultural values, while opening up new approaches in training, research, and policy advice.
5With that in mind, in addition to the tasks and solutions already mentioned, I propose that the School focus on the following areas:
(1)Continue to vigorously innovate the training and development model, linking basic science and applied science; develop specialized and interdisciplinary programs, both full-time and short-term, to train and develop individuals with strong political convictions, profound scientific thinking, and effective practical skills.
(2)Promote high-quality scientific research, especially works with theoretical and practical value that directly serve the process of formulating the Party and State's guidelines and policies. Proactively participate in strategic consulting in the fields of culture, society, education, media, social governance, and people-to-people diplomacy, contributing to firmly safeguarding the Party's ideological foundation and guiding public opinion.
(3)Actively participate in the development and implementation of Central Committee resolutions on culture and education; foster national values, family values, and Vietnamese human values; and proactively advise on cultural policies, contributing to making culture a truly endogenous strength and a driving force for sustainable national development.
(4)Continue to play a pioneering role in humane digital transformation. Digital transformation is not just about applying technology, but needs to become a transformation in the way we think, live, work, and communicate on digital platforms, aiming towards "digital humanism," "digital culture," and "responsible digital citizens," contributing to building a national open knowledge ecosystem.
(5)Actively integrating into the international community, the university aims to become a reputable institution for global academic cooperation, while maintaining its unique identity and proactively absorbing the best of human knowledge to enrich and spread Vietnamese intellect to the world.
On this occasion, I would like to share some additional information: Currently, the Government is submitting to the National Assembly for discussion and consideration the National Target Program for Modernizing and Improving the Quality of Education and Training for the period 2026-2035. I request that the Minister of Education and Training and the Director of Hanoi National University give due attention to investing in the University of Social Sciences and Humanities within the framework of the National Target Program, based on the University's proposals.
Dear comrades and distinguished delegates,
6. With 80 years of tradition and 30 years of development, I am confident that the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will continue to be a key and responsible member of Hanoi National University and the Vietnamese education sector, affirming its pioneering role and rightfully becoming a leading center for high-quality training and research in social sciences and humanities nationwide.
Wishing all comrades, teachers, staff, workers, and students of the School good health, happiness, and success.
Thank you very much./.