On behalf of the Board of Directors of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Associate Professor Dr. Bui Thanh Nam (Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors) attended the discussion and congratulated the former teachers. Also attending were Dr. Ngo Thi Kieu Oanh, Chairwoman of the University's Trade Union; MSc. Nguyen Van Thuy, Vice Chairman of the Trade Union.
Especially, there were nearly 50 teachers who are active in the branches under the Association of Former Teachers of the School. Among them were Professor Nguyen Kim Dinh and Professor Vu Duong Ninh, two former students representing the two majors of Literature and History of the first course of the University (1956-1959).
Professor Vu Duong Ninh and Professor Nguyen Kim Dinh are two alumni of the first course of Hanoi National University.
On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Association of Retired Teachers, Associate Professor Lam Ba Nam (Chairman of the Association) opened the discussion with a message:
“Discussion: Course I - From General University to Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanitiesto acknowledge and continue to affirm the role of the first course, specifically the Social Sciences and Humanities - those who have made a very important contribution to creating the brand as well as the scientific school of the former General University and the current University of Social Sciences and Humanities. The teachers are examples of self-study and tireless creative work. Many teachers passed away while holding unfinished pages of books in their hands. The names and contributions of students/teachers who matured from the first course still leave valuable lessons in education, training and scientific research and still have a strong influence today. Please send this message to the Youth Union and alumni of the school".
Associate Professor Lam Ba Nam, Literary researcher Bui Viet Thang, Associate Professor Nguyen Van Ham chaired the discussion.
In an emotional atmosphere filled with the warm affection between teachers and students, the delegates listened to two former students of Course I share their profound memories of their first days at the University, as well as many students expressing their admiration and gratitude to the founding generation.
Associate Professor Nguyen Van Ham (8th class student of the University of General Sciences) recalled the memories of the first days of a student from the midland mountainous region coming to the capital to study. “We entered the school with great pride, honor and happiness to study at the top famous university in the country with talented and virtuous teachers. Although the days of study were difficult and deprived, we quickly overcame the difficulties and grew up day by day thanks to the guidance of knowledgeable teachers who loved their students very much. The lifestyle and personality of the teachers are always shining examples for generations of students to follow. I really appreciate the saying of the Chinese cultural figure Guo Moruo: “The sun rises and sets, the moon is full and then wanes, but the light of the teacher forever lights the way for generations of students”. To me, the teachers at the University of General Sciences, especially the teachers of the first class, are truly the sun that lights the way for us to go”.
For NNC Bui Viet Thang, the title “I am a student and staff of the University of General Sciences” will forever be a source of pride and honor that will follow him throughout his life. For him, the images of respected teachers such as Professor Nguyen Kim Dinh and Professor Vu Duong Ninh are the ones who guide, pave the way, open the mind and open the heart. “When our generation first entered the university lecture hall, it was like blank pages and the teachers of the first course of Hanoi General Sciences were talented artists who painted the first strokes of the picture of knowledge, and they will be the strokes that follow us for the rest of our lives. In each class, we studied passionately, “swallowed” every word, every teaching from the teacher and learned from the teacher with a spirit of admiration. That is what helped us achieve success in our teaching and research later on,” he emphasized.
The atmosphere of the discussion seemed to calm down when Professor Nguyen Kim Dinh read the poems he wrote in 1956 when he was a first-year student from the countryside studying in the capital, studying at Le Thanh Tong lecture hall:
“The school gate opens wide/Layers enter one after another/Looking up at the high university dome/Each person's name shines like a star”. And for our first generation, the name “General Literature, General Mathematics” was a brand. The years when the North was newly liberated were extremely difficult in terms of facilities, there were no documents, no proper workplace, but the teachers were still enthusiastic and passionate about teaching us with all their spirit and intelligence. Perhaps that is why our generation quickly matured. And the intellectuals trained at the General University have made great contributions to the development of the country. Many former students are heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of protecting the Fatherland at a very young age. This is also the place that trained many famous politicians, leading scientists in many fields, exemplary teachers, honored by the whole society.
With a warm smile and a humorous and friendly way of speaking, Professor Vu Duong Ninh confided: “I have a very “simple” background: I entered the school in 1956, graduated in 1959 and stayed to work at the school and retired as a staff of the General University. So my whole life has been attached to this place, that is why for me, the General University and then the University of Social Sciences and Humanities is my “only love”, every time I come here it is like returning to my home. For me and the first generation of the General University, we were directly taught by respected, exemplary, intellectual, talented and virtuous professors such as Professor Dao Duy Anh, Professor Tran Van Giau, Professor Cao Xuan Huy,... And I still remember a saying of Professor Tran Van Giau that determined for me a whole direction in my life. He said: “Only by doing research can you go deep and far. Later, no one remembered Nguyen Van Huyen as a Minister, but people will always remember Nguyen Van Huyen as Vietnam's leading ethnologist. And I have absorbed the teacher's teachings throughout my life. When I visited him, he was almost 100 years old, and he still gave me a notebook he was writing about the issues of 20th century history. An example of dedication, a lifetime to science.
Then the following generations such as the legendary "four pillars" of History: Professor Dinh Xuan Lam, Professor Phan Huy Le, Professor Ha Van Tan, Professor Tran Quoc Vuong. Maybe when I was a student sitting in school, I was not taught by the teachers (at that time the teachers were young cadres, teaching assistants to the professors). But after graduating, teaching and participating in research, that was when I learned a lot from the teachers, taking advantage of every small opportunity to learn from them, from expertise, academics, intelligence to working style, interpersonal relationships. And imbued with that spirit of self-study, continuous learning, until now, although my eyesight is dim and my feet are slow, I still regularly go to school to participate in academic activities, continue to learn from the younger generation, so that I am not out of date with the development of science".
Prof. Dr. Bui Duy Cam, Chairman of the Association of Former Teachers of VNU, expressed his honor and emotion when listening to the valuable sharing from the senior generation of Hanoi National University, and affirmed: “The Association of Former Teachers of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has always been a pioneer in organizing many activities closely related to expertise, contributing greatly to the common activities of VNU. This is truly a very meaningful discussion. But I really hope that these valuable meetings will be organized more often, expanded to a large number of staff, lecturers and students to attend so that the younger generation can listen and understand the glorious history of the University, inspiring them with the spirit of self-study and the passion for acquiring new knowledge”.
The stories of memories of students about their respected teachers seem to last forever. Years have passed, many generations of students have become famous scientists but still remember their teachers with deep admiration, always remembering the teachers' teaching, guidance and love.
To writer Tran Hinh, Mr. Nguyen Kim Dinh is an intelligent scientist with great influence, a warm leader who loves his students. As the Head of the Literature Department, he takes care of the Department like a family, and the staff and lecturers like relatives.
With the experience after many years of participating in training, science, management and recently entering the writing profession, Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Quang Long always thinks: “For me, after the ups and downs, successes and happiness, I still feel the greatest luck in life is to study at Hanoi National University, where there are professors with high hearts, great virtues, great talents, encyclopedic minds, great cultural figures, not just TEACHERS. Whenever I have any difficulties in work and even in life, I seek out TEACHERS as a great, solid support. The teachers are encyclopedic minds, great examples of self-study spirit, dedication to science, models of personality and morality, we just look to them to learn, to live a worthy life.
Lecturer of the Faculty of History Nguyen Van Anh confided: “When we first entered the school, we still wondered why, in such difficult years, the first-year students could become such famous experts. And through the process of learning from and working with the teachers, we realized that: because the teachers were lucky to study directly with the great professors and minds of Vietnam, but most importantly, they had a spirit of lifelong self-study, passion, and determination to pursue to the end the scientific path they had chosen.”
According to Associate Professor Dr. Vu Duc Nghieu, teachers, although they are knowledgeable and famous at home and abroad, are also very close and warm. Nowadays, people often wonder, what is the purpose of studying? But when looking at my respected teachers, I see that: studying is to enlighten the mind, to open the heart, to live a useful life, to contribute to life.
Representing the younger generation of students, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Hong Son (Deputy Head of the History Department) expressed his deep gratitude: “The contributions of the founding generation of teachers will forever be admired, honored and remembered by generations of students of the History Department.
For the Faculty, for the industry, Professor Vu Duong Ninh is the one who has made great contributions, one of the first people to build the World History major of the History Faculty, the International Studies Faculty and many new subjects: history of civilization. Currently, the History of Civilization course has become a compulsory subject for all students of Social Sciences and Humanities and many other majors also choose: technology, economics, basic sciences. Our generation always remembers the image of a diligent teacher who was passionate about his profession, the author of many great works from when he was a young lecturer until he was nearly 90 years old. He devoted much of his heart to the career of training thousands of students, masters, and doctors. Many people who were mentored by him have become experts in the field of world history. We would like to express our deep gratitude for the contributions of our respected teacher.
Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Thanh Nam expressed his joy and emotion, being a later generation of students, but fortunate to have directly met great teachers, with scientific prestige not only in the country and internationally; including Professor Vu Duong Ninh (a student of Course I). It is an honor and even more joy that we still get to meet and see our teachers always healthy, wise, always following and accompanying all the activities of the School.
Vice Chairman of the University Council Bui Thanh Nam was also pleased to share with the teachers the great achievements and orientations in training, research, and university autonomy in the coming years of the University, and emphasized: “The generation of former teachers has been, is and will be a very important part in creating those brilliant achievements, building the brand and leading position of Hanoi National University - University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
As the teachers said: Teaching is a profession that never retires. Even though we are old and our legs are tired, many teachers not only encourage and instruct us but are still working closely together, directly participating in the training and research activities of the School, providing scientific guidance to generations of Masters and PhD students, and presiding over scientific topics at all levels.
Closing the discussion, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Ham, on behalf of the students, expressed deep gratitude to the two teachers representing the first generation of the University of General Sciences, and affirmed: The first generation is the "golden" generation, a source of pride and a shining example for all students to follow. Generations of students have been guided by the TEACHERS to grow up and become famous scientists, culturalists, teachers and managers who have contributed to the development of the country. The documents and works of the teachers are still exemplary scientific works, although published after more than half a century, they still retain their value and are always extremely valuable "bedside" documents for researchers at home and abroad.
On behalf of generations of students, Associate Professor Lam Ba Nam and Associate Professor Nguyen Van Ham respectfully present two respected TEACHERS with a bouquet of fresh flowers as a token of gratitude.
The Executive Committee of the Association of Former Teachers acknowledged and accepted the suggestions of teachers and delegates in continuing to organize meaningful scientific activities, building a short book introducing the University so that students from the first year when returning to school can know and multiply their pride, inspire their will, self-study spirit, passion for science, and conquer the pinnacle of knowledge.
