Vietnamese Studies – From Vietnam to the International Stage

 
MC: Hello Professor! Could you please introduce the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and the Vietnamese Language and the Vietnamese Studies major at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi?
Vietnamese Studies is one of the oldest departments at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. With 55 years of tradition and development, the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language has truly become a hub for organizing training and research activities in Vietnamese Studies with an interdisciplinary and regional focus, as well as providing Vietnamese language and culture training for foreigners. It closely collaborates with units inside and outside the university to leverage the university's multidisciplinary and multi-field strengths.
With nearly 30 full-time lecturers including Professors, Associate Professors, and Doctors, the Faculty also collaborates with numerous lecturers who are leading scientists and experts in Vietnamese language and literature from universities and research institutes nationwide. In particular, the Faculty regularly invites leading experts on Vietnamese language and literature from both domestic and international backgrounds to give lectures, providing students with opportunities to access prominent issues in Vietnamese language and literature both domestically and globally in the context of current development and global integration.
Furthermore, during their studies at the Faculty, students have the opportunity to learn from and exchange ideas with international students from dozens of countries studying Vietnamese, as well as with postgraduate students conducting field research in Vietnam. Over 10,000 foreigners have studied Vietnamese language and culture at the Faculty, as well as with faculty members at various universities and Vietnamese studies centers around the world.
MC: At the Vietnamese Studies department of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, what will new students learn during their four years of study, Professor?
The field of Vietnamese Studies trains experts with a broad knowledge base about Vietnam and its people, who can work in interdisciplinary environments and proficiently use multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research skills to identify the characteristics of specific socio-cultural spaces to serve Vietnam's economic, social, and cultural development strategies.
Over the years, Vietnamese studies training has not only met the domestic demand for high-quality human resources but has also contributed to training a significant number of Vietnamese studies experts for many countries and international organizations worldwide. In the context of global development and integration, research and training on Vietnam has become an urgent need, on the one hand for Vietnam's development and integration, and on the other hand for the investment and cooperation process between countries and international organizations and Vietnam.
MC: Sir, besides studying in the classroom, today's students are also very dynamic and full of energy, always seeking environments and opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge. So, what does the field of Vietnamese Studies in particular, and the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language in general, have to offer students?
The Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language, as well as the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, always creates opportunities and encourages students to improve and develop themselves with various types of scholarships. Over the years, the university has continuously strengthened cooperation with scholarship funds, agencies, organizations, and businesses both domestically and internationally to provide numerous scholarships for students. The goal is not only to provide the best learning conditions but also to motivate students to strive throughout their time at the university, such as: AEON Scholarship, Annex Scholarship, Asia Development Foundation-ADF Scholarship, Dao Minh Quang Award, Yamada Award, etc. In addition, every year the Faculty connects with partners, businesses, and benefactors to award top-performing scholarships to new students during the opening ceremony of the academic year.
Each year, the Faculty plans and organizes concentrated and non-concentrated field trips and internships at suitable internship sites for students, with a wide variety of options such as: research institutions or media and press agencies; tourism companies or hotels; universities, Vietnamese language teaching centers, cultural landmarks and historical sites in many regions across the country.
Furthermore, students majoring in Vietnamese Studies will have the opportunity to learn about and expand their relationships with international friends from different cultures. The department has a unique environment with a large number of foreign students, creating opportunities for interaction, learning, improving foreign language skills and diverse cultural knowledge for students in the department, as well as organizing meetings and networking events with employers and influential figures to create opportunities for connection, exchange, and career guidance.
Accordingly, the annual "International Cultural Festival" is held every New Year to give Vietnamese students and international students the opportunity to interact and learn about the culture, cuisine, and art of different countries. Students will have the chance to participate in the Cultural Ambassadors Club - CMC, with special support and exchange activities between faculty, staff, and students of the department and international students and faculty through major activities such as: Cooking with CMC, the VSL Writing Contest, and the Sounds of Vietnam, etc.
MC: There are many opinions that studying basic sciences like Vietnamese Studies limits job opportunities. So, what kind of job opportunities will students majoring in Vietnamese Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities have, sir?
Previously, when mentioning Vietnamese Studies and the Vietnamese Language, many people would think that students studying basic sciences could only work in state agencies, historical museums, research institutes, etc. This was true, but it is no longer sufficient for the current generation of students and the field of Vietnamese Studies.
In the Department of Vietnamese Studies, students will not only learn in-depth knowledge about the country, culture, people, and society of Vietnam, but will also be trained in essential skills to enable them to have a multifaceted perspective on the issues and conditions facing Vietnam. These are essential skills not only for future careers but also for life in modern society.
With a comprehensive and holistic education, graduates will have numerous career opportunities, not only working in public organizations and state management agencies but also for international organizations that cooperate and exchange with Vietnam. Furthermore, in the context of globalization and integration, they are key personnel with opportunities to be recruited into departments specializing in Vietnam relations within foreign economic, diplomatic, educational, and media organizations.
With their comprehensive, interdisciplinary knowledge and skills, students can start their own businesses after obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Vietnamese Studies from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and pursue their dreams, not only in Vietnam but also in many parts of the world.
Thank you very much, teacher!

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