The meeting was attended by Mr. Romain Busuttil, Deputy Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Activities, French Embassy in Vietnam; Ms. Elsa Marguin-Hamon, Director of Research and International Relations of the National School of Ancient Texts. Also present were Ms. Olivia Pelletier - Head of the Indochina Archives at the French National Overseas Archives (ANOM), Professor Pascal Bourdeaux and Professor Marc Bui - School of Advanced Studies Practice (École pratique des Hautes Études – EPHE). This event marks an important step in the international cooperation between the two universities, opening up many opportunities for academic exchange, research, and the development of high-quality human resources in the social sciences and humanities. Representing the University of Social Sciences and Humanities were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Thi Thu Huong, Vice Rector, leaders of the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management, and the Department of Science, External Relations, and Journals.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Romain Busuttil, Deputy Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Activities at the French Embassy in Vietnam, expressed his delight at the long-standing and increasingly developing cooperative relationship between the two educational institutions. He emphasized that international educational and cultural cooperation has always been a top priority for the leaders of both Vietnam and France. He also highlighted the important role of academic exchanges in strengthening cultural and educational relations between Vietnam and France, encouraging both sides to continue developing strategic cooperation projects, thereby creating a solid foundation for future joint training programs, research, and conferences.
Mr. Romain Busuttil - Deputy Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Activities, French Embassy in Vietnam, delivered a speech at the signing ceremony.
On behalf of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Associate Professor Dr. Dang Thi Thu Huong, Vice Rector, shared an overview of the training programs from undergraduate to doctoral levels, as well as the mechanisms for supporting international student exchanges, credit recognition, and exchange programs lasting from 6 months to 1 year for master's and doctoral students. Associate Professor Dr. Dang Thi Thu Huong expressed her desire to strengthen cooperation with Ecole Nationale des Chartes in organizing seminars, publications, training, and student exchange opportunities, aiming to provide diverse and enriching international academic experiences for students from both sides, while contributing to enhancing professional capacity and research skills.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dang Thi Thu Huong - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Prior to the signing ceremony, the Ecole Nationale des Chartes delegation held a working session with the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management to discuss specific areas of cooperation that both sides will promote and implement in 2026 and subsequent years.
Dr. Cam Anh Tuan - Head of the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Elsa Marguin-Hamon, Director of Research and International Relations at the National School of Ancient Texts, highly appreciated the results of cooperation between the two schools in recent years. She emphasized the importance of preserving and sharing archival heritage, and affirmed that the MOU signed today will open up many concrete cooperation projects, from master's and doctoral training to research in the field of digital humanities. This is an opportunity for faculty, staff, and researchers from both schools to share practical experiences, conduct in-depth research, and build sustainable cooperation projects, especially in the field of archives and digital humanities in the new era.
Ms. Elsa Marguin-Hamon, Director of Research and International Relations at Ecole Nationale des Chartes
At the end of the meeting, the leaders of both sides agreed on a number of specific areas of cooperation:
a) Exchange of administrative and academic staff (i.e., lecturers and researchers);
b) Exchange of postgraduate students;
c) Develop common training programs;
d) Develop joint research projects;
e) Co-supervising master's theses and doctoral dissertations;
f) Publishing joint scientific publications.
The signing of the MOU between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the National School of Ancient Vietnamese Studies not only affirms the long-standing and effective cooperative relationship between the two educational institutions but also opens up new opportunities in research, training, and international student exchange. This event contributes to improving the quality of education, strengthening research capacity, and expanding international cooperation, aiming for sustainable development and deep integration in the field of social sciences and humanities in Vietnam.
The two sides exchanged the Memorandum of Cooperation and took a commemorative photo.
The École nationale des chartes (ENC), affiliated with PSL University (Paris Sciences & Lettres), is a prestigious public university in France specializing in training experts in archival science, heritage, bibliography, and historical and cultural studies. Founded in 1821, the university aims to train leading professionals in the preservation, research, and analysis of historical documents, with main areas of study including paleography, historical sources, legal history, art history, and, in recent years, the rapidly developing field of digital humanities.
