Principal Pham Quang Minh's message for the new school year.

1. First of all, on behalf of the school's leadership, allow me to congratulate all the teachers, professors, and students on the occasion of the opening of the new academic year, and especially the more than 1600 new students of cohort 61 on their first university opening ceremony. You have successfully passed the challenging aptitude test and surpassed many other candidates to become new students of one of the most prestigious universities in Vietnam, currently ranked among the top 200 universities in Asia. Thank you for choosing this school as your place of study, training, and to fulfill your dreams.

2. The 2015-2016 academic year has passed with many memorable achievements: The school was awarded the First-Class Labor Medal for the second time on the occasion of its 70th anniversary (1945-2015) and 20th anniversary (1995-2015); the Oriental Studies program, after the Linguistics program, received quality accreditation from the ASEAN University Network (AUN); the school's staff published more than 50 international works, including 9 in top-tier journals such as IS/SCOPUS; Professor Phan Huy Le was awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize; the school's students received numerous awards in international competitions and forums; and a spirit of openness, friendliness, and service is spreading among the school's staff.

Associate Professor Pham Quang Minh delivered a speech at the opening ceremony held this morning, September 17, 2016.

3. The new academic year has begun with many successes, but also many challenges: how to improve the quality of training, scientific research, and the prestige and standing of the University, and especially how to ensure that graduates find employment? To achieve this, there is no other way than for us to be more determined, united, and enthusiastic for the sake of our students, our teachers, and this university. The University's mission is to be a pioneer and leader, its vision is to achieve the highest quality, and our motto is "Respect the past, seize the future."Honoring the Past, embracing the Future). Without appreciating what we have, it is difficult to achieve what we desire. Appreciate both success and failure, both what we have accomplished and what we have yet to achieve. Appreciation does not mean worship. Those who do not appreciate the past will pay the price. Those who appreciate the past will have a bright future. Conversely, as the Dagestan writer Rasul Gamzatov (1923-2003) said:If you shoot a pistol at the past, the future will shoot a cannon at you." (If you fire at the past from a pistol, the future will shoot back from a cannon.

Principal Pham Quang Minh receives a congratulatory bouquet from Vu Quynh Trang (Faculty of Journalism and Communication), the valedictorian of the 2016 university entrance exam.

4. The door to the future is wide open for you. It's a horizon for those who are passionate, committed, and dedicated, especially as the country integrates into ASEAN, the TPP, and other free trade agreements. Naturally, in this context, competition will be fiercer, and quality must be higher. Can we seize the future? How should we prepare for it? These are questions that require all of us to answer together. To do this, you must prepare yourselves physically, intellectually, and financially. Start preparing that foundation today. The school is ready to help and support you.

5. Last June, when bidding farewell to the graduating students of cohort K57, the professor offered these words of encouragement:Have a safe journey, may everything be peaceful, USSH, always by your side.!"Today, on the occasion of your first day of school, especially for the new students of K61, I would like to wish you:Happy and successful opening day! USSH is our shared home.!"