The valedictorian's landmark trip as he delivers his graduation speech in English.

Bui Minh Thuy, 22 years old, graduated as valedictorian of the International Studies program (standard program) at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-USSH) with a GPA of 3.77/4.0. This young woman from Hai Phong represented the graduating class and delivered a speech in English at the university's graduation ceremony on July 29th. Sharing with a reporter from the Vietnam Student Section of Tien Phong Newspaper, Minh Thuy said: “Being chosen to speak in English in front of delegates, teachers, parents, and friends made me quite nervous.”
I practiced many times, refining the content and pronunciation to convey the message as confidently and clearly as possible. Standing on stage, I was both nervous and emotional, but most of all, I felt proud. This is definitely a perfect and memorable ending to my student life.” Four years ago, Thuy chose International Studies at VNU-USSH as her first choice because of her passion for history and her desire to experience new lands. From her history lessons, Thuy realized that knowledge of different cultures and languages ​​possesses a magical power: connecting people, resolving conflicts, preventing disputes, and fostering multifaceted thinking in each individual.
As a student majoring in International Relations, Thuy has extensive experience in Youth Union activities, Student Association activities, and international exchanges. She previously served as Vice President and Vice Head of the External Relations Organizing Committee of the "Flame of Youth 20" Club at the university, Vice Secretary of the Faculty's Student Union, and a delegate to the Lancang Mekong Youth Online 2023 program organized by Fudan University (China).
  In particular, the trip was part of the NEREC Summer Fellows Program 2024 at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), organized by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Education & Research Center (NEREC) of KAIST and funded by US and Korean foundations.
According to information from the Department of International Studies, Thuy is the youngest student in this 5-week course. For Thuy, the most memorable experience was probably the field trip to Seoul, where she visited the Korean National Assembly building, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Blue House – the official residence and workplace of successive Korean presidents, places she had only seen on TV before. According to the valedictorian, studying and conducting research in a world-leading academic environment like KAIST was a significant turning point. This not only helped Thuy grow professionally but also ignited in her a greater aspiration: to contribute to building a more developed, modern, yet humane Vietnam.
The female student shared that, to be accepted into international programs like NEREC or Mekong Youth, the key factor she focused on was the compatibility between herself and the program. This included not only compatibility in terms of major but also in terms of personal goals, values, and long-term development orientation.
Thuy always takes the time to thoroughly research information such as eligibility requirements, application documents, deadlines, and selection criteria. If she sees an opportunity, she applies immediately without hesitation, believing that being proactive and timely is very important. "The important thing is to persevere and try, even if success isn't always guaranteed on the first try," Thuy said. Interdisciplinary courses also helped Thuy broaden her thinking and perspective, making her more confident when applying to international programs. In particular, Thuy enjoyed the Introduction to International Relations and International Negotiation courses. In the International Negotiation course, she had the opportunity to experience a simulated negotiation session, thereby honing her negotiation and problem-solving skills.
In addition, Thuy also enrolled in the International Support course offered by the International Development Studies department at the faculty. She realized this was a very interesting field, especially when combined with her knowledge of international relations, which helped her broaden her perspective on global cooperation and development.
The research ideas from her trip to South Korea also helped Thuy develop a scientific research project that won a school-level award and a perfect 10/10 score for her graduation thesis. The topic was titled "Normals in International Relations: A Case Analysis of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," supervised by Dr. Le Lena. In carrying out her research, Thuy systematized theories related to international norms and applied the norm life cycle framework of Martha Finnemore and Kathryn Sikkim. Choosing NPT allowed her to analyze how an international norm is formed, disseminated, and becomes binding behavior within the international system.
“The NPT is a prime example of the intertwining of power, national interests, and shared international values. During my research, I realized that even widely accepted norms have a gap between principle and practice, particularly the asymmetry between nuclear-armed and non-nuclear states,” Thuy said.
Besides that, what impressed Thuy most after the trip was the strong friendships she formed with fellow students from many different countries. Everyone still maintains reunion calls to share, reminisce about memories, and keep each other updated on their lives.
After graduating, Thuy is currently a project assistant at a non-governmental organization. This is an opportunity for her to further hone her research thinking, analytical skills, and expand her professional knowledge. Once the project concludes, she will focus on improving her foreign language skills and honing the necessary skills to prepare her scholarship application for studying abroad.