(SVVN) Thủ khoa Quốc tế học USSH: Danh hiệu là động lực, không phải đích đến

Valedictorian Ha Chi on her university graduation day.

With a GPA of 3.8/4.0, Chi is the valedictorian of the International Studies program, encompassing both the Standard and High-Quality programs, at the VNU-USSH graduation ceremony in late July 2025. Four years prior, the former student of Thang Long High School in Hanoi was admitted directly to university after winning a national award for excellence in Geography. Despite consistently maintaining high academic performance, Chi confessed that she was still surprised and moved to become the valedictorian.
In an interview with a reporter from the Vietnam Student Section of Tien Phong Newspaper, Ha Chi shared: “I’ve always believed that success comes from 99% effort and 1% luck. I consider small achievements in university as motivation to strive harder in the future, not as the ultimate goal.”

According to Chi, she chose International Studies because of her background in geography and her desire to broaden her understanding of countries, cultures, and international issues. During her student years, Chi was the Head of Content and Professional Development at the International Loa Academic Club, responsible for organizing numerous events for professional knowledge exchange, negotiation skills training, and debate competitions.
For her, International Speakers is not just a club, but has become a deep connection in her journey of growth. Having been with the club for four years, it has given Chi the opportunity to try her hand at many different roles. From the tasks of a new member such as searching, translating, and editing news, and conducting in-depth analysis, to joining the executive board, developing activity plans, and directly taking responsibility for all of the organization's activities.
The top-scoring female student is also an enthusiastic participant in scientific research, winning first, second, and third prizes at the university-level student scientific conference for three consecutive years from 2022 to 2024. With her strong command of English and French, Chi has worked as a translation collaborator for the International Research Project, specializing in current international affairs, and for the Sérendipité community website, which focuses on the French language and France.

With a passion for knowledge, Chi says it's difficult to choose her favorite major. For her, each subject is a new journey of discovery. Foundational courses like History of International Relations or Introduction to International Relations not only help her gain a deeper understanding of the global context and issues, but also open up a new perspective on the contemporary world. Meanwhile, highly applied courses like International Negotiation or Foreign Affairs Operations give Chi the opportunity to hone her practical skills, from foreign affairs activities to event organization.
Right from the summer of her first year, Chi was accepted for an internship at the Private Economic Development Research Board (Board IV), under the Advisory Council on Administrative Procedure Reform. She had the opportunity to learn about several issues such as innovative entrepreneurship, Net Zero policy, and how to collect data to produce the Administrative Procedure Compliance Cost Index (APCI) report.
In her third year, thanks to a recommendation from a faculty member, Chi interned at the Vietnamese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand through a distance learning program. Her responsibilities included translating news, conducting some small research projects on Thai politics and economics, and assisting with summarizing and analyzing diplomatic reports.
Internships in her field of study helped Chi learn multi-method research and information analysis skills, combining quantitative and qualitative thinking to process, synthesize, and draw conclusions. For her, this was an extremely useful lesson, not only in her research but also very helpful for social science students in the current context.
Studying International Relations, Chi was interested in topics such as international politics and international economics. In her final year, Chi completed her graduation thesis entitled "A Comparison of the Roles of the United States and China in International Economic Organizations," under the guidance of Professor, Dr. Hoang Khac Nam, Chairman of the Scientific and Training Council of the Faculty of International Studies (VNU-USSH).
Chi's thesis focuses on the activities of international organizations, examining the roles of major powers, particularly the United States and China. Beyond specialized knowledge, the process of completing her graduation thesis helped Chi develop many important skills such as self-learning, independent research, and working independently. These are all fundamental competencies that will play a crucial role in her long-term career development.

Before graduating, Chi applied for and was accepted as a research intern at the REK Institute. For her, this was a good fit for her interests and long-term goals. She is particularly interested in issues in international relations, while also focusing on sustainable development topics such as education policy.
Chi's main responsibilities involve synthesizing and analyzing information, applying quantitative and qualitative research methods, and assisting with translation and document compilation for research projects. In her current position, she hopes to enhance her in-depth research capabilities, broaden her perspective on multidisciplinary issues, and hone her professional work skills.
Looking further ahead, Chi wants to continue pursuing her research path, creating a harmonious connection between a solid academic foundation and rich practical experience, so that each project is not only academically valuable but also makes a practical contribution to the development of society.