2012 Postgraduate Training Conference

On December 15, 2012, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities held its 2012 Postgraduate Training Conference. The conference aimed to evaluate postgraduate training activities in 2011-2012, set directions and tasks for the 2012-2013 academic year, and outline key solutions to improve the quality of postgraduate training.Attending the conference were Dr. Vu Viet Binh - Deputy Head of the Training Department, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Rector of the University, representatives of the Board of Directors, and postgraduate training assistants from the faculties and departments of the university. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Quyet – Head of the Postgraduate Training Department – ​​presented a general assessment report on postgraduate training. According to the report, postgraduate training in 2011-2012 showed positive changes in terms of quantity, quality, and organization. In 2011-2012, the University focused on converting all postgraduate training programs to meet the required standards, Circular 04, and Regulation 155. Currently, the university manages a total of 55 programs, including 30 master's programs and 25 doctoral programs (2 programs are part of the strategic plan). All programs have been adjusted to meet output standards and comply with Regulation 155 of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi on postgraduate training, and have been officially implemented since the 2012 academic year. Representatives from the faculties/departments and postgraduate assistants also offered suggestions to improve the quality and effectiveness of postgraduate training. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Con (Faculty of Linguistics), to compete with other training institutions, the University needs to review and open some new training programs, and innovate the admission and enrollment process. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan (Faculty of History) suggested that the University open short-term foreign language training courses so that the faculty can ensure timely graduation for students. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Ngoc Vuong (Faculty of Literature) suggested clarifying the maximum and minimum duration of the training program framework. This significantly impacts the faculty's management and the recruitment of supervising lecturers. In his remarks at the conference, Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh (Rector) suggested that postgraduate training for the 2012-2013 academic year should focus on the following points: - Adjustments to the enrollment scale for the next academic year are needed, focusing on the quality of training. Specifically, each class should be maintained at 30 to 50 students. - Improvements are needed in the organization and implementation of training programs in many aspects, such as: paying attention to providing reference materials for students, and scheduling postgraduate classes during the day. - Units must have better plans for managing students' study schedules, regularly updating information on postgraduate management and organization, and ensuring that students report on their thesis progress every six months to guarantee timely thesis defense.