Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan visited and worked with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities

On the afternoon of September 23, 2008, a working delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan visited and worked at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU).

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/9/24/img_0658.jpg" border="0" alt="Deputy Prime Minister observes Historical Methodology class" title="Deputy Prime Minister observes Historical Methodology class" width="240" height="160" align="right" ]

The delegation included Mr. Tran Quoc Toan - Deputy Head of the Government Office, Mr. Bang Tien Long - Permanent Deputy Minister of Education and Training, Mr. Le Dinh Tien - Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, and representatives of the departments of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Government Office. Accompanying the delegation were Prof. Dr. Mai Trong Nhuan - President of VNU, and representatives of the departments and offices of VNU.

The Deputy Prime Minister attended a lesson in Historical Methodology, visited the History Department - a heroic unit in the renovation period, visited the Museum of Anthropology, the Radio and Television Center - Faculty of Journalism. After that, the delegation of the Deputy Prime Minister had an official working session with the school's leaders.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/9/24/img_0762.jpg" border="0" alt="PTT visits the Museum of Anthropology" title="PTT visits the Museum of Anthropology" width="180" height="269" align="left" ]

At the meeting, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Principal, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School gave an overview of the implementation of tasks in the 2007-2008 school year and the direction of tasks for the coming school year. Besides the achievements, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh also frankly pointed out the major difficulties that the school is currently facing such as: the shortage of highly qualified leading staff; the current rate of lecturers with doctoral degrees is only 33%, still low compared to the requirement of 60% in 2010; difficulties in facilities and finance...

Talking with the school's leaders, the delegation was interested and asked many questions related to the specific issues of the social sciences and humanities: the biggest difficulties that students of social sciences and humanities face in the process of studying and working; the rate of students of social sciences and humanities finding jobs after graduation; the issue of linking training and scientific research between faculties, departments and centers of the school; the issue of basic research orientation in social sciences and humanities in general as well as determining the research directions that are the strengths and characteristics of the school in the coming time; determining the key fields focusing on high-quality training; what are the necessary changes in the school's training strategy towards serving social needs; the school's measures to continue to maintain the achievements and brilliant traditions from the time of Hanoi National University...

At the end of the working session, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan affirmed the great contributions of the school to the development of our country's education system, especially in the field of social sciences and humanities. 33 years have passed since unification, but in the minds of Vietnamese people, this is still the cradle of social sciences and humanities in Vietnam, and the achievements and recognition of the school are completely worthy. In the general development process of the education sector, Deputy Prime Minister especially welcomed the school's efforts in adjusting the training direction, opening up new professions suitable to the practical needs of society. To continue to develop more strongly, Deputy Prime Minister also noted that the school should pay attention to implementing a number of tasks:

The firstThere should be specific and accurate research on the working situation of the school's students after graduation. The opinions of former students after a long time of working in reality will provide useful suggestions for the school to adjust training to be more suitable to social reality.

MondayI agree with the Principal's opinion on promoting the teaching and learning of Han Nom for students, first of all students majoring in social sciences and humanities.

Tuesdayis related to research and teaching on Vietnamese studies, the School should clearly define its own development direction, aiming to become a leading international center of Vietnamese studies. To do so, we must have a roadmap to standardize our staff, research directions and proactively integrate internationally. The School should also expand its research with Vietnamese studies researchers in surrounding countries and regions, thereby expanding academic exchange activities, raising its influence on this field of study on a global scale.

Wednesdayis to review textbooks taught in schools, paying attention to modernizing the curriculum system to update with world standards. Schools should have a direction to build their own textbooks, bearing the school's brand.

ThursdayTo become a strong research center in social sciences and humanities, the school needs to determine for itself the main and key research directions, in which the school must be a reputable spokesperson.