This was an important statement made by Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Vice Rector) during a press conference on March 12th to exchange information about university admissions in 2013.
To give reporters a clear overview of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim summarized the University's development over the past period, mentioning four important goals that the University is striving for: continuously improving the quality of training; closely linking training and research; internationalizing training programs to keep pace with the development of leading universities in the region and the world; and pioneering the implementation of new training majors/specializations. Based on this, the University's training programs always closely link academic rigor with meeting societal needs. As a result, the University is highly regarded by society for its quality of training and its seriousness in achieving its training goals.
Many new features in the admissions process.
The expansion of the entrance exam blocks for social sciences and humanities majors from the traditional two blocks C and D to block A (in 2010) and block B (in 2011) was a noteworthy decision for students. Explaining this decision, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim stated that the current separation of exam blocks is only relative. Because the philosophy of developing high-level science emphasizes critical thinking skills. Therefore, to align with this philosophy and development orientation at a high level, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities always wants to accept candidates with strong critical thinking skills, regardless of the exam block. According to Dinh Viet Hai (Deputy Head of Training Department), the admission process for social sciences and humanities majors in blocks A and B is not new, as it has been implemented at Hanoi University before: “Admission based on blocks is simply a way to select students based on their abilities. Candidates in each block have their own strengths that are suitable for the University's training programs,” said Mr. Dinh Viet Hai. “Therefore, expanding the exam blocks clearly demonstrates the University's viewpoint: candidates, regardless of their block, have equal rights in choosing and accessing social sciences and humanities majors.” In reality, the number of applications for block A has continuously increased from 2010 to the present. More importantly, the number of block A candidates admitted to the University has shown good adaptation to the learning environment.
With that in mind, in addition to the 10 majors already admitting students from Group A, this year there are two new majors admitting students from this group for the first time: Public Relations and Social Work. This year, there is good news for students in the basic science majors of the University (Political Science, Anthropology, Philosophy, History, Sino-Vietnamese Studies, Literature) who will receive preferential scholarships and support for skill and career development courses from their first year, including foreign language skills and personal development skills. Regarding the event of the Public Relations (PR) major being admitted for the first time at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen (Deputy Head of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication) affirmed that this is a decision in line with the general development trend of science worldwide and meets the needs of society. PR is a promising field of study with the demand for human resources always ranking among the "top" today. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen gave an example: "If each state agency or non-governmental organization in Vietnam were to recruit just one public relations officer, the labor market would already demand hundreds of thousands of public relations graduates." The average salary for a public relations position is also quite high compared to many other professions. To prepare for the implementation of training in this field, for many years, the Faculty of Journalism and Communication has sent staff for training in developed countries, gradually making public relations a formal and compulsory subject in the Faculty, thereby opening up career paths related to this field for students inside and outside the Faculty. The Vice Dean of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication also shared that the Faculty's training goal is for graduates of the public relations program to have the most professional awareness and skills, meeting the diverse and stringent requirements of the labor market as well as the ethical standards demanded by the profession.
Innovation to meet societal needs.
The quality of student intake at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities over the years, as well as the issue of innovating the University's training activities to meet the societal demand for human resources in the social sciences and humanities, were two of the most discussed topics during this information exchange. When analyzing and evaluating the enrollment and employment situation of graduates in basic science majors within the social sciences and humanities, Mr. Dinh Viet Hai, M.Sc., commented that the number of students admitted to these majors has remained stable over the past 10 years. Graduates from basic science majors have a very broad and diverse range of professional activities. For example, in the Literature major, career surveys show that students from the Faculty of Literature, in addition to teaching and research, are now actively involved and successful in screenwriting, television, journalism, publishing, and even advertising, public relations, and many other related specialized fields. This shows that the basic science training in Literature at the University has provided a solid foundation of knowledge and skills, enabling students to adapt to various fields of activity. MSc. Dinh Viet Hai concluded: “The observations from the professional practice of graduates show that the development of basic science over the years has undergone many changes. Basic science has truly participated in social life extensively, not just limited to teaching and research at universities and research institutes. Social needs have driven innovations in the training of basic science disciplines.” Currently, following this trend, the Faculty of Literature at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has expanded its training to include screenwriting, literary criticism, and film art. This is a new direction for many basic science disciplines within the University, aiming to provide human resources suitable for the diverse professional requirements of today.
Responding to a reporter's question about the quality of the university's entrance requirements over the years, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim affirmed that the university's entrance exam scores have consistently been among the highest compared to other universities offering social sciences and humanities programs nationwide, demonstrating a fairly good quality of incoming students. Furthermore, the objectives of the university's training programs have shifted from training based on individual needs to training that serves the needs of learners and society. To achieve this, the university has implemented a strong strategy to deepen credit-based training, making significant strides in adjusting undergraduate and postgraduate programs according to output standards, based on feedback from students, alumni, experts inside and outside the university, and employers. The university also has a mechanism for regular evaluation to adjust training policies and strategies to suit practical realities.
College admissions and career counseling are becoming increasingly practical.
This year, career counseling activities have been significantly enhanced in the admissions process. To attract talented students, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) is focusing on promoting its image and providing direct counseling at renowned specialized high schools in Hanoi and many other provinces. The university also organizes online counseling sessions for each major on its website. Besides participating in career counseling activities at the Ministry, VNU, and university levels, each training program within the university is also proactively promoting its image, helping students understand each field of study to make informed decisions. Dr. Nguyen Quang Lieu (Head of Student Affairs and Services Department), with many years of experience in admissions counseling, believes that students currently tend to choose careers based on intuition and the advice of friends rather than seeking guidance from teachers and experts. Recognizing this reality, USSH has strengthened its information and counseling efforts for students through various channels. In addition, the School has identified three bases for advising students on admissions: surveys on the employment situation of graduates over the past five years; the annual recruitment needs of localities and organizations for the School's graduates; and the number of students from various provinces admitted to the School to predict the number of graduates who are likely to work in those localities after graduation. According to Dr. Lieu, for effective counseling, the counseling process should be implemented earlier, starting from choosing exam subjects, majors, and universities, to advising on effective study and exam methods. "Doing it well from this stage will significantly improve the quality of the School's graduates," said Dr. Lieu. To conclude the press briefing, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim emphasized a viewpoint of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities: “In student recruitment, we should never exaggerate our achievements, but rather state the truth. The core and most important aspect of student recruitment, training, and building relationships with students and society lies in the sincerity and responsibility of the educational institution towards society. Quality must be the fundamental element to attract students and build trust with society.”
