On November 17, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will hold a ceremony to celebrate its 65th anniversary. In the atmosphere of the big festival, generations of teachers expressed their love for the school with a long history and tradition, and at the same time contributed many ideas for the development of the school in the future.
1. Prof. Dr. Phan Huu Dat (former President of Hanoi University of Science): Integrating with the world with the strengths of Vietnamese Social Sciences and Humanities
I am very pleased to see that the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU, since its separation from the University of General Sciences, has had many conditions to develop and maintain its leading position in research and training in Social Sciences and Humanities in the country. On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the University's tradition, I would like to share some experiences drawn from the process of building and developing the University of General Sciences, Hanoi (HUS) in the past: Firstly, to maintain its position as a leading and key university, the prerequisite is to take care of building a team of teachers with sufficient quantity, quality and high scientific level. Secondly, in all circumstances, the issue of training quality must always be put first. To do so, right from the admission stage, it is necessary to be strict so as to recruit good people. During the learning process, the University must focus on training students in scientific thinking and research methods, and must turn the training process into a self-training process. Third, it is necessary to closely link teaching and scientific research, taking scientific research as the fulcrum for teaching activities.
Fourth, the political and ideological work in the School must carry out the task of orienting and nurturing scientific ambitions and aspirations in students' learning. There must be many people like Ngo Bao Chau with the desire to conquer scientific heights and raise the country's position on the world science map. Fifth, to realize the goal of reaching a high position in regional and world higher education, we need to clearly define the specific direction of integration in which sectors and fields. In my opinion, what we have the opportunity to contribute to world science must first be the fields of Social Sciences and Humanities of Vietnam. We must be the world leader in Vietnamese History, Vietnamese Literature, Vietnamese Philosophy..., have large-scale research works in Vietnam's own scientific fields, and turn them into our strengths.
2. Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Thi Phung (Head of the Department of Archival Science and Office Management): Creating a "Social - Humanistic" style to contribute to promoting and advertising the school's brand.
For more than 30 years studying and working at the school, I always feel proud, because every time I go on a business trip, just by introducing the place where I studied and worked, I hear compliments, see the admiration of everyone when talking about the school or mentioning the wonderful teachers of the former University of General Sciences, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities today.
I understand that the reason for such praise and pride is because over the years, generations of teachers and students of the school have created a very unique style, the "Synthetic" style, the "Social - Humanistic" style. That is the school's extremely valuable asset, the brand that dozens of generations have worked hard to cultivate and continue. That is the style of teachers who are passionate about science, always researching and explaining social and human issues with well-founded and valid arguments, not one-sided thinking, always creative and innovative. Then, from their profound research, they bring students passionate lectures, teaching like "pulling out their guts and livers", drawing students into the fascinating world of science imbued with humanity. That is the style of people who always consider knowledge, understanding and dignity as core values. It is the style of the teachers that creates the style of generations of students, with broad knowledge, deep thinking, always creative in the way of looking at and explaining problems, always exploring and engaging in new things, knowing how to courageously refuse and overcome common temptations.
3. Prof. Dr. Do Quang Hung (Department of Political Science): Social Sciences and Humanities must aim for international standards in training and research.
The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU is very determined to integrate with the world. I think this is also an inevitable trend of Social Sciences and Humanities in general, and a leading university like us cannot stand outside. Integration is not only meant to attract resources to serve our own development, but more importantly, it is time for Vietnamese people to contribute to world science on issues of human significance. The problem is to clearly define the criteria to reach international standards, in my opinion the following factors: First, Social Sciences and Humanities today must be able to answer human and social problems that are both broad and specific. Second, research and training in Social Sciences and Humanities must aim for modernity, keeping up with the development of the world, reflected in both research issues, research methods, knowledge systems, and learning and applying new models, methods, and training programs.
Third, social sciences and humanities and natural sciences and other sciences today are not rigidly separated, but on the contrary, they are closely intertwined and affect each other. This close intertwining must be clearly demonstrated in social sciences and humanities research and training. Currently, one of the weaknesses of social sciences and humanities in developing countries like Vietnam is that they cannot fully utilize the knowledge and means of natural sciences and technology in research and training, for example, applying many research methods, measurements of Mathematics or modern machinery and techniques, etc. Fourth, social sciences and humanities research must aim at the goals of humanity and global issues in addition to the goals of the nation. When determining research directions, Vietnam's Social Sciences and Humanities must pay attention to anticipating and linking its research with issues of global significance, such as climate change, environmental impacts on humans, new psychological issues arising in modern society, etc. Fifth, research and training in Vietnam's Social Sciences and Humanities must be able to "circulate" with other countries. This is also one of the most difficult points for Vietnam because in reality, Vietnam's integrated research is not deep, or in other words, it has not yet joined the world's research sources. A specific and very encouraging manifestation at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities today is the increasingly strong development of international training cooperation programs with world-class universities. This will be an effective activity contributing to promoting the University's integration with the world.
4. Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Thanh Hung (Deputy Head of the Faculty of Literature): Solving the relationship between diversifying training types and promoting basic research
In the orientation of developing Hanoi National University into a multidisciplinary, multi-field university with high qualifications, while also following the direction of a research university, it is clear that a harmonious and dialectical combination is required to overcome the inevitable contradiction between the motto of diversifying training types and promoting basic research. In recent years, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has developed many new training majors with high applicability and practice. This is a development direction that is in accordance with the law, promptly meeting the practical needs of the country. The school has become one of the trusted addresses for society to place orders. Students in the fields of Journalism, Tourism, Library Information, Archives and Office Administration, Social Management, International Studies, etc., after graduation, can easily find jobs. However, associated with that development trend is a more or less neglect of theoretical research and basic science. In my opinion, some traditional training faculties such as Literature, History, and Philosophy, which once created the identity and advantages of the former General University, need more investment.
Over the past decades, it is these traditional and basic sciences that have trained a strong team of scientific and cultural cadres, capable not only in research and teaching but also in a wide range of practical activities. In my opinion, this is not an acceptance or a reluctant adaptation, but a strength created from basic science training. Literature, History, and Philosophy of the traditional faculties of the past are not simply knowledge and understanding, but also, and importantly, thinking methods and skills to solve problems posed by science and life. That said, it does not mean that the school needs to narrow down, clean up this faculty and expand and develop another faculty. The specific issue of concern here is the basic science departments and subjects, not the training unit. Those sciences must become the spearhead of training, must be transformed into fundamental knowledge for vocational fields of study.
