Vice President of Vietnam National University, Hanoi Le Quan
Desire to have strong brainpower
- Sir, it is known that Hanoi National University is systematically implementing a program to attract international scholars. Could you please tell us where this idea came from?
We believe that in an integrated world, in order to increase quality and promote scientific and technological activities associated with international cooperation, VNU Hanoi or any other university needs to have specific policies and solutions to attract and employ highly qualified scientists.
With over 2,000 permanent scientists, of which over 50% are PhDs and over 20% are professors and associate professors, in recent times, VNU-Hanoi has made efforts to innovate its staff organization to create an environment, opportunities, and conditions for scientists to access information and resources; focusing on developing the team in conjunction with international integration.
To improve the quality of scientists' resources, many solutions have been implemented such as: the project to develop a team of highly qualified scientists by 2020, with a vision to 2030, a pilot policy to promote highly qualified scientists in association with the quantity and quality of output products, innovation in investment policies associated with the development of strong research groups and potential research groups, development of a model of scientists' clubs to connect scientists with major tasks and remove administrative barriers in the arrangement and use of scientists...
In particular, VNU Hanoi has also issued standards for VNU Hanoi scientists associated with international integration such as: having a doctorate degree, being able to use foreign languages in teaching and scientific research, having international publications, and participating in international cooperation.
Innovative solutions for staff organization have contributed to improving productivity and quality indicators of the scientific team of VNU, Hanoi.
All these efforts are not beyond the desire to have a team of scientists of regional and international stature, ready to participate and perform well the country's scientific tasks.
-It is known that inviting international scholars to work in Vietnam is not new, but does VNU Hanoi have different policies that create its own attraction?
It is true that this is not a new problem, many places have implemented many solutions but the results have not been high. I think the key issue that has not been answered is attracting people to do what specific things.
The reality at VNU is the same, in recent years, thousands of international scholars have come to us every year. However, the efficiency, initiative and cohesion are not high; the contribution of international scholars to the implementation of specific tasks of VNU is not much.
Learning from this experience, to effectively implement the Scholar Attraction Program, we focus on the differences and specifics: It is necessary to identify jobs and tasks that require international scholars.
On that basis, clarify who needs to be attracted, what are the standards, what are the rights and obligations, what are the working mechanisms and conditions... Attraction starts from job needs, not from benefits.
- To make the Program as effective as expected, have you considered the difficulties you will encounter?
The agenda is the initial framework. Action and determined effort from leadership are the prerequisites. Action must follow each specific scholar profile, not just stop at policy.
Immediately after the Program was issued, Director of VNU-Hanoi Phung Xuan Nha, in his role as Head of the Steering Committee, directed the approval of the infrastructure investment project and initial financial support for the Program.
The project ensures working conditions for the coordination office and workplace, conference, video conference... for international scholars.
We focus on attracting prestigious scientists to act as leaders to bring other scholars to join. In addition, more than 500 permanent staff members who are PhDs trained abroad also act as ambassadors to attract colleagues and professors to participate in the activities of VNU, Hanoi.
Our view is that it is not necessary to require highly qualified scientists to be recruited as permanent scientists of VNU, but they can participate for a certain period of time, or be attached to specific scientific projects and work online.
- A very clear strategy, a very methodical plan and implementation, so what has VNU Hanoi done to realize this wish, sir?
I would like to give an example of inviting Professor Nguyen Duc Khuong - ranked 7th in the Top 200 leading economists in the world (voted by the RePEc project - Research Papers in Economics) to participate in the program, together with me as Co-Deputy Head of the Program's Steering Committee.
Upon receiving the invitation, Professor Khuong immediately joined us in reviewing the need for international scholars in the fields of economics and finance.
Through this, a plan to attract international scholars in these fields was established; and through his international scholar network, Professor Khuong invited and more than a dozen scholars accepted to participate in the program.
In the near future, Professor Khuong will work with us to establish a project to open a new international finance master's program, in conjunction with the Association of Overseas Vietnamese Scientists in this field.
Through this program, many prestigious overseas Vietnamese scientists from around the world will periodically return to VNU Hanoi to teach and conduct research. Through this program, VNU Hanoi also attracts many international students to study.
The gains have gradually appeared.
- So what are the records up to this point, sir?
Through practical implementation, we see that having international scholars will help VNU Hanoi have valuable intellectual resources and experience to immediately participate in implementing projects, training tasks and scientific research.
Through this, scientists of VNU Hanoi have the opportunity to quickly and directly connect with international universities through the implementation of common tasks.
From the achieved reality, in addition to the general goals, we are aiming for specific goals in the next 3 years to ensure that all high-quality training programs of VNU Hanoi have international scholars signing contracts to participate in teaching for a period of 02 weeks to 01 semester/year, participating in guiding students/trainees every year.
Increase the number of articles, inventions and scientific and technological products co-authored by scientists of VNU Hanoi and international scholars, develop in the next 3 years from 10 to 15 research groups, joint laboratories co-chaired by international scholars, through international scholars as program directors to import new training programs...
- With such an effective program, does VNU Hanoi have any plans for the future, sir?
During the 2016-2020 period, VNU Hanoi focuses on attracting international scholars to jointly implement the following activities:
1/ Participate in teaching high-quality training programs. These are programs with many subjects taught in English, and have a budget to pay for international scholars. In the coming time, high-quality training programs need to have about 20% international lecturers participating in teaching.
Therefore, the Program office will coordinate from identifying needs to promoting, signing and coordinating international scholars for all high-quality training programs from 17 universities, institutes and faculties under VNU, Hanoi.
2/ Participate in implementing major tasks associated with the organizational development of VNU Hanoi. A series of projects being implemented are linked to attracting international scholars such as the Vietnam-Japan University project (with 6 master's programs taught in English and key laboratories), the project to develop the International University, the Law University, the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, the Hospital...
3/ Participate in co-chairing research groups and laboratories, research centers, research projects... The policy of VNU Hanoi prioritizes investment and development associated with international cooperation and prioritizes the development of affiliated laboratories at home and abroad.
4/ Participate in chairing and being the director of new training programs. The program has the role of attracting and supporting international scholars to transfer new training programs to VNU, Hanoi.
The international scholar will act as the program director and will invite international colleagues to teach and conduct research. By opening a new master's program, VNU-Hanoi can attract more than a dozen international scholars to participate deeply and long-term.
5/ To participate in promoting international publication of VNU, Hanoi, we have an investment policy and financial support for scientists of VNU to cooperate with international scholars to conduct research and publish internationally.
Initial financial support is enough to cover airfare, conference participation costs, etc. Thus, scientists who connect with each other and commit to internationally published products will receive financial support from VNU Hanoi.
Through the synchronous implementation of solutions related to needs, VNU Hanoi is determined to promote solutions to attract international scholars in both quantity and quality.
- From the experience of the Program, what solutions do you think Vietnam needs to do to attract many great scholars?
I think that before attracting talent, we need to focus on innovating the use of local human resources. Therefore, the work of organizing staff needs to focus on innovation to ensure that scientists have the opportunity to access resources, have a favorable working environment (especially in terms of administrative procedures), and are properly evaluated and treated.
To implement this, the important solution is to innovate the investment and human resource utilization mechanism. The use of scientists must be based on contracts with clear and effective output product commitments.
When attracting scientists, there must be a specific problem for what to use, what commitment, how the working mechanism works, specific authority and obligations, and specific resources. Good scientists sometimes do not necessarily need high salaries. What they fear most is attracting them but not being put into specific work.
Thank you!
At the invitation of the President of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Phung Xuan Nha, Professor Furuta Motoo, former Vice President of the University of Tokyo, Japan, has accepted to become the President of Vietnam-Japan University, a member of Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Vietnam-Japan University is currently enrolling students for 06 master's programs taught in English. In the coming time, Vietnam-Japan University will attract many international scholars from Japan and other countries.
According to giaoducthoidai.vn
Author:Diep Anh (performed)
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