Innovating communication practices to align with advanced university governance.

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Nguyen Kim Son, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

The Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Nguyen Kim Son, delivered a speech at the conference.

Also attending the Conference were Vice Director of VNU Hanoi Nguyen Huu Duc, along with leaders of the Office, heads of functional departments, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, President of the VNU Hanoi Student Association, and representatives of the Party Committee Office of VNU Hanoi.

The conference is a thematic briefing activity aimed at disseminating the policies and directions for innovation in communication activities, contributing to increasing brand value and developing VNU in the future.

Speaking at the conference, the Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Nguyen Kim Son, stated that communication activities in the past have made many efforts and achieved certain results, but have not been commensurate with the potential and strengths of Vietnam National University, Hanoi in general and its units in particular. Innovations are needed to meet the requirements of advanced university governance today.

The Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) pointed out that communication is an integral part of university governance, aimed at specific goals. For VNU, communication activities are geared towards the sustainable development of the university, focusing on the quality of student outcomes, the quality of scientific research activities, training, cooperation and development, student recruitment, and student employment…

In that spirit, the Director of VNU Hanoi instructed that in the coming period, communication activities should implement the following specific contents:

Firstly, there is a need for innovation and strengthening of communication work in the coming period, especially internal communication, to match the goals set by Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) in its development strategy to 2020, with a vision to 2030. The involvement of all member and affiliated units within VNU is necessary; communication work needs to be professional, synchronized, and closely linked to specific, feasible, and effective communication policies.

Secondly, the principles for implementing communication work at VNU in the coming period must be approached from the perspective of scientific and technological activities, training, and transparency in management, policies, and the right to information of the entire community, staff, lecturers, and students.

Thirdly, it is necessary to organize reviews and training programs to enhance the capacity and professional skills of communication staff at various units. At the same time, attention should be paid to supplementing and investing in facilities, funding, and equipment for the operational aspects of the units' communication activities.

Fourth, functional departments and units need to establish communication content in their activity plans to select distinctive communication products, and coordinate with the VNU Office in managing information in a way that is fast, timely, and accurate.

Appreciating the role and responsibility of the head of the unit in communication work, and as the person directly in charge of communication work at VNU, the Director of VNU requires the heads of member and affiliated units of VNU to be in charge of communication work and to be responsible for speaking to the public about the activities of the unit they lead.

The Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, stated that units need to be proactive, timely, and consistent in providing information to staff, lecturers, and students.

“We need a shared understanding that we need to make all staff, lecturers, and students understand the role of communication, especially in relation to the brand awareness of VNU, enhancing the self-respect and pride of individuals in the university environment where they work, study, and are affiliated,” shared VNU Director Nguyen Kim Son.

Earlier, within the framework of the Conference, the Vice Chief of the Office of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Mai Hoang Anh, presented an overview of the current state of communication and brand management work at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, and the plan for future activities. In addition to evaluating some outstanding results in the communication work of Vietnam National University, Hanoi in general and the unit in particular, the report also pointed out the shortcomings and limitations of communication work in the past period, such as: the personnel working in communication; coordination between the communication departments of different units; website system management; management of social media accounts; management of publications and communication/brand products, etc.

At the conference, delegates listened to and discussed the topic of the role of social media in internal communication, presented by Dr. Nguyen Thu Giang, lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Heads of units under Vietnam National University, Hanoi also shared information and experiences in communication work and crisis communication management.