“EFEO - a bridge of knowledge connecting Vietnamese academia with the world”

Attending the conference were Mr. Jean-Noel Poirier (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Vietnam), Mr. Yves Goudineau (Director of EFEO Paris), Prof. Phan Huy Le (Chairman of the Vietnam Historical Science Association), Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh (Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities) and scientists from Vietnam, France and Japan.

Overview of the opening session of the Workshop/Photo: Thanh Long

At the opening session, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh spoke, affirming the important role and contribution of EFEO to the formation and development of Vietnam's social sciences and humanities.

“EFEO is the most solid bridge among many bridges of knowledge connecting Vietnamese academia with the world" -The Principal emphasized.

In 1898, Governor-General of Indochina Paul Doumer signed a decision to establish an Oriental research agency called the “Permanent Archaeological Mission in Indochina”. In 1900, this agency was renamed the “French School of the Far East”, abbreviated as EFEO, with the main function of scientific research on history, archaeology, language, ethnology, geophysics and geoanthropology in the Indochina peninsula and countries in the Far East.

On November 23, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh signed Decree No. 65 establishing the "Oriental Archaeological Institute" to replace the "French Far Eastern Archaeological Institute", with the task of preserving and storing the research achievements of EFEO throughout Vietnam.

After the Geneva Agreement in 1954, EFEO moved its headquarters to Saigon. And in 1960, EFEO officially closed, ending more than 6 decades of operation in Vietnam. In 1993, EFEO re-established its representative office in Hanoi. Currently, in addition to its headquarters in Paris (France), EFEO also has 18 centers in 12 countries, including 2 representative offices in Vietnam, both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh (Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities) delivered the opening speech at the Conference/Photo: Thanh Long

EFEO's contributions to Vietnamese social sciences and humanities are reflected in the following typical aspects: contributing to the opening of a number of modern social sciences and humanities in Vietnam such as Archaeology, Ethnology, Museology, Textology, etc.; promoting the modernization of traditional social sciences and humanities in parallel with the development of new fields of study; contributing to the development of a team of international Vietnamese scholars, while contributing to the training of a generation of modern Vietnamese social scientists and humanities in the 20th century; organizing many major research programs and projects on the Neolithic era (Hoa Binh), the Metal Age (Dong Son, Sa Huynh), ancient kingdoms (Phu Nam, Champa), etc., publishingBulletin de L'Ecole Francaise d'Etrême-Orient-BEFEO)and many valuable works of Vietnamese culture and history; In addition, EFEO contributes practically to the collection and preservation of antiques, the construction of modern museums, and the contribution to the field of heritage management in Vietnam.

In recent years, EFEO has effectively contributed to introducing new research trends, perspectives, and new scientific schools, thereby contributing to promoting the development of Vietnamese social sciences and humanities.

Mr. Jean-Noel Poirier (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Vietnam) spoke at the Conference/Photo: Jackie Chan

Prof. Yves Goudineau (Director of EFEO Paris) speaking at the Conference/Photo: Jackie Chan

After the opening session, the Workshop will take place over two days, December 5 & 6, 2014. This will be an opportunity for Vietnamese scientists to exchange research results with scientists who have been working in EFEO around the world, thereby strengthening the interdisciplinary approach, comparing their research results with the region and the world, to have a more comprehensive view of the social sciences and humanities in Vietnam today.

Papers will be presented in 6 subcommittees.

Subcommittee 1 with the topic "History of EFEO before 1945”. Specific exchange contents include: EFEO with the preservation of Champa relics; French School of the Far East with the preservation of historical and cultural relics in Hanoi, period 1900-1945; BEFEO historical sources (1901-1945) in the study of Vietnamese history.

Subcommittee 2 with the topic "Scientific exchange and training of national scientific elites before 1945”. Specific exchange contents include: From the French School of the Far East to the School of Oriental Studies: aspects of scientific cooperation between French and Vietnamese researchers; Henri Maspero and the fields of research on the history of Vietnamese phonetics; LeoPol Cadie and studies on religious studies in Vietnam - an important milestone in the formation of the field of Religious Studies; EFEO and the formation of Regional Studies and Vietnamese Studies.

Subcommittee 3 with the topic "Scientific exchange and training of scientific elites from independence to the renovation period”. Specific exchange contents include: Spatial approach in Vietnamese village research and contributions of the French School of the Far East; Applying EFEO's resources to continue social science research projects of Southern scientists before and after 1975.

Delegates take souvenir photos after the opening session of the Conference/Photo: Thanh Long

Subcommittee 4 with the topic "EFEO Center in Vietnam since 1993”. Specific topics of discussion include: Multidisciplinary research conducted by EFEO and the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology; EFEO - the central role of a regional cooperation program to enhance methodological research in the social sciences; Recognition of a new research direction in the culture of southern Vietnam and current research conducted by EFEO.

Subcommittee 5 with the topic "Scientific cooperation of Vietnamese research institutes and museums with the EFEO Center since 1993”. Specific exchange contents include: The collection of Han Nom inscriptions - a highlight in EFEO's scientific cooperation in the early 21st century; EFEO's activities in collaboration with the Institute of Archaeology in researching and preserving Vietnamese cultural heritage; Research cooperation between the Thang Long - Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center and the French School of the Far East from 2010 to present; Scientific research by EFEO scholars on the collection of the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture; EFEO with research on Lao Cai.

Subcommittee 6 with the topic "EFEO Centers in Southeast Asia”. Specific exchange contents include: Conservation and restoration of sculptures of Champa culture and of the Mekong Delta; Recent research activities on Champa inscriptions; EFEO's photo library, focusing on data related to Vietnamese fonts; The value of EFEO for researchers on Vietnamese history: cases and expectations of researchers in Japan.