Workshop "Current situation and solutions to improve the effectiveness of organization and operation of departmental units"

Attending the workshop, representatives of Hanoi National University included Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hieu (Head of the Department of Organization and Personnel), Dr. Nguyen Kieu Oanh (Deputy Head of the Department of Organization and Personnel), Dr. Pham Duc Anh (Deputy Head of the Department of Science and Technology), Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong (Deputy Head of the Department of Planning and Finance). The workshop was chaired by Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Vietnam National University, Hanoi in general and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in particular are implementing a plan to improve the organizational and operational efficiency of departmental units and develop departmental management teams to meet the requirements of innovation and international integration.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Hieu (Head of the Organization and Personnel Department, Vietnam National University, Hanoi) spoke about the need to improve the organizational and operational efficiency of department-level units for Vietnam National University, Hanoi in general and its member schools in particular.

In addition to the regulations of the State and VNU, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has proactively issued and applied the following documents:Regulations of the Department of the Faculty in the University of Social Sciences and Humanities issued under Decision No. 2248/QD-XHNV-TC dated September 23, 2015 of the Rector;Regulations on Organization and Operation in the University of Social Sciences and Humanities issued under Decision No. 510/QD-XHNV-TC dated March 5, 2015 of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.These documents have stipulated the functions, tasks of the Department and the standards of the Head of Department. In addition, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has issued and applied many policies on human resources, finance, and facilities to promote training and scientific research activities of staff and lecturers. These policies are integrated into the Internal Expenditure Regulations of the University. Every year, the Internal Expenditure Regulations are reviewed and adjusted accordingly.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities delivered the opening speech at the Conference.

Currently, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has 16 Faculties, 1 affiliated Department, and 79 Department-level units. The departments are performing the training tasks for 24 undergraduate majors, 40 master's majors, and 31 doctoral majors. The development orientation of the University is to become a leading research university in Vietnam and a prestigious university in the region in the field of social sciences and humanities. Therefore, the development of departments is the core of the quality, reputation, and position of the University.

Dr. Ta Bich Loan, Head of VTV3, Vietnam Television and concurrently Head of the Department of Radio and Television, Faculty of Journalism and Communication. She shared that this is a very important and practical conference not only for the development of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities but also contributes to finding solutions to the problems and challenges of higher education today.

The workshop is a forum for leading experts, as heads of departments, including both permanent staff in the school and experts from outside agencies invited to hold concurrent positions, linking training in the school with professional practice. Dr. Ta Bich Loan, Head of VTV3, Vietnam Television Station and concurrently Head of the Department of Radio and Television of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, has made many efforts to coordinate with the School and the Faculty in training television students.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Van Hai, Head of the Department of Intellectual Property Protection and Management, Faculty of Management Science, proposed: "The Department must carry out a specialized research direction, have a strong research group or a potential research group and must have international publications."

The issues raised for the organization and training activities at the department level are thoroughly recognized. These are also the problems that need to be solved in the process of reforming the country's higher education, such as: improving the quality of scientific research, international publications, promoting the capacity of scientific staff, attracting and rewarding talents, policy mechanisms for developing training units at the department level, breaking down the administrative mindset towards science departments and focusing on professional development...

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lam My Dung, Head of the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of History, Director of the Museum of Anthropology said: “The Department of Archaeology as well as some other majors in the University such as Journalism and Communication, Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology... have very high applicability, with large investment in facilities and equipment, it is completely capable of building laboratories, carrying out scientific projects like the majors of Natural Sciences.... Therefore, it is necessary to classify and propose specific investment mechanisms”

Currently, the University of Social Sciences has a fairly rich classification of department types, such as departments responsible for training a scientific field, interdisciplinary departments, theoretical research departments and highly applicable scientific departments. Improving the efficiency of the organization and operation of departments with each specific style also contributes to bringing training and research in the school closer to reality, increasingly meeting the development needs of society and the trend of international integration.

The workshop acknowledged the dedicated and accurate contributions of department leaders and the exchange and recognition from representatives of Hanoi National University and the School Board. This is a practical activity in contributing to proposing solutions to effectively implement the key tasks of the School's development in the coming time. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh, Principal of the School, summarized and agreed on the opinions focusing on the view that the Department must be a strong professional unit, not an administrative unit, thereby needing to solve key issues regarding the quality of training and scientific research. On the part of the Faculties and Departments in the School, it is necessary to review and synthesize the opinions of the lecturers of their units, and propose practical solutions to the School and VNU. The school also recommended to VNU that the development of regulations, organizational and operational mechanisms for departmental units should be scientific, suitable to reality and flexible, so that units can implement them most effectively.