Fifteen Years of Archival Studies and Office Management: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Forty years ago, despite the challenging conditions at the time, the Minister of Higher Education and Vocational Training signed a document authorizing the establishment of the Department of Archival Studies within the Faculty of History - Hanoi University (now the University of Social Sciences and Humanities). This was a highly significant decision, as it established a field of study that, while still relatively new in Vietnam, was essential for national construction and defense. This decision reflects the profound understanding and strategic vision of the Party and State regarding archival work and the training of highly qualified personnel for the field of archival studies. During the war years, the first faculty members had to study and work in evacuation areas. However, throughout nearly 30 years at the Department of History, with dedication, passion, and responsibility towards their profession, generations of teachers and students of the Archival Studies Department overcame all difficulties, proactively sought solutions to gradually stabilize and develop, making important contributions to the research of theoretical and practical issues in archival studies and training, providing hundreds of archival staff to agencies from the central to local levels. In 1996, to meet the requirements of the country during the period of reform and integration, at the request of the leadership of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Director of Hanoi National University issued a decision allowing the Department of Archival Studies to develop into an independent faculty - the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management. This decision marked a very important new stage of development for the Faculty. Over the past fifteen years, as an independent unit, the leadership and staff, along with generations of students, of the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management have continuously strived to build upon and develop the achievements and results of the former Department of Archival Studies, actively expanding the scope and scale of training into the field of administration and office management – ​​a field with high demand for human resources and a crucial position in the current administrative reform. Established in 1996 (based on the development of the Department of Archival Studies under the Faculty of History), the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) has now undergone 15 years of construction and development.Fifteen years in retrospectGenerations of faculty members, students, and trainees of the department have always shared a well-deserved sense of pride:The former Department and the current Faculty have always been the same unit.pioneer and leaderIn Vietnam, research and training of high-quality human resources in two fields.:Archival Studies and Office Administration.If nearly 45 years ago (1967), the Department of Archival Studies under the Faculty of History (General University) was the first unit assigned the task of training undergraduate students in Archival Studies in Vietnam, then 15 years ago (1996), the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management was also the pioneering unit proposing to open a bachelor's degree program in Office Management.¹At that time, the country had undergone 10 years of reform, but the number of businesses, high-rise buildings, and modern offices had not developed as strongly as it has today, so the issue of professional office management had not yet received much attention from agencies and businesses. Yet, in just 15 years, according to incomplete statistics, there are now more than 10 universities and over 20 colleges nationwide offering training programs in office management.²This demonstrates the foresight of the school's leadership and those who pioneered the development of this field of study in Vietnam. Since then, the Faculty has not only been a pioneer but has also affirmed and consistently maintained its position as a leading institution for training high-quality human resources (at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels).leading the countryin the field of Archival Studies and Office Management³Aware of its position and mission as a leading unit, over the past 15 years, the faculty and students have continuously strived and made tireless efforts, creating changes and achievements that are truly commendable: - From the initial 5 faculty members when the faculty was established, the number of full-time and part-time faculty members has now increased sixfold.⁴, of which 90% of the staff hold master's and doctoral degrees, and 40% hold professor or associate professor titles.ButWhen it was a Department within the Faculty of History, per yearArchival StudiesThe department initially trained only 10-20 full-time students. After becoming an independent department, its training scale increased tenfold. Each year, the department regularly enrolls and trains nearly 100 full-time students, 150-200 part-time students, approximately 25-30 postgraduate students, and 4-5 doctoral candidates. - While before becoming an independent department, the Department focused solely on full-time undergraduate training, over the past 15 years, it has expanded to include many other training programs such as part-time, transfer, and short-term courses. - Notably, the Department of Archives and History, which previously only trained undergraduate students, has, after 15 years, achieved one of its most outstanding accomplishments: establishing and implementing a complete three-level training program.bachelor,Master's degreeandPhDfor the field of Archival Studies and is currently proceeding with procedures to offer a master's degree in Office Management starting early next year. To date, the Faculty remains a unit.onlyIn Vietnam, the task is to train postgraduate-level personnel in Archival Studies and Office Management.ButWith the mission and position mentioned above, over the years, the staff of the former Department of Archives and History and the current Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management have always been at the forefront of researching, gathering, and creating knowledge in the two aforementioned fields. This has been achieved through proposing, participating in, and leading dozens of scientific projects at the national, ministerial, and national university levels in the fields of administration, office management, document studies, and archival studies. The research results have been used to compile textbooks, lectures, and applied to advising and consulting agencies, organizations, and businesses. The system of textbooks, lectures, and monographs compiled by the staff of the Department and Faculty has been and is being used as the main reference materials in universities and colleges that train in archival studies and office management. Furthermore, thanks to in-depth research, the faculty's scientific staff are regularly invited by management agencies to participate in forums and scientific conferences, providing input on important issues to serve policy planning and the issuance of directives and guidelines on matters related to office management, document management, and archiving. With a focus on training high-quality human resources, the Faculty only requests the university to allow the enrollment of 70-100 students per year. Compared to other training institutions today, this number is not large. However, with the motto of training to...Students should not only be proficient in their profession but also love it. To love their profession, they must understand it, and because they love and understand it, they will be responsible for it.Therefore, after graduation, the students and trainees trained at the department have been actively contributing their knowledge and dedication to the organization, management, implementation, and promotion of the development of administration, office work, and document management and archiving in various agencies and organizations. Many former students and postgraduate trainees of the department are currently holding important positions in the offices and archives of the Party and State, social organizations, and businesses at the central and local levels, or are reputable lecturers at many colleges and universities… The department is very proud of them, and they themselves always remember and are proud to have been trained at the department. This is the greatest reward and motivation for the efforts of the staff and lecturers.ButArchival Studies and Office Management are highly applicable fields of study; therefore, all government agencies, social organizations, and businesses need to regularly supplement their human resources in these two areas. Consequently, in recent years, almost 100% of graduates have found employment in government agencies, social organizations, and businesses, with approximately 60-70% working in businesses. This is a strength of the Faculty in training human resources to meet societal demands. Furthermore, not limited to national scope, over the past 15 years, the Faculty has contributed to training dozens of bachelors and masters for Laos, while also expanding relations and cooperation in research and training with countries in the region and around the world such as Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Germany, and France. Currently, the Faculty has two young staff members who are doctoral students in France and Germany. Through access to the knowledge and experience of countries around the world, in the future, they will work together with the staff currently being trained domestically to continue maintaining and developing the faculty to new heights. With the achievements and contributions mentioned above, the faculty as a whole and two lecturers were awarded the Third-Class Labor Medal by the State, and many faculty members received Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister and the Director of Hanoi National University.Fifteen years in retrospect and reflection.next to Despite the results and achievements, faculty and students in the department recognize that there are still areas that fall short of expectations. The department's staff is small, with 60% of permanent staff under 35 years old. While possessing strong expertise, they lack extensive experience and are required to dedicate time to various tasks, including pursuing higher-level professional development (doctoral degrees). Therefore, concentrating resources to complete large-scale research projects has not been feasible. Although many measures have been taken to innovate and improve quality, the department's graduates still have many limitations. Employers consistently expect students from the department to possess more practical knowledge and be quickly updated with new information; improved foreign language skills and flexibility in the workplace; and especially the ability to organize, manage, and lead in a constantly changing environment…Fifteen years: Looking back to move forward together.Building upon the existing foundation and guided by the School and Hanoi National University, the faculty and students of the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management are united in their efforts to achieve the following goals:- The first,continue affirm and maintainpioneering and leading positionWithin the system of undergraduate and postgraduate training institutions in Vietnam in the fields of Archival Studies and Office Management, the Faculty is a leading institution in the field of Archival Studies and Office Management. In line with the general trend of development, many other training institutions are currently and will continue to be established and developed in our country. Therefore, the Faculty is not the only unit training in these fields in Vietnam. This is truly a positive sign, showing development, while also creating many new opportunities and challenges for the Faculty and other training units. However, with its current mission and position, the Faculty must continue to be a pioneer and leader in research and training to support and cooperate with other training units, and to elevate the Faculty's development to the level of some countries in the region. This direction requires the Faculty's staff and students to make great efforts and show strong determination.- Secondly, regarding the field of Archival StudiesThe Faculty aims to continue maintaining its current basic research and training direction, while expanding research and training of human resources for specialized archival fields such as finance, banking, land, construction, healthcare, and education. These fields are generating a large volume of specialized records and documents that need to be organized, preserved, and regularly accessed, but are currently severely lacking in theoretical research, guidance documents, and qualified personnel in archival science. Furthermore, the current prevalence of electronic documents and document management in an electronic environment also presents a major challenge, prompting new research directions for the Faculty in the future.- Thirdly, regarding the field of Administration and Office Management:This is a priority area that the Faculty has identified and plans to develop strongly in the coming time. The reasons for this orientation are: + Previously, awareness and attention to the issue of Office Administration and Management were not given due attention by leaders at all levels and society. However, the strong development of the economic and social situation in Vietnam has changed the perception of this issue. Thousands of state agencies, social organizations, and hundreds of thousands of businesses are in need of training and recruiting professional staff to work in administrative and office areas/departments. + Meanwhile, although the number of training institutions for Office Management in Vietnam has been increasing, the number of trainees each year is still insufficient to meet social needs. Therefore, many vocational schools and colleges nationwide have opened Office Management programs, and are in need of a large number of highly trained lecturers, creating pressure for further training to the university level. + In agencies, organizations, and businesses, the leadership team, and especially the leadership team of offices and administrative departments (administrative-organizational, administrative-human resources, etc.), and office staff, although highly educated and experienced, are largely lacking in basic and in-depth knowledge of office management. These individuals are in need of short-term training and advanced postgraduate training in the theory and methods of office management from advanced countries, as well as professional administrative and office skills.+Meanwhile, the rapid development of science, technology, and modern management thinking has impacted and created a theoretical system as well as the widespread application of modern and professional office management methods in the practical operations of agencies, organizations, and businesses. This reality demands that the faculty and staff of the Department conduct in-depth research and translate these research findings into the training of high-level human resources, providing and meeting the increasingly high demands of agencies and businesses in the era of innovation and integration.Fifteen years: Looking back and moving forward.The faculty, staff, and students of the Faculty always remember and appreciate the contributions of those who laid the foundation, including the special contributions of Associate Professor Vuong Dinh Quyen and the efforts of his successors, Associate Professor Nguyen Van Ham (Head of Faculty, 1996-2005) and Associate Professor, Dr. Dao Xuan Chuc (Head of Faculty, 2005-2009). The development of the Faculty today and in the future has always been, and cannot be, made possible by the practical attention of the leadership and functional departments of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities; the support and assistance of the offices of agencies, organizations, businesses, and archives from the central to local levels; the cooperation of other training institutions nationwide; and the intellect and dedication of the part-time lecturers. With its proud achievements and aspirations for further progress, the Faculty of Archival Studies and Office Management - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, will continue to develop and contribute even more to the training of high-level human resources in the field of Archival Studies and Office Management. With its in-depth research capabilities, dedication and enthusiasm, and scientific and modern teaching methods, the faculty and staff of the Department always strive towards the motto:"Training a highly qualified workforce to understand, love, master, and be responsible for their profession.", aiming to contribute to the successful implementation of the policy of administrative reform, innovation, integration and development./. ____________¹In 2000, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, established the Department of Archival Studies and Office Management within the Faculty of History to train personnel in these two fields for the southern region.²According to statistics in the Proceedings of the Scientific Seminar "Research and Training Cooperation on Office Management in Universities and Colleges in Vietnam" held at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi, May 2011³According to the assessment of delegates attending the May 2011 Scientific Seminar and the recruitment and employment institutions of the Faculty (Survey report for accreditation and quality assessment in 2011 of the Faculty)⁴Currently, the Faculty has 30 staff members (including 16 full-time and 14 part-time staff).