"There is no particular preference for any field of study."

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Kim Son – Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – shared some information related to the possibility of students accelerating their studies in credit-based training.ButThis academic year, five students from the QH-2007-X cohort have the opportunity to become the first students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities to receive their diplomas after three years of study. How do you assess the initial successes of these students, Associate Professor?- It must be said that graduating from university with good quality and in the shortest possible time is the desire of the majority of students. Previously, with the semester-based training system, students did not have the opportunity to achieve this. Credit-based training has opened up new opportunities for students, allowing them to shorten their training process by at least 3 years. I think the students mentioned above are those who have taken advantage of the opportunities within the training conditions, knowing how to seize the moment combined with their own individual efforts, and thus succeeded. This also reflects that these students have adapted to the new training method. In addition, it also shows the new possibilities, new conditions, and new opportunities that credit-based training brings to students.However, many believe that, in addition to their own efforts, these students had special advantages in scheduling their courses in Philosophy compared to other majors. Could you please clarify this, Associate Professor?- I can state unequivocally that the structure of the training programs and the scheduling of the training programs for all majors do not favor one major over another. If there is any preference, it is a general preference for all students participating in the accelerated training process. That is, each year, based on the number of graduating students and the number of students wishing to accelerate their studies, the university may open some summer courses to allow a large number of students to quickly accumulate credits. However, please note that these courses are opened based on actual demand and based on monitoring the rate of credit accumulation of students in previous years.While the credit-based training system is known to offer a significant advantage in shortening study time, this capability heavily depends on the efficient scheduling by the academic management department. What improvements will the university implement in this area in the future to support students in accelerating their studies?- The training department's scheduling is based on the general principle of operating the training program in the best possible way, aiming for the benefit of all learners, not for the benefit of any particular group. Therefore, I believe that the speed of learning depends primarily on each individual, reflected in their level of interest in studying, their understanding of the training program, and their ability to plan and complete their studies. Those who grasp the principles and progress faster will succeed. The school's optimal operation of the training program, based on the principle of benefiting the majority, is the fundamental basis for students to create the best possible study plan for themselves.To best plan their studies, students need accurate information about course schedules and timely guidance throughout their learning process. What will the university do in the future to ensure students receive up-to-date information and enhance the effectiveness of the academic advising team's guidance?- Providing accurate information about courses to students is the goal of the Credit-Based Training Program (CBT), and the University has been doing quite well in this regard to ensure the CBT operates effectively. Academic counseling for students currently involves many departments: the Training Department, the Faculty's Academic Affairs Office, and especially the team of academic advisors. These advisory departments will advise students on many issues: effective study methods, advice on major and minor fields, choosing appropriate courses at different times, etc. One important aspect of this counseling is warning students who are slow to accumulate credits, helping them to speed up their learning to ensure their study plan is met. However, I still emphasize that in the CBT, academic results depend primarily on individual initiative; counseling activities are only supportive.The regulation requiring a minimum English proficiency level of 4.0 IELTS for standard programs, effective from the 2009 cohort, and 5.5 IELTS for high-quality programs or equivalent, is one of the conditions for graduation. Do you think this could potentially reduce the rate of early and on-time graduation for students in subsequent cohorts?- That's not entirely true, because studying at university is a long process spanning many years, not just a short period. Students who are capable of successfully managing their academic plans will also find it easier to meet the foreign language proficiency requirements.Can the associate professor give a prediction about the likelihood of success for students in the next cohort in their accelerated studies?- The most important goal of the University is the quality of education. Ideally, students should not only study well and be able to find employment upon graduation, but also complete their studies in the shortest possible time. The University always supports students' good study plans. Based on monitoring the current rate of course accumulation, subsequent courses, starting from the QH-2008-X cohort, promise to have many more students graduating early in various departments, not just the Philosophy Department as this year. However, I also share the view that students should not only study for the goal of graduating early or skipping courses—that is, studying subjects with average grades just enough to pass and graduate early—but forget the primary goal: quality education. Students who graduate early with only average grades are not worthy of encouragement. In addition, many students who are currently below average in their coursework should be careful and try harder. While credit-based learning offers many good opportunities for proactive and diligent students, it can also be a "trap" for those with incorrect perceptions and directions regarding their studies.