From the urgent demands of practical reality...
After graduating from Hanoi University of Culture (1992), in 1993, I was recruited by Vietnam Health Insurance to assist in organizing communication work when the sector was newly established by the Government. My first work, as a trial, was organizing the publication of the Health Insurance Activities Newsletter, in commemoration of Vietnam Doctors' Day on February 27, 1993.
Immediately after my field trip to the four northern mountainous provinces (Bac Kan, Cao Bang, Lang Son, and Ha Bac - now Bac Ninh and Bac Giang), I wrote news articles, edited, designed the layout, and then contracted with the People's Printing House to print 400 copies for internal distribution within the sector. The initial success of this experimental newsletter earned me the trust of the sector's leadership, who assigned me the task of preparing the necessary documents and procedures to obtain permission from the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Information and Communications) to publish the Vietnam Health Insurance Information Bulletin for wider distribution to the entire society.
After a period of intensive preparation, in October 1993, the Vietnam Health Insurance Information Bulletin was published, and I was rewarded with a Decision appointing me as Editorial Secretary. Later, the Bulletin was upgraded to a Magazine, and I continued to be assigned the role of Editorial Secretary; at the same time, I held the position of Head of the Information and Communication Department of Vietnam Health Insurance. In 2003, in accordance with the Prime Minister's Decision, Vietnam Health Insurance was transferred to Vietnam Social Insurance. Accordingly, the Health Insurance Magazine merged with the Social Insurance Magazine. After six months serving as Deputy Head of the Propaganda Department of Vietnam Social Insurance, I was appointed Deputy Editor-in-Chief in charge, then Acting Editor-in-Chief, and finally Editor-in-Chief of the Social Insurance Magazine.
While studying at Hanoi University of Culture, I mainly wrote scripts for theatrical performances, cultural and artistic competitions and festivals, and occasionally wrote news articles for newspapers. However, entering professional journalism, especially in the field of specialized journals, presented many difficulties. At that time, books and professional journalistic materials were very scarce. I took a chance and went to the Vietnam Journalists Association office to buy materials for self-study. Fortunately for me, in 1992, the Professional Affairs Department of the Vietnam Journalists Association published a book."The profession and work of a journalist"I bought one copy. And this book became an essential guide, leading the way and helping me understand many things in the early stages of my career. The basic theoretical issues, along with elementary knowledge about reporters, editors, the position, role, and responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Secretary, and journalistic practices in the book, gave me more understanding and confidence in carrying out my assigned tasks.
The workload increased, involving both organizing information and communication activities and directly managing the publication of the Health Insurance Magazine. At that time, the agency had to recruit several new staff members to meet the demands. Among those recruited were several university graduates majoring in journalism. Because I was a pioneer and possessed strong management and leadership skills, I was entrusted with the entire information and communication work and directly served as the Editorial Secretary. My work was always completed successfully, and I was always trusted by my superiors. However, ability, experience, dedication, enthusiasm, and responsibility alone were not enough. The most important thing was professionalism in my field. Being in the top position of a newsroom without formal training makes it difficult to lead and direct subordinates, especially in the current climate where work is not just about habit or subjective experience, but professionalism must be demonstrated in each job position and is considered the most important factor in assigning tasks, delegating responsibilities, and evaluating performance. This reality motivated me to quickly pursue journalism training to improve my skills and meet the demands of my job.
Journalist Duong Van Thang
...Leading to unexpected changes and results.
Initially, the Faculty of Journalism (as it was called then) only had two programs: full-time and part-time (or work-study), without a full-time second degree program or master's or doctoral degree programs. I really wanted to study in a structured way, but full-time study required attending classes with students during office hours, which was impossible for working professionals. After careful consideration, in 1999, I decided to enroll in a short-term, three-year part-time journalism program.
I attended a short-term part-time program for over a year before the university started enrolling students in the full-time second degree program. I, along with over a dozen other eligible students, were transferred to the program. We already had exam scores for over a dozen foundational courses, so we were exempt from studying them. Because we already had a full-time bachelor's degree, the foundational courses we had taken in our first degree were exempted and the credits were transferred. However, I didn't skip any courses; I attended all classes. Many classmates, and even some lecturers, thought that because I was the class leader, I was very responsible and exemplary, so I attended all classes to monitor and manage the class. But that was just one reason. More importantly, I genuinely wanted to attend the lectures to acquire and supplement my knowledge, and improve my professional skills. The lectures on literature, language, and especially the theoretical foundations of journalism and media were truly beneficial to my daily work. The invaluable knowledge of literature imparted by renowned lecturers has broadened and enhanced my horizons, helping me to mature and progress rapidly in my journalistic and literary careers.
I remember that day, Professor Nguyen Thien Giap, a linguistics professor, saw me attending his lectures several times and, surprised, said, "You've already studied, why bother attending class?" I replied, "I still want to listen to supplement my knowledge, Professor!" Professors Dinh Huong, Duong Xuan Son, and others were probably also very impressed by this exceptionally serious student, who always sat in the front row and hardly ever missed a class. The course modules..."Theoretical foundations of journalism and media"This subject has been of greatest interest to me. I have studied, researched, and applied it very effectively in all my work, under various conditions and circumstances. As someone with practical experience but lacking in fundamental theoretical knowledge, having access to it has been like "rain after a long drought," helping me broaden my understanding and perspective, and quickly meet the requirements of my assigned tasks.
After completing my studies in 2000-2003, I received a Bachelor of Journalism degree with a distinction (second degree). Bringing this prestigious diploma home to report to my workplace, I received encouragement, congratulations, and expressions of respect and admiration. This Bachelor of Journalism degree was a necessary condition that qualified me for the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Social Insurance Magazine, a position I have held from July 2003 to the present.
Faced with increasingly demanding job requirements, and not content with just two bachelor's degrees, I continued my studies in journalism at the university from 2007 to 2009. Graduating with excellent results in my Master's degree in Journalism, I was accepted into doctoral studies. Actively completing doctoral research topics and defending my dissertation at the institutional level, in May 2013 I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation in journalism, entitled "Research on the effectiveness of journalism in communication activities regarding social welfare in Vietnam during the period of international integration," and received my Doctor of Journalism degree in November 2013, ahead of schedule.
Over 16 years of continuous study and training, progressing through Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees, I also received a Certificate of Merit from the University for my academic achievements in journalism (second degree, regular program) (2003), a Certificate of Merit for high achievements in postgraduate studies, and the title of Outstanding Young Person (2009). During my doctoral studies, due to my excellent completion of research topics and numerous scientific articles published in specialized journals, I was awarded the Pony Chung Scholarship from the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, South Korea (2011).
Practical application success and some personal reflections.
I was appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Social Insurance Magazine at the age of 38, an age that wasn't too young but also not too old for the position of editor-in-chief of a magazine in a major industry. At that time, the key staff members in the editorial office were 10 to 20 years older than me. This presented significant challenges and obstacles, but thanks to my thorough professional training and solid expertise, I overcame these challenges and achieved considerable success.
From a reorganized magazine, over 10 years of continuous learning, self-improvement, and professional development have led to the establishment and improvement of the editorial team. I have flexibly and creatively applied the journalistic knowledge acquired during my studies at the University, significantly innovating the content and presentation style; strengthening and developing the team of contributors; increasing the publication frequency from one issue per month to two issues per month, raising the average circulation from 10,000 copies per issue to 25,000 copies per issue, with some issues reaching over 55,000 copies, such as issue 01, August 2015. Simultaneously, I launched the online Social Insurance Magazine in 2009. The magazine has been assigned an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) for both its print and electronic versions. The unit was selected by the State Council for Professor Titles to be included in the list of journals that count towards scientific work scores when considering the standards for professor and associate professor titles. The unit has received annual commendations and the title of "Outstanding Collective Labor" from the Vietnam Social Security, and was awarded the Industry Emulation Flag in 2013; a commendation from the Prime Minister in 2008; a leading emulation movement flag from the Government in 2011; and the Third-Class Labor Medal from the President in 2012...
Personally, drawing on the knowledge I gained from journalism courses, I have practiced writing and publishing hundreds of articles in various genres on national media outlets, which have been well-received by readers. These include numerous theoretical research papers, over 20 editorials, dozens of specialized articles, investigative reports, commentaries, and journalistic essays.
Thanks to the literary and linguistic knowledge I gained during my regular second-degree program and the highly beneficial lectures from Professor Ha Minh Duc, I have effectively practiced my writing skills. In just five years, from 2010 to the present, I have edited and published six books, three poetry collections, over 50 couplets, one play, and written lyrics for songs about the industry that are widely used in society…
Sixteen years of accompanying the Faculty's continuous development and growth has also been the period during which I have gained the most practical experience. The unit's achievements are decisively attributed to the leadership, and the contributions of the entire editorial team cannot be overlooked. Contributing to this great success is the quality of our staff; over 50% of our leadership, key personnel, reporters, and editors were trained at the Faculty of Journalism & Communication of the University.
As a former student of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication, with a continuous and systematic training and learning process from bachelor's to doctoral level, and over 20 years of practical experience, I understand the thoughts and aspirations of students and professionals. Despite my busy current schedule, and with the trust and confidence of the Faculty leadership, I accepted the invitation to become an adjunct lecturer. As someone in the field, and directly involved in utilizing human resources in journalism and communication, I am driven by a desire to impart my accumulated knowledge, share my experiences, and impart practical skills to the current generation of undergraduate and postgraduate students studying at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication. This helps future generations of journalists acquire knowledge and apply it to practice quickly, conveniently, and effectively, proving themselves worthy of being soldiers on the ideological and cultural front, using their pens and paper as sharp weapons, contributing to the building and protection of the Fatherland.
Based on the knowledge I've acquired, the initial results of my work, and the lessons learned from practical experience, whether I'm in the position of a teacher or serving as the editor-in-chief of a newspaper, I've come to deeply appreciate the ancient wisdom about the boundless ocean of knowledge and the principle of remembering one's roots; always remembering the contributions of those who worked tirelessly to cultivate and sow the seeds for the fruit I eat.../.
Dr. Duong Van Thang
Former graduate students of cohort 9
Former graduate student of cohort 4 (2009-2013)
Editor-in-Chief of the Social Insurance Magazine
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