"Research and teaching of Vietnamese language and Vietnamese studies in universities"

Sunday - November 4, 2018 06:40

On November 3, 2018, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities organized an international scientific conference on “Research and Teaching of Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Studies in Universities”. The conference was attended by experts on Vietnamese language and Vietnamese studies from Vietnam and many universities around the world. Nearly 100 papers were submitted to the conference.

“Nghiên cứu, giảng dạy tiếng Việt và Việt Nam học trong trường đại học” — "Research and teaching of Vietnamese language and Vietnamese studies in universities"

In his opening remarks, Professor Pham Quang Minh (Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities) shared: "The conference is being held on a very special occasion as the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary. From its initial mission assigned by the Government to train Vietnamese language for foreign students under agreements between the Vietnamese government and other countries, the Faculty has now become a reputable center for Vietnamese language and Vietnamese studies training in Vietnam, as well as in the region and the world."

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities

The Vietnamese language serves as a bridge for cooperation and mutual understanding, fostering friendship between Vietnam and the world. In the context of strong international integration today, the need to learn about the Vietnamese language and culture is increasing. Vietnamese has become a general or specialized subject at many universities worldwide. The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, on its path to becoming an advanced research university, has the responsibility and mission to bring the Vietnamese language and culture to many parts of the world, helping people around the globe understand Vietnam.

The university also assumes the responsibility of building and developing Vietnamese Studies into a truly effective and powerful force participating in social life; closely linked to the life and development of Vietnam. Vietnamese Studies urgently needs to bring together interdisciplinary scientists to address macro-level issues, and also needs to connect information to build an increasingly developing global community of Vietnamese Studies scholars.

His Excellency Saadi Salaman, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine to Vietnam

Ambassador Saadi Salaman, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine to Vietnam and a former student of the Vietnamese Language Department (1980-1984), shared his love for the Vietnamese language: “To speak Vietnamese well, you need a love for Vietnam in general and a love for the Vietnamese language in particular. You must have a passion for the culture, customs, traditions, and long-standing heritage, the glorious history of Vietnam.” This love helps foreigners overcome difficulties and persevere with the Vietnamese language. He expressed his gratitude to the teachers of the Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language Department, stating, “Without the help, support, and understanding from the teachers of the Department, I might not have achieved the success I have today.”

Ms. Tsujimoto Chika - Head of Political Section, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy

Another former student of the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language, Ms. Tsujimoto Chika (Head of Political Affairs, First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy), stated: During her years of study at the Department, the desire to become a bridge of friendship and cooperation between Japan and Vietnam motivated her to do her best in learning Vietnamese language and culture. She also congratulated the Department on its achievements over the past 50 years in promoting the Vietnamese language and Vietnamese studies to the world.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thien Nam - Head of the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language, presented the report at the plenary session.

At the opening session, delegates heard the following keynote presentations: “Sixty Years of Teaching Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Studies to Foreigners at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi” by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nam (Head of the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language); “Over Fifty Years of Training in Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS)” by Prof. Dr. Song Jeong Nam (Hanokuk University of Foreign Studies) and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Phuc (University of Social Sciences and Humanities); and “The Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Studies Teaching Program at Charles University - Czech Republic” by Dr. Binh Slavická (Charles University - Czech Republic).

The International Scientific Conference on “Research and Teaching of Vietnamese Language and Vietnamese Studies in Universities” synthesizes the latest achievements in the field of Vietnamese language teaching and Vietnamese studies research both domestically and internationally. The conference has two subcommittees: “Vietnamese Linguistics and Language Teaching Methods” and “Vietnamese Studies”. The scale of this conference reflects the growing interest of international scholars in these two fields and promotes stronger cooperation and exchange within the global community of Vietnamese studies scholars.

His Excellency Saadi Salaman, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine to Vietnam, and Professor Hoang Trong Phien, People's Teacher - former first Head of the Department of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language.