Discussion on conditions for establishing a Center for training PhDs in Social Sciences and Humanities

The seminar took place on December 7, 2009 with the participation of Vietnamese and French experts and educational managers.

The main content of the seminar was to discuss the prospects and necessary conditions for establishing a Center for Doctoral Training in Social Sciences, Humanities and Economics with the help of professors and universities of the French Republic at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU. The seminar was chaired by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Trong Do - Head of the International Faculty, VNU.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2009/12/10/toadamttts-nvkhanh.jpg" border="0" alt="Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh. (Photo: NA/USSH)" title="Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh. (Photo: NA/USSH)" align="left" width="160"/>

In his opening speech, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh introduced some features of the School's cooperation programs with French partners. The School has had a long-standing cooperative relationship with many French universities such as Paris 7 University, Toulouse 1, Toulouse 2, Paris I Patheon Sorbone, Nantes, Nimes, Le Mans, Anger, and the French-speaking university agency AUF. The cooperative activities are very diverse, such as exchanging lecturers, researchers, and students; coordinating the publication of research publications; organizing French-Vietnamese seminars and conferences that have caused great resonance; training graduate students and researchers... In particular, since 2007, with the policy of internationalizing training programs, the School has cooperated with Toulouse 2 University to implement a joint training program for masters in Organizational Management, Developmental Psychology, and Tourism Management to create conditions for Vietnamese students to study international-class training programs in Vietnam. To further expand the above cooperation relationship, to further expand the training majors towards international standards, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, in cooperation with a number of French universities such as the University of Nantes, Le Mans, Angers, proposed the establishment of a Doctoral Training Center in Social Sciences and Humanities under the University. However, according to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Khanh, to form the Center, there are many important issues that need to be discussed and planned from both Vietnam and France such as: what will be the operating mechanism? the coordination mechanism between the University and French partners? the gathering and building of a team of French and Vietnamese lecturers? operating costs? how to determine priority training fields and career orientations? how to attract Vietnamese students?...

The opinions of French experts expressed their agreement and willingness to support and help the University realize the above wishes. The opinions also pointed out many favorable conditions for the establishment of the center such as: the long-standing cooperative relationship between French and Vietnamese universities; the international experience of partners, the great demand for doctoral training in Vietnam; the priority of many French universities in the orientation of developing cooperation with Vietnam...

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2009/12/10/toadamttts.jpg" border="0" align="center" width="580"/>

However, based on the experience of establishing postgraduate training centers and schools in France as well as the current training situation in Vietnam, delegates also pointed out the immediate difficulties in implementing the above idea such as: experience in implementing postgraduate training in French-language majors in Vietnam is still limited; students face difficulties in having to have a high level of foreign language proficiency to study these programs; building and transferring teaching staff on both sides has many difficulties; opening training majors must be carried out gradually from existing majors with extensive experience before moving on to new majors; many funding sources must be sought to implement the program...