The University of Social Sciences and Humanities represents Vietnam in the SEAMEO-SPAFA Scientific Council.

The Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA), under the Council of Ministers of Education of Southeast Asian Nations (SEAMEO), is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand.

Among the 24 current member units, the Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA) was established in 1971 under the name Center for Applied Archaeology and Fine Arts Research. In 1978, the Center launched the Archaeology and Fine Arts Project, which was carried out annually and officially became the Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA) in 1985.

Currently, the SPAFA Executive Scientific Council comprises representatives from eight countries: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Since late 2017, the Ministry of Education and Training has nominated Associate Professor Hoang Anh Tuan (Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities – Vietnam National University, Hanoi) to represent Vietnam on the SEAMEO-SPAFA Scientific Council for the 2017-2020 term.

The SEAMEO-SPAFA Scientific Council held its 2018 annual meeting to decide on activities for 2018/2019.

Currently, SEAMEO-SPAFA is simultaneously implementing a wide range of professional activities, from capacity-building projects for researchers to independent research programs, thematic workshops, and publications. SEAMEO-SPAFA is currently focusing on three major programs:Advancing Southeast Asian Archeology;Sacred Universe;Conservation in the Tropics.

School staff participate in professional activities of SEAMEO – SPAFA.

Within the framework of these three main programs, many Vietnamese researchers in general, and staff of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in particular, have participated in various activities of SPAFA. Following the success of the Southeast Asian Archaeology Development Project in 2016-2017, in March 2018, two lecturers from the University, Dr. Do Thi Huong Thao and MSc. Hoang Van Diep (Faculty of History), attended a training course.Disaster Risk Management for Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asiain Bagan (Myanmar). It is expected that in the coming year, SEAMEO – SPAFA will focus on organizing activities related to...Maritime and Underwater Cultural Archeology and DatabaseandUrban Heritage and Conservation, which will include activities organized in Vietnam.