VIETNAMICA: Deepening Vietnamese-French Academic Relations

The project launch ceremony was attended by distinguished guests: Mr. Jean-Michel Vernider - President of the Institute for Advanced Studies; Mr. Jean-Paul Gaudemar - Director General of the Francophone University Organization AUF; Mr. Giorgio Aliberti - Ambassador of the European Union to Vietnam; Mr. Nicolas Warnery - Ambassador of France to Vietnam; Professor Philippe Papin - Professor of Vietnamese History, Department of History and Textual Studies, Institute for Advanced Studies, Republic of France, and Project Leader of Vietnamica.

Representing Vietnam were the Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Nguyen Kim Son; Professor Nguyen Quang Thuan - Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, former President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Dr. Nguyen Tuan Cuong - Director of the Institute of Han Nom Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; Vice Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Pham Bao Son; Professor Vu Minh Giang - Chairman of the Science and Training Council of Vietnam National University, Hanoi; and Professor Pham Quang Minh - Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Official signing ceremony between Vietnam National University, Hanoi and the Institute for Advanced Studies.

Vietnamica is a European project on the historical research and digitization of Vietnamese epigraphic documents – one of the projects funded by the European Research Council of the European Union. The project aims to research the history of Vietnamese tribute through epigraphic texts, digitize Vietnamese social science documents stored in Europe and Vietnam; participate in training postgraduate students and doctoral candidates; establish an electronic library, and translate and publish monographs and comprehensive studies on the history of Vietnamese tribute.

The project was initiated by Professor Philippe Papin, Professor of Vietnamese History at the Faculty of History and Textual Studies, Institute for Advanced Studies of the French Republic. The project is managed by the Institute for Advanced Studies of the French Republic. Collaborating organizations include the Vietnam National University, Hanoi, through the University of Social Sciences and Humanities; and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, through the Institute of Han Nom Studies. The financial management is handled by the Francophone University Organization.

Professor Philippe Papin (center)

The project is expected to be implemented over a period of 5 years, from 2019 to 2024, and will cover a wide area including Vietnam, France, and several other European countries.

Director of Hanoi National University, Nguyen Kim Son: Vietnamica is a valuable and meaningful project with great prospects in many aspects; it serves as a bridge to deepen and strengthen academic relations between Vietnam and France.

Speaking at the project launch ceremony, the Director of VNU, Nguyen Kim Son, expressed his honor that VNU is a partner in implementing the Vietnamica Project - a valuable and meaningful project with great prospects in many aspects.

Vietnamica aims for original texts and source materials that can yield the highest quality research results, including:Bia HauThis project is a subject of particular attention. It includes a combination of research and training, as well as technology transfer, aiming to sustainably maintain research directions and create lasting impact. The project is implemented in a modern way, compatible with digital technology and new technological trends in the social sciences and humanities. Importantly, Vietnamica attracts the participation of many reputable scholars and scientific institutions from both Vietnam and France. With these aspects, Vietnamica will contribute to creating valuable Big Data on Vietnamese Studies, and will also serve as a bridge to deepen and strengthen academic relations between Vietnam and France.

The Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Nguyen Kim Son, also expressed his sincere gratitude to Professor Philippe Papin, the initiator of the project. As a renowned Vietnam studies scholar with significant contributions to the field, Professor Papin has established numerous relationships and group activities within the Vietnam studies research community, working towards large-scale projects with profound academic depth.

Professor Nguyen Quang Thuan, Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council and former President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, assessed: This is an important and significant event in the field of social sciences in Vietnam in 2019.

Professor Nguyen Quang Thuan, Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council and former President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, assessed: This is an important and significant event in the field of social sciences in Vietnam in 2019.

This project is particularly noteworthy becauseBia HauIt occupies a particularly important position within that collection. Among the 70,000 rubbings of stele inscriptions currently preserved at the Institute of Han Nom Studies,Bia HauThese account for no less than half of the above number. This is a unique and distinctive type of stelae, unlike any other in Asia. It existed continuously throughout Vietnamese history from the 17th to the 20th centuries.Bia HauAlthough it contains important information about the history, society, economy, and culture of Vietnam, this source of material has not received adequate attention and research.

The Institute of Han Nom Studies and the Academy of Social Sciences under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences will plan to closely coordinate with the Vietnamica Project to focus on training experts in epigraphic research through Master's and Doctoral programs, thereby building a successor workforce for the field of epigraphy in Vietnam.

President of the Institute for Advanced Studies - Mr. Jean-Michel Vernider

The President of the Institute for Advanced Studies, Mr. Jean-Michel Vernider, shared the following information: Research on Vietnam began in 1990 and plays a crucial role in the Institute's international cooperation development policy. Although it is a historical research project, its special feature is the involvement of modern technology in its implementation. Currently, the Institute has approximately 6,000 documents related to Vietnam. Through this project, scientists and researchers from both countries can not only access this vast resource but it also contributes to strengthening the Institute's cooperation in other fields with Vietnamese partners, especially with Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Mr. Jean-Paul Gaudemar - Director General of the AUF Organization

Mr. Jean-Paul Gaudemar, Director General of the AUF, stated that the organization will support the promotion of research results and achievements so that scientific values ​​can be disseminated, first and foremost within the AUF community, which comprises nearly 1,000 member universities and research institutes.

Mr. Giorgio Aliberti - Ambassador of the European Union to Vietnam

Ambassador Giorgio Aliberti of the European Union to Vietnam assessed: The Vietnamica project has a high scientific content and is very important. This project is also consistent with the current cooperation development strategy of the European Union with Vietnam. Vietnamica can be seen as a scientific project that is both traditional and modern, with the application of digital technology to the field of historical research.

Mr. Nicolas Warnery - Ambassador of France to Vietnam

Ambassador Nicolas Warnery of France to Vietnam stated that this project represents the pinnacle of scientific research. The project has undergone rigorous evaluation and approval by the European Council for Scientific Research; it involves leading training and research institutions from each country. In terms of digital documentation, the project will provide researchers with a bibliography of ancient books about Vietnam, primarily in French, which will be useful for future specialized research.

Introducing the Project Management Board

The President of the Institute for Advanced Studies, Mr. Jean-Michel Vernider, presented the Institute's commemorative medal to the Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Mr. Nguyen Kim Son; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan - Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, former President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences; and Dr. Nguyen Tuan Cuong - Director of the Institute of Han Nom Studies.

The official signing ceremony between Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) and the Institute for Advanced Studies, along with the opening of the cooperation office between the two sides, also took place on the morning of the same day. The office will be a place to welcome Vietnamese and foreign students, researchers, and collaborators; and is planned to host seminars, conferences, and group workshops within the framework of the Project.

Following the launch ceremony, also within the framework of the Project, there was a professional seminar by Vietnamese and French scientists with 3 topics: a topic onImperial steles and the issue of tribute in Vietnamese history.; specialized topic aboutApplying information technology and electronic mapping to research, digitization, publication, and translation of Vietnamese social science documents.; specialized topic aboutMaster's and Doctoral Training within the framework of the Vietnamica Project.