On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Vietnamese Government’s issuance a decree on Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU, 12/10/1993 - 12/10/2013), we had a talk with Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Hong Son - Rector of University of Economics and Business (UEB), a young and dynamic unit belonging to VNU.
- Could you tell us your feelings and your thoughts about the 20th anniversary since Vietnamese Government issued a decree on VNU?
In my opinion, this is a major event of all lecturers, faculty members, students who have been working at VNU. This occasion of 20th anniversary of the Government issuance of Decree on VNU is an opportunity to recognize, evaluate, review the policies, models, achievements and limitations in 20 years in which VNU has been operating under the new mechanism. This is also an occasion to assure the tradition and the core values of VNU, also an opportunity to enhance, promote and establish cooperation between VNU and local and international agencies, units, and organizations, thereby continuing to prepare favorable conditions for new developments in the future. We can feel the exciting atmosphere waiting for this celebration in many units under VNU.
At the UEB, many activities has been held towards this celebration. Since June, 2013 we have planned several activities attached with this anniversary, prepared some propaganda, banroll, slogans, posters,... integrating with the regular activities; opening the section for posting articles on tradition, development strategy, and overall achievement of VNU and its units on the university’s website; organizing conferences, symposium and several voluntary activities including visiting and presenting gifts to the local where the teachers and students of the university evacuated in the war, holding the cultural and sports activities such as table tennis prize, The music festival "the voice of lecturers and students of UEB"... Besides, the university has been actively preparing to participate in the joint commemoration activities of VNU. I think this event is a chance to “looking back to look forward”. It's really necessary and meaningful to the development of our university in particular and VNU in general.
- Dear Sir, as a member of VNU, how UEB has utilized and promote the tradition and strength of VNU to become an active unit, quickly develop the brand and build position in higher education system in the country and region?
VNU is a center for training and research of the country. Therefore, as a subordinate unit, UEB inherited the prestige and tradition of VNU. The history of the UEB connects closely with the historical development of VNU since November, 1974 with the foundation Faculty of Political Economy under Hanoi Collective University. So far, it can be seen that not only UEB but also many other members of VNU havae promoted tradition of VNU, the tradition of their own unit particularly and combined them harmoniously to form their own character. For VNU University of Economics and Business, that has been shown in: using common facilities, promoting the connection and association between subordinate units; developing the strength of the research staff, a large and high-qualified teaching staff including leading scientists with high prestige nationally and internationally... in training activities, research and others. Specifically, among 9 double degree programs of the university, there are 7 joint training programs which associated with the member unit of VNU including: The University of Languages and International Studies, University of Sciences, School of Law. Due to the unique multi-disciplinary and multi-sector of VNU, UEB was allowed to open new postgraduate training programs such as: Economic Management, Technology Management and Business Development. This is a great opportunity for students to be able to exchange and learn from the experience of economic management between leaders of various economic sectors at the learning environment...
In research activities, VNU has supported UEB on the mechanisms and fundings to maintain and develop the Vietnam Economic Annual Report. After four consecutive years of being developed and published, the Vietnam Economic Annual Report of UEB might have become so familiar with many analysts and policy makers, economic researchers and those interested in economic issues in Vietnam. UEB has also collaborated with a number of members unit of VNU to organize several workshops, some big national conference; deploy some research projects which is interdisciplinary, highly practical, typically the project “Evaluating the economic impact of climate change to fisheries in the North of Vietnam and recommendation for mitigation the loss due to climate change”...
With the prestige and brand of VNU and our potential and capactity, we have had a lot of opportunities to expand cooperation with other organizations both nationally and internationally.
Therefore, together with VNU, stature - position - prestige - brand of UEB is increasingly high and spreading.
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Rector Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Hong Son awarded for two valedictorians in the entrance exam in 2013
- UEB is considered as a pioneer in a number of activities/areas of VNU. Can you talk some details about this?
We have been operating as a university under VNU for more than 6 years, however we has been known to society as a dynamic, visionary, committed towards high-qualified and world-classified development. The university prestige is confirmed through various activities, including a number of achievements such as: (1) University Management Innovation: The university management has been carried out in accordance with the ISO 9001:2008 quality management system - the first member of VNU applying this; (2) UEB has built a dynamic cultural environment, encouraged the enthusiasm and creativity of staff, faculty, students for the university development; (3) VNU University of Economics and Business has attracted many talented lecturers and faculty members who are dedicated to the development of the university. From 2007 to present, the university has attracted more than 20 doctoral, several tens of master to the university; (4) a large number of students who enrolled in UEB with high scores on the entrance exam, over 90% of graduates with credit and good ranking, high percentage of students are employed shortly after graduating; (5) A number of state-level scientific research projects hosted by UEB lecturers have the opportunity to be applied; UEB is a member unit of VNU which has the high ratio of articles published in ISI/Scopus journals, the university has formed a number of research groups, notably the Policy Economic team with the excellent product of the Vietnam Annual Economic Report; (6) UEB pioneers in implementing strategic tasks in constructing and developing several sectors, basic science majors, high technology and key socio-economic industry, gradually approaching the international standards etc.
UEB was believed by the leader of VNU to implement some pilot tasks such as conducting research following CDIO output standard. In 2009, the university was assigned to coordinate with the University of Uppsala, Sweden to train Master of Public Policy Management under the leader resource development program for the Party and State (Project 165) by the Central Organization Department and VNU.
However, we are always defining that those achievements are only the initial ones. We are continuously trying to further achievements in order to develop more, contribute to the general development of VNU, in response to the belief of the Party and the society.
The chain Vietnam Annual Economic Report of UEB is receiving increasing attention from the society, especially the analysts and policy makers, researchers and the people with high interest to Vietnam's economy.
UEB transfer the research results to the Central Theoretical Council on 22/04/2013
- How will UEB be driven in the future development to worth as a core member of VNU - a university of multidisciplinary, high quality, high level and gradually reaching international level?
We have been continuing to strive to develop UEB to become research universities with high quality on par with advanced universities in the region. In the future, the activities will focus on the following directions:
1. Developing innovatively but sustainable, focused towards quality and world-class ranking in the speciality, the strengths of research fields, thereby enhancing the reputation of the University.
2. Quality and efficiency; Professional and cultural communities; Outputs... are the measure of all activities in the university, especially the training and scientific research.
3. Continuously innovating the university governance, building appropriate policy and mechanisms to encourage and motivate all staff, faculty members to have unity, enthusiasm, passion and creativity in performing their own tasks.
4. Always consider the attraction, utility, training and fostering high-quality human resources as the prerequisite to be able to achieve the set objectives.
5. Promoting all resources, including inside and outside resources to increase revenues, upgrading the facilities and the campus, building deeply-invested projects for teaching and research oriented to the learners; towards efficiently exploiting the existing facilities and construction of new facilities at the Hoa Lac area.
Activity in the model under VNU, UEB has had a lot of opportunities to develop with the goal of high-quality, world-class ranking. I believe that with the determination, unity and agreement by the leaders and all officers, employees, lectures, UEB can fully take advantage of the strength of a leading unit among universities to jump in the near future, worthy of the expectations of the Party, State, people and leader of VNU.
- Thank you!