Speaking at the conference, Prof. Dr Pham Quang Minh (USSH's Rector) said: the conference was held at a special occasion as Faculty of Vietnamese studies and language was going to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Initially tasked by the Government with training Vietnamese for foreign students according to its Agreement with other countries, now the Faculty has become a prestigious institution specializing in Vietnamese studies and language in Vietnam, the region and the world. 

Prof. Dr Pham Quang Minh - USSH's Rector

Vietnamese language is a bridge facilitating cooperation, mutual understanding and helps promote Vietnam's friendly relations with the world. In the current context of intensive international integration, the need to learn Vietnamese language and culture increases. Vietnamese has become a general or specialized subject at many universities in the world. USSH is on its way to become a recognized research-based university tasked and assigned with bringing Vietnamese language and culture to many places in the world, to help the world community understand more about the country.

The University is also responsible for developing the Vietnamese studies major into a factor contributing effectively and strongly to Vietnam's social dynamics, livelihood, development and innovation. This major requires inter-disciplinary scholars that resolve microscopic problems and converge information to construct an emerging community of experts in Vietnamese studies in the world.

Mr. Saadi Salaman, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam

Mr. Saadi Salaman (Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Vietnam), an alumnus of Faculty of Vietnamese studies during 1980-1984 shared his love for the language: "To speak Vietnamese fluently one must have love for Vietnam in general and the language in particular. You have to be passionate about Vietnam's culture, customs, practices, long-term traditions and historical events". This love helps foreigners overcome difficulties and stick closely with Vietnamese. He expressed his appreciation for the teachers at Faculty of Vietnamese studies and language, because "had it not been for the assistance, support and sympathy of my teachers at the Faculty, I would not have made it today".  

Mrs. Tsujimoto Chika -  Head of Political Section, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan to Vietnam

Another alumnus of the Faculty of Vietnamese studies and language, Mrs Tsujimoto Chika (Head of Political Section, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan to Vietnam) said during the years studying at the Faculty, it was the desire to build friendly relations between Vietnam and Japan that encouraged her to do her best to learn Vietnamese language and culture. She also congratulated the Faculty's achievements in promoting Vietnamese studies and language to the world for 50 years.   

Assoc. Prof. Dr Nguyen Thien Nam - Dean of Faculty of Vietnamese studies and language

In the opening session, the participants listened to the main presentations: "Sixty years of teaching Vietnamese studies and language for foreigners at USSH, VNU Hanoi" by Assoc.Prof.Dr Nguyen Thien Nam (Dean of Faculty of Vietnamese studies and language); "More than twenty years of training Vietnamese studies and language at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies" by Prof.Dr Song Jeong Nam and Assoc.Prof.Dr Nguyen Van Phuc (USSH); "The curriculum of Vietnamese studies and language at Charles University - Czech Republic" by Dr. Binh Slavická (Charles University). 

The international conference ""On researching and teaching Vietnamese and Vietnamese studies at universities" summarized the latest achievements in this area in Vietnam and around the world. The conference was split into two panels "Vietnamese language and language teaching methods" and "Vietnamese studies". Its scale reflects the accelerated interest of international scholars in the two mentioned areas and promotes strong cooperation and interchange among the community of Vietnamese studies experts around the world.

Prof. Dr Pham Quang Minh and the scholars at the conference