The second Vietnamese scientist elected to the Institute of Han Nom Studies.

According to information from the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences , at the October 17, 2025 session of the French Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Tuan Cuong, former Director of the Institute of Han Nom Studies, was elected as a foreign corresponding member at the age of 45.

He is the second Vietnamese scientist to receive this honor, after the late Professor Phan Huy Le.

The French Academy of Inscriptions and Fine Arts, founded in 1663, is one of the five member institutes of the French Academy (Institut de France) and is a world- leading institution in the humanities, specializing in archaeology, history, philology, and classical culture.

Associate Professor Nguyen Tuan Cuong, born in 1980 in Thai Binh (now part of Hung Yen), is a senior researcher, was appointed Associate Professor in 2019, defended his doctoral thesis in 2012, previously taught at Hanoi National University, and served as Director of the Institute of Han Nom Studies from 2015 to 2025.

He was also a visiting scholar at the Harvard–Yenching Institute (Harvard University, USA) and participated in the Japan Foundation's academic program in Osaka (2011–2012).

With over 20 books and more than 100 research papers in Vietnamese, English, Chinese, Japanese, French, and Korean, he is recognized as one of the leading experts on Sino-Vietnamese texts, textual studies, and Vietnamese intellectual culture.

He presided over the Han Nom Culture Library, and co-presided over the Vietnamese Inscription Library and the Vietnamese Post-Inscription Library, projects of significant importance in preserving, systematizing, and disseminating Vietnam's cultural heritage.

The honor comes with the responsibility of spreading knowledge.

According to Associate Professor Nguyen Tuan Cuong, the title "Correspondant étranger" is an academic honor bestowed upon international scholars who have made outstanding contributions in the humanities.

His selection reflects the appreciation of a leading European academy, with a history spanning over three and a half centuries, for the academic contributions of a Vietnamese scholar.

From his perspective, this is not a tribute to an individual, but rather reflects appreciation for generations of Vietnamese scholars who have dedicated many years to contributing to Vietnamese studies and classical humanities.

He expressed his deep gratitude to his predecessors such as Professor Phan Huy Le, Professor Ha Van Tan, Professor Nguyen Tai Can, and Professor Nguyen Quang Hong, who laid the foundation for the study of Sino-Vietnamese studies and classical humanities, creating values for future generations to follow.

In recent years, many of Vietnam's international research projects, publications, and academic collaborations have been highly regarded, contributing to making the voice of Vietnamese knowledge increasingly prominent on the world academic map; among them, the Han Nom heritage, a distinct part of the Han script civilization in East Asia, is receiving great attention from international scholars.

Vietnamese knowledge in the international academic landscape.

From an academic development perspective, Associate Professor Nguyen Tuan Cuong believes that Vietnam needs to invest more heavily in basic research, especially in fundamental fields such as history, archaeology, cultural studies, linguistics, and Sino-Vietnamese studies. These fields, while not creating immediate material value, are the core of national identity and the basis for equal dialogue with the world.

He emphasized the role of long-term international cooperation, based on sharing data, methods, and ideas, in building sustainable knowledge networks among institutions, universities, and academic communities.

Only when Vietnam builds a strong academic foundation from within, with a well-trained team of experts, modern methods, and an open-minded academic spirit, will Vietnamese knowledge be heard at the international level.

During his time at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Associate Professor Nguyen Tuan Cuong consistently strived to contribute to building a modern research environment, combining traditional cultural values with international scientific methods; promoting the digitization of documents, preserving classical literature, and expanding research and training cooperation with major academies around the world.

His view was that Vietnamese knowledge could only truly reach the world when it was supported by genuine competence and a humble yet confident academic spirit.

Professor, Dr. Le Van Loi, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, believes that the election of Associate Professor Nguyen Tuan Cuong as a foreign corresponding member of the French Academy of Inscriptions and Fine Arts is a highly commendable recognition for the Vietnamese social sciences and humanities community.

This is a testament to the appreciation of a prestigious academy with a history spanning hundreds of years for the serious and sustained academic contributions of a Vietnamese scholar.

This achievement demonstrates that Vietnamese intellectuals are fully capable of stepping out into the world with genuine competence and a spirit of dedication, and reflects the maturity of the domestic research team in the process of international integration.

This event is even more significant in the context of the Vietnamese scientific community actively promoting international cooperation in science and technology development in accordance with Resolution 57 of the Politburo.

Professor Le Van Loi emphasized that this honor is not only for Associate Professor Nguyen Tuan Cuong personally, but also a shared pride of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the entire social sciences and humanities community nationwide.

This serves as an important motivation for young researchers to continue nurturing their passion, pursuing genuine academic values, and contributing to bringing research on Vietnamese culture and history closer to the international community.

(VNA/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/nha-khoa-hoc-viet-nam-thu-hai-duoc-bau-lam-vien-sy-thong-tan-nuoc-ngoai-post1076748.vnp