Promoting the pioneering role of social sciences and humanities in national development

Meeting with generations of officials of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences on the occasion of the 72nd anniversary of the Academy's founding.

Proud achievement

72 years ago, in the historic Viet Bac War Zone, the Department of History, Geography and Literature Research – the predecessor of today’s Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences – was officially established under Resolution No. 34 of the Central Executive Committee of the Vietnam Workers’ Party. This event not only marked the birth of the first social sciences and humanities research organization of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam but also reflected the Party’s strategic vision on the fundamental role of social sciences and humanities in the revolutionary cause. After 72 years of construction and development, the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences has grown and matured in all aspects.

Over the past 72 years, the functions and tasks of the Institute have been increasingly expanded and strengthened. The organizational structure has been improved; the staff, civil servants and public employees have grown significantly in both quantity and quality, becoming the leading center for social sciences and humanities research in the country. The name of the Institute has also been supplemented and adjusted many times to suit the requirements and revolutionary tasks and has officially been named the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences since 2012.

According to Decree No. 32/2025/ND-CP dated February 25, 2025 of the Government , the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences is an agency under the Government, performing the function of researching basic issues of social sciences, providing scientific arguments for planning guidelines and policies of the Party and State; consulting on development and training of high-quality human resources with 14 key task groups covering the fields of social sciences and humanities.

Regarding the organizational structure and personnel, from a few initial specialized research groups, the Institute has built a complete, streamlined system with a network of research institutes, training units and specialized scientific journals. The Institute's staff has developed in both quantity and quality. At one point, we had nearly 2,000 cadres, civil servants and workers, including hundreds of professors, associate professors and doctors. Many outstanding scientists of the Academy have become excellent leaders and managers, making important contributions to the cause of building, protecting and developing the country.

Implementing Resolution 18-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 of the 6th Conference of the 12th Central Executive Committee on continuing to innovate and reorganize the political system to be streamlined and operate effectively and efficiently, the Academy has restructured and rearranged the apparatus, reducing the number of units to 26 affiliated and subordinate units, including 19 research units, 1 training unit; 25 scientific journals.

Professor, Dr. Le Van Loi, President of the Academy of Social Sciences, spoke at the ceremony.

In terms of scientific research, the Academy has achieved many important achievements in the fields of politics, economics, history, philosophy, archaeology, sociology, law, culture, people, psychology, literature, language, ethnicity, religion, national defense, security, regional and international, sustainable development, etc. These contributions are vividly demonstrated through thousands of programs, projects, and topics at all levels that have been successfully accepted; more than 7,000 published books; tens of thousands of scientific articles published in domestic and international journals. Notably, 21 scientists of the Academy have had their works or groups of works awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize; 28 scientists have had their works or groups of works awarded the State Prize; and some units have been awarded the title of Labor Hero in the renovation period.

Regarding policy advice, the research results have provided many valuable arguments for the formulation of guidelines and policies of the Party and State in the cause of national construction and defense; provided scientific arguments for the comprehensive national renovation policy based on Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, contributing to the formation of the views of the Communist Party of Vietnam on socialism and the path to socialism; on the socialist-oriented market economy, the socialist rule of law state and socialist democracy; on Party building and rectification, innovation of leadership methods, improvement of the Party's governing and leadership capacity; on building a clean and strong political system...

Research on politics, law, society, environment, world situation, globalization and international integration, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, etc. all have pioneering steps, outstanding results, practical contributions, recognized by the Party, State and society. In particular, the provision of monthly analysis and forecast reports for Government meetings is highly appreciated for its applicability and scientific depth.

Regarding the training of high-quality human resources, from 1978 to present, through specialized research institutes and the Academy of Social Sciences, the Academy has trained a large number of PhDs and Masters in many majors, making practical contributions to improving the quality and developing human resources in social sciences and humanities of the whole country. Many scientists and managers trained and fostered at specialized research institutes of the Academy and later the Academy of Social Sciences have become great scientists; good managers, holding important positions in research agencies and the state apparatus.

Regarding foreign affairs and cooperation with local ministries and branches, the Academy has developed research cooperation, consulting, and forum organization with many departments, ministries, branches, and organizations at the central and local levels; scientific cooperation, academic exchange, and human resource training with hundreds of prestigious organizations, scientific funds, and major universities in the world. Many international forums and seminars organized by the Academy in coordination with foreign partners in recent years have created a buzz and spread of science in the fields of economics, politics, culture, and society, contributing positively to the process of international integration and implementing the foreign policy of our Party and State.

In his speech welcoming the anniversary, Professor, Dr. Le Van Loi, President of the Academy of Social Sciences and Humanities expressed his deep gratitude to generations of leaders and senior scientists - those who laid the foundation and worked hard to build the career of social sciences and humanities of the country such as Professor, Academician Tran Huy Lieu, Professor, Academician Nguyen Khanh Toan, Professor Tran Van Giau, Professor Dao Duy Anh, Professor Dao Van Tap, Professor, Academician Pham Huy Thong and many other famous scientists. The achievements of the Academy today are the worthy inheritance and promotion of that glorious tradition.

Professor, Dr. Le Van Loi frankly acknowledged that the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences is facing many challenges and difficulties such as: The decline in the quality of human resources, especially the team of leading experts, has led to a gap between generations of researchers and managers. Scientific products, although abundant in quantity, still have few breakthrough works, capable of thoroughly explaining complex theoretical and practical issues of the new era. Policy consulting work is sometimes not really sharp and timely, while the transformation of research results into specific proposals is still a gap that needs to be narrowed. Postgraduate training activities face many difficulties in recruiting, attracting, retaining talents and maintaining basic and specific scientific fields. International cooperation is not yet commensurate with its potential, is dominated by limited resources and institutional barriers, making integration with the world's scientific level encounter many obstacles.

We are living in an international and domestic context with many profound, complex and unpredictable changes. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, globalization, climate change, non-traditional security issues, etc. pose both great opportunities and challenges. In that context, social sciences and humanities must affirm their pioneering role in providing knowledge systems and scientific arguments to identify, forecast and propose solutions for the rapid and sustainable development of the country.

Recognizing that role, Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW of the 13th Central Executive Committee clearly defined the policy of concentrating resources to develop the Academy into a key training and research facility, on par with advanced countries. Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW, together with Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW and important resolutions issued by the Politburo in recent times on science and technology, international integration, private economy and education and training, have affirmed the urgency of developing science and technology in general and social sciences and humanities in particular in the new period. This is both a great honor and a historical responsibility placed on each of us.

Some scientific works and clusters of works awarded with the Ho Chi Minh Prize and the State Prize by scientists of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences are displayed at the Exhibition of 80 years of the journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness.

Some major orientations

The President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences determined that in the coming period, the Institute will focus on a number of major orientations as follows:

Firstly, continue to streamline the organizational system towards streamlining, effective and efficient operations, associated with innovating the management, operation and work organization mechanisms towards modernity, ensuring synchronization, connectivity and close coordination of work, in order to effectively perform assigned functions, tasks and powers, especially in key research areas, which are the strengths of the Academy, in accordance with Vietnamese practice and universal development trends in the world.

Second, continue to promote strengths in basic scientific research, with large and important research programs and projects; create strong changes in the quality of scientific products such as research topics, projects, seminars, symposia, scientific forums, publications, specialized journals, gradually approaching and achieving international standards.

Third, proactively research the country's major and urgent theoretical and practical issues, providing scientific arguments for policy making, strategies, planning and plans for the Party and the State; conduct in-depth surveys, publish research reports of great scientific value, assessments and forecasts of situations of high practical value and policy orientation. Participate in research and assessment of the impact of organizational restructuring, propose solutions for social development management in the new period; promote research to serve the implementation of the Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress; research and forecast the world situation, international relations and new trends such as digital capitalism, digital socialism, the quintessence of human intelligence to apply to the country's development process.

Fourth, fundamentally and comprehensively innovate the training of high-level researchers in the field of social sciences and humanities; closely link training activities with scientific research, contributing to providing high-quality human resources in social sciences and humanities for the Academy and the whole country.

Fifth, well implement human resource development planning, build a team of highly qualified staff, advanced research methods, with sufficient capacity and qualifications to carry out major scientific tasks, gradually form leading experts and strong research groups; create a democratic, united, creative academic environment, respect academic freedom; encourage and create all conditions for scientists to be creative and dedicated, build a team of scientific staff and successor managers.

Sixth, continue to develop cooperation activities in scientific research with foreign research and training organizations and international institutions; strengthen cooperation in scientific research with central and local departments, ministries and branches.

Seventh, innovate and improve the quality of journals, publications, scientific information and museums. Ensure that journals, publications, scientific information and museums effectively support scientific research, while spreading the creative values of the Academy in social life and in the international arena.

Scientists take a souvenir photo at the ceremony.

Eighth, focus on investing in modernizing facilities and techniques, implementing digital transformation and applying scientific and technological achievements in internal management and organizing research activities; connecting and sharing data and research results, forming a modern information, document and library system to meet the requirements and tasks in the new period. Effectively deploy the Project to implement Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW with breakthrough solutions, striving to build the Academy into a key research center, on par with the region and the world, meeting the expectations of the Party, State and people.

Ninth, do a good job of protecting the Party's ideological foundation, building a clean and strong Party organization and unit in all aspects. Be a pioneer in research and propaganda to protect the Party's ideological foundation, refute erroneous and hostile viewpoints, especially in the fields of social sciences and humanities.

Proud achievement

Some major orientations

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