History

The Faculty of International Studies was founded on October 21st, 1995 based on the decision of VNU's Director. After 20 years of determination and dedication, the Faculty's staff and students have developed it from a nascent and unknown unit into a reliable, high-quality one with popular reputation and unique identity. It is reflected in the combination of training and research activities, of studying global and regional issues, and of theoretical issues and practical applications. 

Regarding personnel and organizational affairs, the Faculty currently has 15 teaching staff that are associate professors, doctors and masters. What is notable is that they are young lecturers, primarily trained overseas, have good professional and foreign language proficiency, and are inclined towards inheritance, innovation and integration.

As for training affairs, the Faculty's curriculum is built on a systematic, modern and integrative basis. The Faculty's students are provided with the following specialized fields of knowledge:

• History of international relations and organizations.

• The regions in the world including Europe and America.

• International issues of economic, political, legal and cultural nature.

• Issues concerning Vietnam's foreign policies and relations.

• Foreign language and research, communication and international negotiation skills.

After completing the above basic proportions, students will engage in one among three specialties, namely International relations, European studies and American studies.

The Faculty trains around 80-100 bachelors annually. Since 2003, the Faculty has been training Masters of International relations, with around 25-30 students/course. In 2014, the Faculty launched the doctoral program in International relations.

Regarding research and international cooperation affairs, what is interesting about the Faculty of International Studies is the harmonious combination between teaching and research, and between research and international cooperation. After 20 years, the Faculty's staff have had 305 articles published in domestic and foreign journals; 90 textbooks, monographs, reference and translated books published, and are carrying out 72 research projects at different levels and presented hundreds of research papers at domestic and international conferences. The Faculty has maintained reliable and effective relations with many universities from France, Germany, the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia and many diplomatic agencies in Hanoi, several international organizations such as Ford Foundation, Asia Foundation, Konrad Adrenauer Stiftung, DAAD, Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, and Goethe Institute. With the support of Ford Foundation, the Faculty together with Vietnam's Diplomatic Academy and USSH Ho Chi Minh's Faculty of International Relations have established a network of International relations/studies. With the support of the Asia Foundation, the Faculty opened the first standardized curriculum in American Studies in Vietnam. In addition, the Faculty cooperates with many universities in Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho and An Giang to design curricula and share experiences in teaching and researching American Studies, according to Vietnam's academic missions. The Faculty also maintains effective cooperation with most of the research units within VASS.

Prominent achievements

• The Faculty has been known as a prestigious and high-quality training institution that deals with international relations in Vietnam. Each year, the average number of bachelors trained is 80 while that of masters is 20. Since 2017, it has been expected annually that 3-5 doctors successfully defend their dissertations.

• The Faculty has contributed many monographs and lectures of high quality for the subjects related to International Relations.

• In international cooperation, the Faculty maintains relations with many international foundations and organizations to hold highly acclaimed international conferences.

Development orientations

• Promote the Faculty into one of the leading training institutions of International Studies in Vietnam.

• Develop faculty members with high professional and ethical aptitude and the ability to meet training and research demands.

• Develop more research and training programs of high academicality that serve both social and national demands.

• Reform teaching methods in a modern and effective way.

• Unite the faculty members and create good work and study environments for both lecturers and students.