To mark the 30th anniversary of the Journal of Economics and Development, its Editorial Board held an informal conversation with its two first Editors-in-Chief: Prof. Dr. Sc. Luong Xuan Quy and Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Huong, to explore the vision and motivations of those who directly laid the Journal’s earliest foundations.

The cover of the Vietnamese edition of the Journal of Economics and Development

The Journal of Economics and Development was established under Decision No. 360/GPXB dated March 8, 1994, issued by the Ministry of Culture and Information, and published its first issue in June of the same year. Prof. Dr. Sc. Luong Xuan Quy, then Vice President of National Economics University (NEU) in charge of scientific research, was appointed Editor-in-Chief. “The University’s leadership, headed by Prof. Dr. Vu Dinh Bach, President of NEU, believed that every university worthy of the name needed a scholarly journal to present the scientific research findings of its staff, students, and those involved in educational activities with the University,” Prof. Quy said.

According to Prof. Luong Xuan Quy, although the internal publication Scientific Bulletin, which dated back to the 1980s, could serve as a means for the University to disseminate scientific achievements from the region and the world, as well as the development policies of the Party and the State, its circulation was restricted to the University. It therefore could not become the University’s “scholarly voice,” as its leadership had hoped. Prof. Quy emphasized that, as the country entered a period of building a market economy, the University’s leadership envisioned publishing a genuine scholarly journal to bring the University’s scientific research findings to key readership groups, including researchers and economic administrators at various levels. In doing so, the Journal would help strengthen NEU’s reputation as a leading university in economics and management in Vietnam.

Prof. Dr. Sc. Luong Xuan Quy

Sharing this view, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Huong, who was appointed the Journal’s second Editor-in-Chief while serving as Head of the Department of Research Management, emphasized the need to disseminate research findings as NEU began teaching market economics in the new era. According to him, the University wanted teaching and scientific research to be closely linked to the country’s sustainable development. Achieving this required more than an internal scientific bulletin; a genuine scholarly journal was essential.

Interestingly, both former Editors-in-Chief, the first captains at the helm of the scholarly journal, said that their most memorable experience during its establishment was the process of choosing its name. According to Prof. Luong Xuan Quy, this was “not a simple matter, but an entire process of very careful discussion,” as the Journal was expected to become an important part of the University’s scholarly reputation. Prof. Nguyen Dinh Huong also shared that the leadership deliberated at length, weighing options that reflected both the University’s teaching and research disciplines and the country’s circumstances and vision for the future. Ultimately, the chosen name was “not Development Economics or Economic Development, but Economics and Development,” Prof. Huong said. Both professors thus emphasized that the name Economics and Development reflected the aspirations and vision of the University’s leadership: economic research must always go hand in hand with, and make practical contributions to, the country’s sustainable development.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Huong

According to Prof. Quy, the importance of publishing in English was recognized from the outset, but limited resources prevented its immediate implementation. Prof. Huong added that the Journal was initially part of the Department of Research Management. Although it had all the staff positions required under the Press Law, all were held concurrently with other duties. It was not until the Journal was operating well, had gained initial recognition from the domestic scholarly community, and became an independent unit directly under the University in 1999 that English-language publication was considered again. Publication in English began in 2000.

Looking back on three decades of development, the Journal’s first captain, Prof. Dr. Sc. Luong Xuan Quy, said he was pleased with its achievements. He said, “Thirty years is not a short time in a person’s life, but for a scholarly journal and a university, it is not long. What matters is that the University’s development provides the foundation for the Journal’s development, and the Journal always advances alongside the University.”

“As someone who directly made a small contribution to this process, I hope the Journal will continue to enhance its reputation, earn the trust of the scholarly community, become even more closely connected to NEU’s sustainable development, and make even more meaningful contributions to it. I have confidence in the Journal’s current leadership and staff. I am certain that the Journal will continue to move steadily forward,” Prof. Quy said.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Dinh Huong also expressed his delight at the Journal’s acceptance into the international scholarly database Scopus after 15 years of continuous improvement and quality enhancement. He also conveyed his hope that the Journal would continue to develop further, particularly its English edition.

Article and photos: Journal of Economics and Development and Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.