{"id":76375,"date":"2024-07-18T03:44:20","date_gmt":"2024-07-18T03:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/prof-dr-hoang-van-cuong-professorial-councils-must-uphold-their-standing-at-the-pinnacle-of-intellectual-life-through-fairness-and-integrity\/"},"modified":"2024-07-18T03:44:20","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T03:44:20","slug":"prof-dr-hoang-van-cuong-professorial-councils-must-uphold-their-standing-at-the-pinnacle-of-intellectual-life-through-fairness-and-integrity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/prof-dr-hoang-van-cuong-professorial-councils-must-uphold-their-standing-at-the-pinnacle-of-intellectual-life-through-fairness-and-integrity\/","title":{"rendered":"Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong: Professorial Councils Must Uphold Their Standing at the Pinnacle of Intellectual Life Through Fairness and Integrity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GDVN \u2013 Prof. Hoang Van Cuong: “Professorial councils must demonstrate that they represent the intellectual elite, and their decisions must exemplify impartiality and integrity.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In preparation for the assessment of candidates for recognition as meeting the standards for the titles of professor and associate professor in 2024,<\/a> the Standing Committee of the State Professorial Council has asked educational and research institutions, professors, and associate professors to nominate educators and scientists with strong scholarly reputations to serve as members of the State Professorial Council for the 2024\u20132029 term, concurrently chairing disciplinary and interdisciplinary councils, and as members of the 28 disciplinary and interdisciplinary professorial councils in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each year, the assessment of candidates for the titles of professor and associate professor attracts considerable attention from intellectuals, scientists, and society as a whole. The establishment of professorial councils at all levels\u2014the arbiters at each stage of the assessment\u2014is considered an important foundation for ensuring that academic titles are conferred impartially and transparently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To discuss this issue, a reporter from the Vietnam Education e-magazine spoke with Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong, the newly appointed Vice Chairman of the State Professorial Council for the 2024\u20132029 term<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"gs<\/a>
Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong, newly appointed Vice Chairman of the State Professorial Council for the 2024\u20132029 term. Photo: Provided by the interviewee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Reporter: Congratulations, Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong, on your recent appointment by the Prime Minister as Vice Chairman of the State Professorial Council for the 2024\u20132029 term. How do you feel about taking on these new responsibilities in your new position?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong:<\/strong> Being appointed Vice Chairman of the State Professorial Council is indeed a tremendous honor, but it also brings considerable challenges and pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we all know, professor and associate professor are exceptionally distinguished and esteemed titles, recognizing a lifetime of dedication and effort in teaching and scientific research. Being awarded the title of professor or associate professor is regarded as reaching the pinnacle of an educator\u2019s or scientist\u2019s career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professorial councils directly assess candidates and decide who meets the standards to receive the titles of professor and associate professor. Entrusted with the responsibility of acting as impartial arbiters in selecting recipients of these distinguished titles, the councils are seen as representing the finest among intellectuals and scientists. Being selected as a council member is therefore a tremendous honor and source of pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To fulfill this responsibility and be worthy of this great honor, the councils must demonstrate that they represent the intellectual elite, and their decisions must exemplify impartiality and integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In society, when misconduct or departures from accepted standards occur here and there, people simply regard them as wrongdoing or negative behavior\u2014accepting them as an inevitable part of social life in all its diversity. But if professorial councils, regarded as the intellectual \u201celite,\u201d fail to uphold those standards, educators and scientists will lose respect for them, society will lose trust, and their deeply tarnished reputation will bring disgrace upon intellectuals. That is precisely the challenge and pressure: preserving the councils\u2019 standing and proving oneself worthy of membership in such esteemed bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that these thoughts and concerns are shared not just by me, but by every educator and scientist selected to serve on professorial councils at any level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporter: In practice, after each round of assessments for the titles of professor and associate professor in recent years, the public has continued to question the fairness of the process. Some candidates have reached the State Professorial Council assessment stage only to be found not to meet the mandatory criteria; others have met all requirements and standards and been recognized as reputable, yet failed simply because they did not receive enough council votes. As a result, many educators and scientists who fully meet the standards and are highly deserving do not apply for the titles of professor or associate professor because they do not want to pass through a \u201cgate\u201d that lacks transparency. What can be done so that the public no longer raises such questions?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong: <\/strong>Overall, in recent years, particularly since the Prime Minister issued Decision 37\/2018\/Q\u0110-TTg, the process of assessing candidates for the titles of professor and associate professor has become increasingly systematic, rigorous, clear, and transparent, earning public support and recognition. The educators and scientists awarded these titles are all deserving recipients who have made and continue to make positive contributions to education, training, and scientific research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decision 37 sets out fairly clear and specific mandatory criteria for the respective titles of professor and associate professor, with increasingly high quality requirements, rigorous assessment procedures, and stringent academic requirements, making the assessment process increasingly consistent with established standards. This may also be one reason why many people fail to achieve their aspirations and react in ways that lead to misunderstandings among the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In isolated cases, some councils include even candidates who fail to meet mandatory criteria on their assessment lists, either because they do not take their work seriously or because they defer to personal relationships and pass responsibility to higher-level assessment councils. Some council members, driven by improper motives, deliberately reject candidates who fully meet the standards and deserve the academic titles for which they have applied. Although such incidents are very rare, they have damaged the collective reputation of professorial councils at all levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To dispel public doubt and concern about this issue, councils at all levels\u2014the arbiters of the process\u2014must be transparent, impartial, fair, and upright. Council members must be true intellectuals: they must not pursue fame or personal gain, or be swayed by pressure from personal relationships, bribery, or temptation. They must be willing to state their assessments and comments on each candidate\u2019s strengths and weaknesses frankly and openly, and vote honestly. Every council member must recognize the weight of their responsibility, understand the significance of their work, and carry out their assigned duties with dedication and accountability. They must always recognize that safeguarding the council\u2019s reputation means safeguarding their own reputation and that of the intellectual and scientific community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporter: Under the law, professors were previously permitted to continue working up to age 70; the current limit is 67. To address public concerns about longstanding, persistent shortcomings, do you think the age limits and length of service for members of councils at all levels need to be revised?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong: <\/strong>The standards for membership of professorial councils at all levels are clearly stipulated in Decision 37. It limits service on the State Professorial Council to no more than two consecutive terms. It sets no age limits for council members and no limits on length of service on disciplinary and interdisciplinary councils or Institutional Professorial Councils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proper motivation for joining professorial councils at any level must be understood as a scientist\u2019s responsibility to contribute to the awarding of academic titles to intellectuals and to fulfill the councils\u2019 important mission. This is a commitment involving challenges and considerable pressure, not a pursuit of fame or personal gain. That responsibility should also be shared among many people; one person should not be required to serve for too long while others have no opportunity to contribute. Decision 37 limits members of the State Professorial Council to no more than two consecutive terms and sets no such limits for disciplinary and interdisciplinary councils. Nevertheless, where there are many scientists who meet the requirements and standards, members should not serve on councils for more than 10 consecutive years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of Institutional Professorial Councils and disciplinary councils must carefully examine every page of each candidate\u2019s application dossier to assess the reported achievements against the stipulated standards, and evaluate the quality of and award scores to published scientific works. Each candidate\u2019s dossier can run to tens of thousands of pages. On councils handling large numbers of candidates, each member must review five to 10 dossiers in approximately one month. This is an enormous workload, requiring a strong ability to withstand work pressure to complete it to a high standard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, although Decision 37 sets no age limits and the age limits governing extended employment do not have to be applied to professorial councils, members of the State Professorial Council should not be over 70, to foster a new generation of successors, renewal, and younger membership. Disciplinary and interdisciplinary councils should also bring in younger members in a manner appropriate to actual circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will also give a wider range of scientists opportunities to serve on councils at all levels and make contributions, particularly the next generation of scientists and young scientists, enabling them to apply their dynamism and creativity. It is an opportunity to encourage younger generations to contribute to the development of the country\u2019s intellectual community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporter: As Vice Chair of the State Professorial Council, what hopes do you have for candidates applying for recognition as professors and associate professors in the coming period?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong<\/strong>: Professor and associate professor are distinguished academic titles that recognize and assess the capabilities and contributions of educators and scientists to education, training, and scientific research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the old saying goes, \u201cthe habit does not make the monk<\/em>.\u201d The worth of those awarded these titles lies not in the words professor or associate professor added before their names, but in their actual capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If their capabilities do not measure up, it is no different from wearing an ill-fitting borrowed garment. It tarnishes their image, as they inevitably become the subject of gossip about people whose titles lack substance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, first and foremost, each candidate should take a good look at themselves to determine whether they truly deserve such a distinguished title. If they do not yet meet all the standards or possess the necessary professional competence, they should not try to pressure the council or find a way to pass the review at any cost. Instead, they should step back to allow more time to work toward those requirements and address their shortcomings, so they can enter the review rounds with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also hope that educators and scientists who fully meet the standards, possess the necessary capabilities, and deserve the academic titles of professor and associate professor will apply for recognition confidently and with dignity. They should not lower themselves by doing things inconsistent with the honor of an intellectual, nor should they turn their backs on the title recognition process to avoid confronting wrongdoing. This is an important contribution candidates can make to the success of the review and recognition of professors and associate professors at all levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporter: What expectations would you like to share for the new term?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong: <\/strong>I hope that, as we enter a new term with new councils, members of professorial councils at all levels will devote themselves fully and work with dedication, responsibility, fairness, and integrity. These qualities determine the success of each review cycle and help bring honor to the intellectual community, allowing members to take pride in serving on the distinguished council for professorial titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Council\u2019s reforms will gain the support of increasing numbers of deserving candidates who apply for and receive recognition as professors and associate professors, further strengthening the country\u2019s community of intellectuals and scientists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The review and recognition of professors and associate professors always attracts attention and scrutiny from a broad cross-section of society and directly affects intellectuals and scientists. Therefore, any conflicting information or concerns should be brought to the Standing Committee of the State Professorial Council in a cultured, civil, and honest manner for resolution and strict, fair handling. People should not disparage others on social media\u2014behavior inconsistent with the character and courage of intellectuals that damages the reputation of the community of intellectuals, educators, and scientists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that, with everyone\u2019s collective contributions, the review and recognition of professors and associate professors during the new term will improve year by year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporter: Thank you, Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interview conducted by Pham Minh<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link: https:\/\/giaoduc.net.vn\/hoi-dong-giao-su-phai-xung-danh-dinh-cao-tri-thuc-cong-minh-chinh-truc-post242848.gd<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GDVN \u2013 Prof. Hoang Van Cuong: “Professorial councils must demonstrate that they represent the intellectual elite, and their decisions must exemplify impartiality and integrity.” In preparation for the assessment of candidates for recognition as meeting the standards for the titles of professor and associate professor in 2024, the Standing Committee of the State Professorial Council has asked educational and research institutions, professors, and associate professors to nominate educators and scientists with strong scholarly reputations to serve as members of the State Professorial Council for the 2024\u20132029 term, concurrently chairing disciplinary and interdisciplinary councils, and as members of the 28 disciplinary and interdisciplinary professorial councils in 2024. Each year, the assessment of candidates for the titles of professor and associate professor attracts considerable attention from intellectuals, scientists, and society as a whole. The establishment of professorial councils at all levels\u2014the arbiters at each stage of the assessment\u2014is considered an important foundation for ensuring that academic titles are conferred impartially and transparently. To discuss this issue, a reporter from the Vietnam Education e-magazine spoke with Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong, the newly appointed Vice Chairman of the State Professorial Council for the 2024\u20132029 term. Reporter: Congratulations, Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong, on your recent appointment by the Prime Minister as Vice Chairman of the State Professorial Council for the 2024\u20132029 term. How do you feel about taking on these new responsibilities in your new position? Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong: Being appointed Vice Chairman of the State Professorial Council is indeed a tremendous honor, but it also brings considerable challenges and pressure. As we all know, professor and associate professor are exceptionally distinguished and esteemed titles, recognizing a lifetime of dedication and effort in teaching and scientific research. Being awarded the title of professor or associate professor is regarded as reaching the pinnacle of an educator\u2019s or scientist\u2019s career. Professorial councils directly assess candidates and decide who meets the standards to receive the titles of professor and associate professor. Entrusted with the responsibility of acting as impartial arbiters in selecting recipients of these distinguished titles, the councils are seen as representing the finest among intellectuals and scientists. Being selected as a council member is therefore a tremendous honor and source of pride. To fulfill this responsibility and be worthy of this great honor, the councils must demonstrate that they represent the intellectual elite, and their decisions must exemplify impartiality and integrity. In society, when misconduct or departures from accepted standards occur here and there, people simply regard them as wrongdoing or negative behavior\u2014accepting them as an inevitable part of social life in all its diversity. But if professorial councils, regarded as the intellectual \u201celite,\u201d fail to uphold those standards, educators and scientists will lose respect for them, society will lose trust, and their deeply tarnished reputation will bring disgrace upon intellectuals. That is precisely the challenge and pressure: preserving the councils\u2019 standing and proving oneself worthy of membership in such esteemed bodies. I believe that these thoughts and concerns are shared not just by me, but by every educator and scientist selected to serve on professorial councils at any level. Reporter: In practice, after each round of assessments for the titles of professor and associate professor in recent years, the public has continued to question the fairness of the process. Some candidates have reached the State Professorial Council assessment stage only to be found not to meet the mandatory criteria; others have met all requirements and standards and been recognized as reputable, yet failed simply because they did not receive enough council votes. As a result, many educators and scientists who fully meet the standards and are highly deserving do not apply for the titles of professor or associate professor because they do not want to pass through a \u201cgate\u201d that lacks transparency. What can be done so that the public no longer raises such questions? Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Cuong: Overall, in recent years, particularly since the Prime Minister issued Decision 37\/2018\/Q\u0110-TTg, the process of assessing candidates for the titles of professor and associate professor has become increasingly systematic, rigorous, clear, and transparent, earning public support and recognition. The educators and scientists awarded these titles are all deserving recipients who have made and continue to make positive contributions to education, training, and scientific research. Decision 37 sets out fairly clear and specific mandatory criteria for the respective titles of professor and associate professor, with increasingly high quality requirements, rigorous assessment procedures, and stringent academic requirements, making the assessment process increasingly consistent with established standards. This may also be one reason why many people fail to achieve their aspirations and react in ways that lead to misunderstandings among the public. In isolated cases, some councils include even candidates who fail to meet mandatory criteria on their assessment lists, either because they do not take their work seriously or because they defer to personal relationships and pass responsibility to higher-level assessment councils. Some council members, driven by improper motives, deliberately reject candidates who fully meet the standards and deserve the academic titles for which they have applied. Although such incidents are very rare, they have damaged the collective reputation of professorial councils at all levels. To dispel public doubt and concern about this issue, councils at all levels\u2014the arbiters of the process\u2014must be transparent, impartial, fair, and upright. Council members must be true intellectuals: they must not pursue fame or personal gain, or be swayed by pressure from personal relationships, bribery, or temptation. They must be willing to state their assessments and comments on each candidate\u2019s strengths and weaknesses frankly and openly, and vote honestly. Every council member must recognize the weight of their responsibility, understand the significance of their work, and carry out their assigned duties with dedication and accountability. They must always recognize that safeguarding the council\u2019s reputation means safeguarding their own reputation and that of the intellectual and scientific community. Reporter: Under the law, professors were previously permitted to continue working up to age 70; the current limit is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[168],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-neu-newsletter"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76375"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76375\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neu.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}