Introduction to the French Faculty

I. General Description

The development of the French Faculty is closely tied to the evolution of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. French teaching began with the very first Diplomatic class in 1956, prior to the establishment of the College for Foreign Affairs in 1959. By 1963, the French Language Section within the Foreign Languages Department was established. Presently, the French Faculty has a total of six faculty members, along with many visiting lecturers including Doctors, Professors, Ambassadors, and officials who are veterans in both the French language and diplomatic fields. The current Head of the French Faculty is Dr. Nguyen Hoang Nhu Thanh, who also holds the position of Head of Academic Skills Development Committee at the Diplomatic Academy and is in charge of the Galileo Society - the Academy's Research Club for Students.

The French Faculty has assisted the Academy in providing French language training (as a first or second foreign language) to students across various majors such as International Relations, International Communications, International Law, and more. The Faculty has also conducted French language instruction for many Diplomatic Intermediate courses, Master's programs in International Politics, Foreign Secretary training, and Conference Interpretation training; and has played a central role in the deployment and teaching of French Translation and Interpretation training programs (CFIT), as well as the Master's program in Francophonie and International Relations (in partnership with Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 of France) at the Academy.

Beyond French teaching, the French Faculty plays a pivotal role in the francophone activities of the Diplomatic Academy and has made significant contributions to the translation and interpretation services essential for the country's diplomatic engagements. With the establishment of the Center for Cooperation and Franco–Asia Pacific Studies (CECOFAP) and the International Francophone Forum (Chaire Senghor de la Francophonie), the Academy's research and collaboration in francophone initiatives have been intensified, contributing greatly to the promotion of the French language in Vietnam as well as in the Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific regions. Notable activities include the seminar commemorating the 20th anniversary of the seventh Francophonie Summit, which was hosted by Vietnam in 1997 (organized in 2017 in conjunction with the International Organization of La Francophonie), the seminar commemorating 45 years of Vietnam-France relations in 2018 (organized with the French Embassy), and the Vietnam and UN peacekeeping activities workshop in 2019 (with the Peacekeeping Department, Ministry of Defense, attended by former UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Leroy).

Looking to the future, the French Faculty is committed to building on its achieved successes, ensuring that graduates are not only proficient in the French language but also have a deep understanding of international culture and politics, while continuously contributing to the Francophone cooperation activities of the Diplomatic Academy./.