Military social science and humanities research is one of the important functions and duties of Political Officer College. It directly contributes to improving the thinking capacity, creativity, and intellectual development of both teachers and learners. Therefore, researching and proposing practical and effective solutions for this work has been paid attention by the College Party Committee and Board of Directors.

Grasping the 11^th Military Party Congress’ Resolution on “Continuing to research and develop theories on military and defence; military art; military science and technology; military social science and humanities,... in the new situation”, Political Officer College has regularly promoted social science and humanities research activities and considered this a central political task that has a commensurate position in relation to the task of educating and training political cadres at the divisional level. The College Party Committee and Board of Directors have also focused on leading and directing the construction of scientific potential as many capable young staff have been sent to PhD courses to build a core force in implementing social science and humanities projects. Research projects have focused on clarifying theoretical and practical issues of protecting the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam; building the Army in term of politics; improving the capacity and efficiency of the Party and political work at grassroots units in the Army; promoting the fine qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in the new era; renovating and improving the quality of training and fostering division-level political cadres; improving the presiding capacity and leadership style for the political cadres in the Army, etc.

In implementing scientific tasks, the College has closely combined promoting internal resources with cooperating with agencies and units inside and outside the Army, especially those with potential and experience in social science and humanities research. At the same time, it has promoted coordination in implementing major research programs and project; enhanced forms of scientific communication and exchange; and published research results to promptly update the practice in training political cadres and solve practical problems at the units. Every year, based on the actual quality and requirements of the task of training political cadres, the College has defined scientific tasks and “ordered” research contents from the units; focused on practical summary research, especially the Party and political work... to initially form a mechanism for proposing tasks and “ordering” scientific research between the College and the units and vice versa. As a result, the College’s social science and humanities research activities have always stuck to the practice, while the application efficiency has been increased. Since 2008, the College has successfully presided over the implementation of 12 ministerial-level, 50 General Staff projects, 25 General Political Department, and 225 grassroots-level projects. Scientific publications, such as the Journal of Military Political Science, curricula and teaching materials in the social sciences and humanities for the training of division-level officers... have been implemented with innovative thinking to ensure relevance and good quality and affirm the reputation throughout the army.

Besides the achievements, the College humanities and social science research activities have yet to be thorough enough. Some research results are theoretical and speculative, and there are not enough realistic assessments to be effective in practice. The scientific research work of some grassroots units under the College and that of students also shows formality. To overcome the above limitations to contribute to improving the quality of training of division-level political cadres, the article proposes some solutions to promote military humanities and social science research at the College as follows.

Firstly, to renew the College’s awareness of social science and humanities research in building the Army to advance to modernity.  The 13^th Party Congress’ Resolution determined that “By 2025, to basically complete the building of an elite, compact, and strong Army and Public Security to create a solid premise for a revolutionary, regular, elite, and modern People's Army and People’s Public Security, strong in politics, thoughts, ethics, organisation, and staff by 2030”. This undertaking and direction have raised many new problems for the military social science and humanities research in general and scientific research activities at the College in particular. Therefore, regarding epistemology, the College needs to attach more importance to social science and humanities research and place it in a position commensurate with the task of education and training. It is advisable to consider scientific research as a leading stage to pave the way for training and development. In the current situation, in military social science and humanities research, it is required to closely combine the clarification of new theoretical issues in a new context with the thorough resolution of the problems of military practice and the party and political work in the Army. The research results must be highly applicable. At the same time, it is necessary to promote innovation of thinking in leading and directing social science and humanities research activities towards maximising the scientific potential, initiative, and creativity of staff, lecturers, and students; build a team of in-depth experts in each field of research; and create favourable conditions for this force to promote its strengths and potentials in the implementation of scientific projects assigned to the College by the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defence.

Secondly, to continue to strengthen the potential and force of scientific research to meet the requirements and tasks of social science and humanities work in the new period. To be highly efficient, scientific research in general, social science and humanities research in particular, must depend on many factors, of which, strengthening the potential and research force is a key and motivating one. However, it is not simple but must go through a very complicated process. That requires the College to focus on training and fostering research staff; actively create the next and succession source for training of doctors and masters of the social sciences and humanities at prestigious academies and schools both inside and outside the Army under an appropriate roadmap to create sources of professors and associate professors in the majors of social sciences and humanities and the party and political work in the armed forces. In the process of carrying out scientific research tasks, based on specific conditions, the College should mobilise and gather scientists to form research groups, especially strong research ones, appropriately. At the same time, it is necessary to continue to supplement and improve mechanisms and policies to create a favourable environment and encourage, motivate scientists to maximise their abilities, experience, and creativity in the research process. In addition, through functional agencies, such as the Military Science Department or scientific councils of departments, faculties, units, and battalions, it is required to implement programs to build a widespread scientific research movement, aiming at performing scientific tasks that directly solve problems set out by the practice of education and training of division-level political cadres.

Thirdly, to clearly define the content and formulate the tasks of social science and humanities research.  In the face of complicated developments in the region and the world at present and in the coming time, the College’s social science and humanities research work must be directed at clarifying theoretical and practical issues in implementing the task of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation. In particular, it is necessary to focus on the issues of building a modern and politically strong Army; promotion of the high qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”; renovation and improvement of the quality of training of division-level political cadres to meet the requirements and tasks of the grassroots units under the motto that “The schools’ quality of training is the units’ combat readiness”; proposal of solutions to improve the capacity of political presiding and innovation of leadership styles for political cadres at all levels; prevention and combat against “peaceful evolution” in the cultural and ideological fields and fight against the wrong views of hostile, reactionary forces, etc. Research contents and tasks should be carried out through scientific seminars at the College and grassroots levels, scientific programs and projects at the Ministry of National Defence, the General Staff, the General Political Department, and grassroots levels undertaken by the College or units. In determining research contents and tasks, it is required to closely follow the direction and guidance of the functional agencies under the Ministry of National Defence and base on the actual capacity and research ability of the scientific researchers of the College to ensure that the research contents are carried out with inheritance, succession, and development in a unified orthopedic structure of the research problems.

Finally, to continue to improve the quality of social science and humanities works at all levels to ensure correct process, quality, and efficiency. To implement this issue well, the College needs to attach importance to the synchronous implementation of mentoring and fostering plans on knowledge, skills and research processes; guide young cadres, lecturers, and cadets to participate in social science and humanities projects or practice researching on individual scientific projects and programs to be suitable to capacity, qualifications, and experience. It is also required to actively participate in the movement entitled “Creative youth in the Army” ... and take performance results as one of the criteria for emulation, reward, and evaluation of the completion of tasks of organisations and individuals every year. Along with that, the College should continue to expand exchange and cooperation  activities with scientific research centres and educational and training institutions inside and outside the Army in implementing scientific projects and tasks and organising seminars and conferences; develop mechanisms to effectively promote the combination of the College with grassroots units in performing tasks of science and application and testing of practical effectiveness of scientific products; strengthen the organisation of visits for scientific staff to grassroots units, and enlist the opinions of leaders, commanders, functional agencies, and cadres at all levels in detecting and proposing problems arising from training practices, combat readiness, and Party and political work that scientific work needs to  resolve at present.

Senior Colonel, PhD. NGUYEN HUY HOANG, Deputy Director of the College