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| Prof. Furuta Motoo |
The event marked the conclusion of his 10-year tenure (2016–2026), set to end in mid-April. As the first foreign rector in the VNU, he laid the foundation for an international academic environment grounded in liberal education, sustainability and innovation.
This is an opportunity for the academic community, partners and generations of students to look back at the research and teaching journey of Professor Dr. Furuta Motoo. At the same time, expressing gratitude before he ends his term in April.
At the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo delivered his final lecture with the theme "My more than 50-year Vietnamese research path: From the past to the future". The lecture was presented in Vietnamese.
In the opening part, Prof.Dr. Furuta Motoo emotionally shared: "For me, Vietnam is like my first love of my life. After more than half a century, I am still faithful to this love. Because here there is the affection of friends, teachers who guide me, colleagues and generations of students.
The lecture by the Rector of Vietnam Japan University summarized his research journey on Vietnam with 4 contents.
In part one, Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo summarized 4 generations of Vietnamese Scholars in Japan. Among them, he belongs to the third generation - people who studied Vietnam from the resistance war period.
In part two: "Towards the world but at the same time closely following Vietnam's reality", Professor Dr. Furuta Motoo mentioned his impression of Vietnam's resistance war against the US. This is also the reason that motivated him to choose to study Vietnam while studying in Japan.
When I started, I chose to study Vietnam with the desire to understand the world. It was the attraction from the flag of the national liberation movement, building socialism that motivated me to persevere with this decision" - Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo recounted.
In part three, Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo shared his summary of the resilience of Vietnamese people.
Finally, he recalled the research achievements - the book "The Hunger of 1945 in Vietnam". The work received the State Prize for Science and Technology.
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Assoc.Prof.Dr. Pham Bao Son - VNU Vice President affirmed: "Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo is one of the leading scholars in the world in Vietnamese studies.
Throughout his life, he has devoted his whole heart to studying modern Vietnamese history, contributing to bringing Vietnamese studies beyond borders, becoming a solid bridge for Vietnam-Japan relations.
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Speaking at the event, Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang, Chairman of the VNU’s Council for Science and Training, highlighted Furuta’s significant yet quiet contributions to Vietnam studies and bilateral relations. He also recalled a notable moment in 1995 when Furuta provided key policy advice supporting Japan’s ODA initiatives toward Vietnam, helping lay the groundwork for today’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
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Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Ito Naoki praised Furuta’s tireless efforts since the VJU's early days, noting that under his strong leadership, academic programmes have steadily expanded, with enrolment growing to nearly 2,000 students.
To honor the contributions of Professor Dr. Furuta Motoo, VNU decided to award him the Medal "For the Development of Vietnam National University, Hanoi".
Also at the ceremony, VNU Vietnam Japan University oganized a seminar with the theme "10 years of liberal arts education practice in Vietnam: Achievements and challenges".
In which, Prof. Dr. Furuta Motoo also gave summaries of experiences in liberal arts education in 10 years of serving as Rector of Vietnam-Japan University.
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