05/08/2026
Held in an open academic environment, the program drew a large number of lecturers, students, and graduate students, contributing to Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day while spreading a love of reading and strengthening learners' capacity for self-directed study and research amid digital transformation.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Le Sy Hung, Deputy Director of the Center for Information Technology, Communication and Library at Hong Duc University, stressed that the program was not only an activity marking Vietnam Book and Reading Culture Day but also an occasion to inspire a spirit of learning and research among students. In his view, each book can become a journey that helps shape learners' awareness, thinking, and career direction.
From the perspective of learning-resource management, Dr. Le Sy Hung affirmed the growing importance of the library and its digital resource ecosystem in helping learners move from passive knowledge acquisition to active and personalized learning - in line with the current demands of higher education reform.
Drawing on deeply personal experience, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Tu Anh, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Hong Duc University, shared her own journey with books in sincere, scholarly reflections. "Reading every day," she said, "is a source of happiness for me." She added that during difficult times, books had not only provided knowledge but had also become a source of spiritual support, helping to shape character and enrich inner life.
Drawing on her own experience, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Tu Anh emphasized that reading should begin with specific academic requirements and gradually develop into scientific research capacity, preparing learners for advanced academic study and research. She stressed that scholars, in particular, must uphold a core principle: reading and writing with care and objectivity, avoiding superficial judgments, in order to safeguard scientific rigor and academic value.
The program was structured around two main sessions - presentations and a discussion on reading culture - forming a coherent whole that connected theory with practice.
In the paper presentation session, researchers and lecturers offered a range of perspectives on reading and writing in university life - from personal writing journeys and research-oriented reading methods to new approaches to reading behavior in the digital age. Notable topics included students' reading expectations, academic reading methods, book introductions, and the question of redefining reading behavior through posthumanist theory - all of which helped broaden students' understanding, spark critical thinking, and build their capacity for self-directed learning.
Dr. Luu Thi Thanh Thuy, a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, argued that in the digital age, reading is no longer centered solely on human beings but unfolds within a network of humans, machines, data, and the natural environment. From a posthumanist perspective, reading emphasizes interaction, co-creation, and the influence of algorithms - meaning that a text's significance lies not only with the human reader but also in its relationship with technology and the surrounding ecosystem. Today's readers, she said, need to learn to read in a multidimensional, critical way and to understand the role algorithms play in shaping a text's meaning.
For the theme "Every Book, A Journey of Change," Dr. Hoang Thi Hue, a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, introduced the Vietnamese edition of The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma, published in Vietnamese as Đời ngắn đừng ngủ dài, aiming to inspire the student audience. Her talk captivated listeners, moving from how to approach a book to how to engage with it deeply enough to absorb its full range of insights.
Weaving in engaging anecdotes from the book itself, the speaker also showed the audience - students in particular - how to write a book review, and more broadly, how to read and summarize a book. Although framed as a review, the talk built a clear line of argument: that picking up a book can sometimes begin by chance, perhaps sparked by an appealing title, which she used to encourage young people to read; a concise overview of the book's main themes chapter by chapter, with connections drawn between them and deeper analysis reserved for the most important chapters; and an explanation of what makes the book so accessible to readers - its short, relatable stories written in a style that is gentle yet insightful.
Beyond offering engaging insights into the life skills Robin Sharma presents in the book, the talk also inspired its student listeners - young people driven by ambition and a desire to contribute, yet not immune to the uncertainties of youth. From an academic standpoint, the talk also opened up important reflections on reading culture and on how to engage deeply and broadly with a book's content, in keeping with the spirit of "Every Book, A Journey of Change."
At the program, Vu Ngoc Dinh, MA, a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, also shared his journey as an author, introduced his own published work, and discussed approaches to research-oriented reading.
Beyond simply introducing books, the program created an open academic space in which reading was understood as a process of knowledge-building, closely tied to learners' capacity for research and creativity in the modern university environment.
The discussion session that followed was lively, drawing a wide range of views on reading habits amid digital transformation, methods for selecting, evaluating, and using academic resources, and the role of reading in developing critical thinking and creativity. These contributions not only enriched the program's content but also helped shape an open academic environment and foster an active, engaged learning community within the University.
As the program drew to a close, its value went beyond the discussions themselves, spreading a powerful message about the importance of a reading culture in university life. Reading is more than a personal habit - it is a core foundation that nurtures academic thinking, sparks creativity, and supports learners' sustainable growth in the context of modern education.
Written by: Hoang Lam (Hong Duc University Website)