In the 1950s, the University started to conduct research in the fields of educational science including pedagogy, psychology, and teaching methods, which had never been studied by any Vietnamese universities or colleges at that time. As a leading pedagogical university in Vietnam, education research is responsive to current needs and emerging issues of Vietnam, including Education for sustainable development, STEM education, capacity development-oriented education, special education for children with autism spectrum disorders, training teachers to meet the requirements of the General Education Program in 2018, etc. Research projects on Early Childhood Education, Primary Education, and Special Education have been exploring children's and teachers' knowledge and experience in these areas to create evidence-based practices for optimal teaching and learning opportunities within early care and education settings. These research results have been widely applied in high schools such as: documents for supporting rehabilitation for autistic children in Vietnam; models of school psychology counseling activities in high schools, school program development, experiential activities, etc. This research has enhanced the well-being of children, youth, adults, and families in the nation and the world by improving the environments in which they live and learn. Some research results are the basis for the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to develop national education policies on assessment, STEM education, and on coordination in education between families, schools, and society.
Based on the spirit: “human development is created by humans”, the University has defined prioritized fields of research that are attached to Vietnam’s development needs and Vietnamese historical, cultural, social, national, and human traditions; to its particular model and path of development; to its role and position in regional and international relations; and its sovereignty and security, especially in and around the sea and islands, etc. Psychology, linguistics, and pedagogical studies have all already produced epistemological models and strategies for analyzing specific problems in the fields of their respective disciplines as well as interdisciplinary ones which are useful for identifying the complex interrelations that exist between means of communication and cognitive processes, and in human spirit.
Currently, interdisciplinary studies of literature - culture - language is the pioneering research approach, in addition to comparative literature, folklore, poetics, research on literary history theory, narrative studies, semiotics, discourse theory, literary reception, ecocriticism, etc. The University has been home to many of Vietnam’s leading researchers in the fields of culture, history, and literature, such as Prof. Cao Huy Dinh, Prof. Dang Thai Mai, Prof. Pham Huy Thong, Prof. Bui Van Ba, Prof. Do Huu Chau, Prof. Phung Van Tuu, Prof. Nguyen Dinh Chu, Prof. Nguyen Dang Manh, Prof. Truong Huu Quynh, etc. In particular, many studies on social sciences and humanities won the most prestigious science and technology awards in Vietnam such as the Ho Chi Minh and the National Prize. These include: Critical theory, literary research methodology (written by Prof. Bui Van Ba), Natural territory and geographical regions of Vietnam (written by Prof. Le Ba Thao), Pragmatics (written by Prof. Do Huu Chau), works on Nguyen Trai (written by Prof. Bui Van Nguyen), works on French novels in the second half of the twentieth century (written by Prof. Phung Van Tuu), etc.
