With an excellent performance showing her understanding as well as love toward the book “The Story of My Life” by the visually-impaired author Helen Keller, Ms. Nguyen Hoai Linh – a student of the Faculty of English Language Teacher Education (FELTE) stepped up to the highest position and was awarded the special prize of 450 USD in the Book Review Contest 2019.

On April 22^nd, 2019, the University of Languages and International Studies – Vietnam National University, Hanoi (ULIS – VNU) held the Finale of the Book Review Competition 2019.

The Contest was attended by Ms. Hua Thanh Hoa, Vice Chairman of Hanoi Students’ Association/Chairman of Students’ Association of VNU. From ULIS, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Long, ULIS Vice President;  Ms. Dao Thi Nga My, Dean of the Faculty of Japanese Language and Culture/Chief Judge; Mr. Le Hoai An, Dean of the Faculty of German Language and Culture; Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hien, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Chinese Language and Culture; Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Vice Dean of the Faculty of English Language Teacher Education; Ms. Nguyen Thuy Duong Vice, Dean of the Faculty of Korean Language and Culture; Mr. Khoa Anh Viet and Mr. Trinh Hai Tuan, Director and Deputy Director of Center for Information Technology, Communication and Learning Resources; Mr. Nguyen Hoang Giang and Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Anh, Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Communist Youth Union; Ms. Dang Huyen Thu, Chairwoman of the Students’ Association; judges; and numerous staff, lecturers and students attended the event.

Implementing plans and key tasks in the school year of 2018-2019, responding to the Project of Developing Reading Culture in the community until 2020 and orientation to 2030 on education and training reform of the Ministry of Education and Training, the Center for Information Technology, Communication and Learning Resources (ULIS – VNU) held Book Review Contest 2019. This competition is aimed at raising students’ perception about and awareness of the value and importance of reading in education; broadening our knowledge in the digital era; promoting the self-study and self-research spirit; building reading habits and creating the interest in reading in students of ULIS – VNU. Being deployed since October 2018, the Contest has been paid great attention by lecturers and students of the University. Through 02 rounds of competition, the Contest received 321 entries with various titles, categories and fields from the students. The 10 best works made their ways into the Finale.

Speaking at the contest, Vice President Nguyen Xuan Long praised the reading spirit of ULIS students. He hoped that they would actively go to the Learning Resource Section of the Center for Information Technology, Communication and Learning Resources to read and borrow books so as to experience and enrich their knowledge and culture. Vice President Nguyen Xuan Long also expected the competition to promote the reading culture at ULIS.

In the Finale, each contestant had 5 minutes to introduce the book of his or her choice as well as convey his feelings to the audience, then have 5 minutes to answer questions from the panel of judges. To each contestant, each performance was the sharing of knowledge and expression of the affection to and interest in his or her book.

After the exciting competition, the organizers announced the final winners. The competition had 10 main prizes and 03 small prizes. Nguyen Hoai Linh (a student of FELTE) won the highest prize of the contest through her excellent presentation on the work “The Story of My Life”.

The list of prizes is as follows:

Special prize: Nguyen Hoai Linh (Faculty of English Language Teacher Education) – The Story of My Life

First prize: Phan Thi Le (Faculty of Russian Language and Culture) – How the Steel was Tempered

Second prize: Hoang Thi Chung (Faculty of Chinese Language and Culture) – Ancient Chinese Culinary Culture

Third prize: Nguyen Thi Ngoc Giao (Faculty of Korean Language and Culture) – The Catcher in the Rye, Luong Thi Lan Huong (Faculty of Russian Language and Culture) – White Bim Black Ear

Consolation prize: Duong Cao Thai Son (Faculty of Japanese Language and Culture) – Erin Learns Japanese, Pham Thi Lan (Faculty of German Language and Culture) – Causes and Consequences of the Vietnam War, Bui Thi Hoang Phuong (Faculty of Japanese Language and Culture) – Erin learns Japanese, Tran Thi My Ninh (Faculty of Chinese Language and Culture) – China Restoration and Do Thi Minh Chi (Faculty of Japanese Language and Culture) – Step by step to conquer Japanese

The faculty has the most submissions based on the student rate: Faculty of Korean Language and Culture

The class has the most entries: 18J2

The candidate with the favorite entry: Tran Thi My Ninh (Faculty of Chinese Language and Culture) – China Restoration

In addition, submissions passing the elimination round also received rewards of 4.5 USD.

On the sideline of the finale, the contest also had the exhibition of 10 works that were voted through to the finale and book exchange day. There were 415 turns of book exchanges of students and staff in 3 days.

The Book Review Contest 2019 came to an end and found the owners of prizes. The contest created the environment for students to explore foreign literary works, thereby nurturing the love for this learning resource as well as promoting the reading culture among students.