Abstract

Social sciences and humanities (SSH) constitute an integral component of engineering education; however, engineering students often pay insufficient attention to these subjects. Focusing on Hanoi University of Science and Technology, this study examines the role of SSH knowledge based on a survey of 126 first-year students, document analysis, and observations made during the teaching process. The findings indicate that students primarily recognize the value of SSH courses in developing essential competencies, particularly critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and awareness of professional ethics. By contrast, relatively few students perceive a direct connection between these courses and their engineering disciplines. This gap provides a basis for discussing several approaches to strengthening the integration of SSH and technical education.

Keywords: Competencies, comprehensive education, critical thinking, education, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, humanities, social sciences.