[AY26 - 27] Associate Professor/ Full Professor in Computational Communication and Digital Methods

ABOUT VINUNIVERSITY

VinUniversity (VinUni) is Vietnam’s first private, not-for-profit university established to international standards, with the vision of becoming one of the world’s top universities. Guided by its core values (EXCEL) of Empathy, Creativity, Leadership Mindset, Exceptional Capability, and Entrepreneurial Spirit, VinUni develops talent equipped to create meaningful impact in Vietnam and globally.

Founded by Vingroup, one of Asia’s largest private conglomerates, VinUni benefits from a dynamic ecosystem spanning Industrials & Technology, Real Estate & Services, Infrastructure, Green Energy, Culture, and Social Enterprises. This ecosystem provides unique opportunities for collaboration and innovation through leading organizations such as VinFast, Vinpearl, Vinmec, Vinschool, and Vinhomes, as well as a vibrant entrepreneurial network including VinVentures, VinMotion, VinRobotics, VinSpace, and VinEnergo, etc.

VinUni comprises four colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Management, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the College of Health Sciences. The University has established strategic partnerships with Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) to advance excellence in education, research, and innovation.

In 2024, VinUni became the youngest and fastest university globally to achieve QS 5 Stars, earning the highest rating in nine categories: Global Engagement, Good Governance, Program Strength, Academic Development, Teaching, Employability, Facilities, Arts, and Social Impact. The University was also appointed by UNESCO as the first and only UNESCO Chair University, focusing on Environmental Leadership, Cultural Heritage, and Biodiversity.

As a rapidly growing research-intensive university, VinUni is investing in world-class talent, research centers, and cutting-edge facilities to drive breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Data Science, Robotics, Engineering, Business, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, and other advanced technologies.

THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

At VinUniversity, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) is the academic home where every student begins their university journey. CAS is not only the foundation of VinUniversity’s General Education program but also offers three Bachelor of Arts (BA) programs:

• Psychology
• Economics
• Multimedia Communications

Designed in collaboration with leading international universities and top experts in Vietnam, CAS provides an interdisciplinary and globally connected education. Our General Education program serves as a bridge—between past and future, theory and practice, and local and global perspectives—helping students discover their potential while contributing to Vietnam and the world.

With a bold interdisciplinary approach, we design courses and co-curricular programs that encourage students to ask big questions, explore new ideas, and apply their knowledge in real-world contexts. Our goal is to cultivate future leaders with Character, Competence, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and National Pride-Global Awareness—six key attributes that define a VinUniversity graduate.

The College of Arts and Sciences at VinUniversity is seeking a research-active and innovative scholar for the position of Associate Professor/Full Professor in Computational Communication and Digital Methods within the BA in Multimedia Communication. The appointment will play a central role in developing the program’s capabilities in digital research methods, communication data, computational approaches, artificial intelligence, and the analysis of contemporary media and information environments.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Research & Scholarship:

• Conduct high-impact research using computational, quantitative, and data-intensive approaches to communication and media, contributing to international scholarship and VinUniversity’s expanding research ecosystem.
• Develop and maintain a distinctive research agenda involving areas such as computational communication, digital methods, social and platform data, computational social science, automated content analysis, network analysis, text analysis, natural language processing, data visualization, machine learning, algorithm auditing, AI-assisted research, or related methodologies.
• Apply computational and digital methods to substantive questions concerning communication, media, platforms, audiences, information environments, digital cultures, and society.
• Publish in leading international peer-reviewed journals and other high-quality scholarly outlets and present research at major international conferences.
• Pursue competitive external funding and develop interdisciplinary research collaborations across communication, media studies, data science, computing, social sciences, and related fields.
• Contribute to the responsible and critical development of computational approaches, including attention to research ethics, data quality, algorithmic bias, transparency, validity, and methodological limitations.
• Develop opportunities for research relevant to Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and the wider Global South while contributing to international debates in computational communication and digital research.

TEACHING

• Deliver high-quality undergraduate instruction in computational communication, digital research methods, communication data, and related areas.
• Teach and contribute to courses in areas such as data visualization, digital media research, communication research methods, social-media and platform analysis, audience analytics, AI and communication, and digital information environments.
• Contribute to the development of the program’s existing data component toward a broader curriculum in digital data and media methods.
• Introduce students, at an appropriate undergraduate level, to techniques such as data collection and cleaning, visualization, digital-trace analysis, automated content analysis, text analysis, network analysis, and introductory programming or computational research workflows.
• Develop students’ ability to critically evaluate digital data, computational evidence, analytical tools, and AI-assisted research.
• Connect computational methods to substantive communication and media questions rather than treating technical tools as ends in themselves.
• Contribute more broadly to teaching within the BA in Multimedia Communication according to program needs.

ACTIVE LEARNING

• Develop and implement hands-on, student-centered learning approaches, including Team-Based Learning, Project-Based Learning, and Action-Based Learning where appropriate.
• Design learning activities in which students work with appropriate real-world media, audience, communication, and platform datasets.
• Integrate computational tools, applied research problems, and critical data literacy into project-based and experiential learning.

STUDENT MENTORSHIP

• Guide and support students in academic growth, undergraduate research, professional development, graduate-study preparation, and industry readiness.
• Mentor students undertaking data-driven and computational communication projects.
• Support students in developing the conceptual, methodological, and practical capabilities required to investigate contemporary communication and information environments.
• Encourage undergraduate research and pathways toward further study in computational communication, digital methods, media analytics, communication research, and related areas.

PROGRAM & INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Provide intellectual and methodological leadership in strengthening digital methods, data literacy, and computational capability within the BA in Multimedia Communication.
• Lead or contribute substantially to the redevelopment of the program’s existing data-visualization component into a broader sequence covering digital data and media methods.
• Help integrate data, platforms, computational approaches, and artificial intelligence more coherently across the Major Core and Open Course curriculum.
• Collaborate with faculty in New Media and Digital Culture to connect critical and conceptual understanding of digital media systems with the methodological capability to investigate those systems.
• Collaborate with faculty working in communication strategy, storytelling, media production, social media, professional practice, and related fields.
• Develop interdisciplinary collaboration with relevant faculty and units across VinUniversity in areas including data science, artificial intelligence, computing, business, and the social sciences.
• Contribute to curriculum development, university service, and external engagement, ensuring VinUniversity’s programs remain innovative and globally relevant.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

• Academic Qualifications: A PhD in Communication, Communication Science, Media Studies, Computational Social Science, Information Science, or a closely related field from a reputable university.
• Record of Research Excellence: A strong international record of impactful research and publication appropriate to appointment at Associate Professor/ Full Professor level, with evidence of a coherent and active research agenda involving computational or data-intensive approaches to communication and media.
• Computational Communication Expertise: Demonstrated expertise in one or more areas such as computational communication, computational social science, digital methods, social-media or platform data, automated content analysis, text analysis, natural language processing, network analysis, data visualization, machine learning, algorithm auditing, or AI-assisted research.
• Methodological Capability: Demonstrated ability to use and teach contemporary computational research methods, ideally including experience with programming environments or tools such as R, Python, or comparable platforms.
• Communication and Media Orientation: Demonstrated ability to apply computational and digital methods to substantive research questions in communication, media, platforms, audiences, and digital society.
• Critical Data Literacy: Strong understanding of the ethical, epistemological, and social implications of computational and AI-enabled research, including questions of data quality, representation, bias, privacy, validity, and transparency.
• Research Leadership: Evidence of the capacity to develop research collaborations, pursue external funding, supervise or mentor student research, and contribute to the development of a growing research environment.
• Record of Teaching Excellence: A demonstrated history of effective university teaching, including the ability to teach methodological and technical material to students with differing levels of quantitative and computational preparation.
• Curriculum Development: Demonstrated ability to design, revise, and develop courses or methodological sequences in computational communication, digital methods, data analysis, or related areas.
• Interdisciplinary Orientation: Ability to work productively across communication, media studies, computational social science, data science, computing, and related fields.
• Experiential Learning Proficiency: Experience with hands-on, project-based, data-driven, Team-Based, or Action-Based Learning approaches is highly valued.
• Adaptability & Innovation: A forward-thinking and adaptable mindset, with a willingness to engage with rapidly changing methods, technologies, data environments, and teaching approaches.
• Communication Skills: Excellent English communication skills, written and verbal.
• International Teaching Experience: Prior experience teaching in multicultural or international settings is highly valued, as is the ability to effectively engage and support students for whom English is an additional language through inclusive and adaptable teaching methods.
• Work Permit Eligibility: International applicants must have the relevant professional experience and qualifications required to meet Vietnam’s work permit requirements.
• Alignment with VinUni’s core values: Empathy, Exceptional Capability, Creativity, Entrepreneurial Spirit, and Leadership Mindset

COMPENSATION

The salary and benefits are internationally competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

We thank all applicants for their interest. Please note that only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.