On October 10, 2026, the University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), hosted the International Scientific Conference on “Teaching and Researching Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Languages and Cultures” at Sunwah Hall. The event brought together scholars, lecturers, and experts from Vietnam and abroad to exchange academic insights, share practical experience, and explore emerging trends in the study of languages and cultures across the region.

Among the invited guests and scholars attending the conference were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Giap, former Deputy Director of Vietnam National University Press, Hanoi; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hoa, former President of the Hanoi Linguistics Association; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Hoanh, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Linguistics; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nam, former Dean of the Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Vietnamese Language at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung of the Vietnam Writers’ Association; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong Hanh of the Faculty of Linguistics and Vietnamese Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU; Dr. Bui Duy Duong, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Linguistics and Vietnamese Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU; and Dr. Ho Thi Thanh of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, along with lecturers and researchers representing various other institutions.

Representing ULIS were Dr. Hoa Ngoc Son, Vice President of the University, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Lan Trung, President of the Vietnam Linguistics Association and Chair of the University’s Advisory Council on Policy and Strategy. The conference also welcomed university leaders, staff, lecturers, doctoral candidates, presenters, postgraduate students, and a large number of students from the Faculty of Vietnamese Language, Culture and Southeast Asia at ULIS–VNU.

In his opening remarks, Vice President Hoa Ngoc Son expressed his sincere gratitude to the delegates, invited guests, scholars, and experts who contributed valuable presentations and participated in the event. He emphasized the role of language as a bridge that transcends geographical barriers in educational cooperation and cultural exchange. He also highlighted the academic and practical significance of the conference, which attracted a large number of scholars from Vietnam and abroad.

At the first plenary presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong Hanh, a lecturer at the Faculty of Linguistics and Vietnamese Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, presented a paper on teaching culture to international students learning Vietnamese. Drawing on a statement by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Giap, former Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Director of Vietnam National University Press, Hanoi — “Language is an indispensable companion to human beings, a means of communication and a distinctive tool of thought closely associated with social life” — she first explored the close relationship between language and culture. She then highlighted a shift in educational objectives, from developing “native-like communicative competence” toward fostering “intercultural communicative competence.”

Through vivid examples, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Hong Hanh discussed the opportunities available to language learners, including developing intercultural competence, open-mindedness, and empathy, as well as accessing open educational resources and multicultural environments. She also identified the challenges involved in transitioning from bilingual to multilingual teaching approaches. Concluding her presentation, she examined culture from both static and dynamic perspectives, reaffirming a fundamental principle: cultural knowledge is always integrated into linguistic knowledge.

Next, Dr. Tran Huu Tri, Dean of the Faculty of Vietnamese Language, Culture and Southeast Asia at ULIS–VNU, discussed the current situation and institutional policy directions for teaching Vietnamese as a foreign language at the University. He highlighted the importance of “nhập ngữ” in providing learners with extensive knowledge and accelerating their engagement with the Vietnamese language.

In his presentation, Dr. Tran Huu Tri emphasized that although the Faculty of Vietnamese Language, Culture and Southeast Asia had been established only two years earlier, it had already attracted numerous international exchange programs thanks to the quality of its training and its practical extracurricular activities. Based on this experience, he proposed several institutional policy directions, including reforming teacher training, optimizing curricula for different learner groups, standardizing assessment, and expanding opportunities to use Vietnamese in real-life contexts.

In the third plenary presentation, Dr. Ho Thi Thanh of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, presented a paper entitled “Motivations for Learning Indigenous Languages in Southeast Asia among Students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU: A Case Study of Indonesian and Thai Language Learners.” At the beginning of her presentation, Dr. Ho Thi Thanh provided an overview of the context of indigenous language learning by discussing the history and development of Southeast Asian Studies programs and their language teaching activities.

She also shared interesting insights into the motivations that lead students to study Thai in particular and indigenous languages more generally. Her presentation included specific statistics on the proportion of students studying Thai in the Thai Studies and Oriental Studies programs.

The plenary session was followed by a group photo and a tea break.

Following the plenary session, the conference continued with two parallel sessions dedicated to in-depth discussions. Session 1 focused on “Linguistics, Contrastive Studies, and Vietnamese Language Teaching,” while Session 2 explored “Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Cultures in the Context of Cultural Exchange, Integration, and Digital Transformation.” Both sessions offered diverse academic perspectives and valuable practical insights.

At the conclusion of the conference, representatives of the University’s leadership expressed their sincere appreciation to the experts, scholars, presenters, and delegates in attendance. The contributions and discussions from the conference sessions will provide an important foundation for the University to further improve the quality of its research and teaching and expand its partnerships in the years ahead.

More photos from the event:

International students from the Faculty of Vietnamese Language, Culture and Southeast Asia attend the event.