On December 27, 2023, the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies (CECRS) under the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-USSH) had a working session and handed over policy consultation proposals to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.
At the meeting, Associate Professor Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, Director of the Center for Contemporary Religion Studies said that, in addition to research activities in the field of religious studies and philosophy, the Center has been promoting policy consulting work. Not only developing professional and academic issues, the Center's team of scientists actively contributes ideas, helping functional agencies such as the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, ... to perfect state legal documents related to religion such as the Ordinance on Belief and Religion (2004); Law on Belief and Religion (2016) and many other legal documents, contributing to resolving hot spots related to religion and ethnicity. Through its activities, the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies is truly a bridge for officials, dignitaries, monks and researchers at home and abroad to meet, exchange and build mutual trust.
Associate Professor, Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh shared the enthusiasm of scientists at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU in contributing their intelligence to the completion and development of the Government's policy system on religion and belief.
The three scientific reports respectfully handed over by the Center to the representative of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs are issues of current concern, including: "On the 2016 Law on Religious Beliefs and Religions, some issues ahead"; "Normalization of Vietnam - Vatican relations (inspired by visits of Vietnamese leaders to the Holy See)"; "Current status of religious practice in Vietnam: some issues raised". According to Associate Professor, Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh, these are reports of high scientific and practical value, distilled by scientists of CECRS to transfer to the state management agency on religious beliefs and religions in order to contribute to the development and completion of the country's religious policies.
Previously, the Center for Contemporary Religion Studies organized a scientific discussion and contributed comments to the policy advisory report with the participation of leading scientists in the fields of religion, belief, philosophy, cultural studies, etc. to complete the important policy recommendations of the above reports before handing them over to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.
Ms. Tran Thi Minh Nga - Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs highly appreciated the research results and policy advice of VNU-USSH scientists.
Appreciating the contributions of scientists from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU in general and the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies in particular to the activities of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, Ms. Tran Thi Minh Nga - Deputy Head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs said that in the past time, scientists with their enthusiasm and intelligence have provided valuable advice to the management agency. From the results of academic research, rich in theoretical value of scientists at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in particular and universities in general, combined with practical implementation at the central and local levels, will be an important basis to supplement the Government's policies on religion and belief.
Ms. Tran Thi Minh Nga emphasized that the transfer of valuable research results from the Center for Contemporary Religion Studies to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs will be a good start for extensive cooperation activities between the two units. The two sides also exchanged their wishes to sign a memorandum of understanding to implement cooperation activities effectively and quickly.
Assoc.Prof.Dr. Lai Quoc Khanh - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU, Director of the Center for Contemporary Religious Studies handed over 03 scientific reports on religious beliefs to representatives of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.
The handover ceremony of VNU-USSH's research results to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs was attended by prestigious scientists.
Center for Contemporary Religious Studies(Center for Contemporary Religious Studies (CECRS) located at Room 507, Building A, 336 Nguyen Trai - Thanh Xuan - Hanoi) was established on October 17, 2007 as a result of cooperation between the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Institute of Religious Studies (Missionswissenschaftliches Institut Missio e. V, English name Institute of Missiology) based in Aachen, Germany to promote training and research on religious issues at Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Immediately after its establishment, the Center has carried out a series of activities. Since 2009, the Center has regularly organized annual international and domestic seminars/conferences on religious topics, attracting a large number of scholars from Europe, North America as well as countries in the region. Some of the seminars include: 1. Religion and culture in the context of globalization (2009); 2. Philosophy of religion: Some theoretical and practical issues (2010); 3. Religion and the problem of modernization" (2011); 4. Religion in the context of modern society (2012); 5. Religion in public life (2013); 6. Religion and culture in the context of current Vietnamese society" (2014); 7. Research and teaching of German thinkers at universities (2015); 8. Religion and ethics in modern society (2016); 9. Christian thinkers and intellectuals in Vietnam in comparison with the region (2017); 10. Religion and Western science: a comparative approach in Vietnam and the region (2018); 11. Religion - cultural and social resources: behavior in some countries and experiences for Vietnam (2021); 12. Religion, folk beliefs in Vietnam and the region: Comparative research approaches (December 2022).
Every year, the Center invites visiting professors from other countries to the school to teach issues related to the fields of religious studies and philosophy.
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