Workshop “Southeast Asian Studies in Vietnam: Prospects and Challenges”

The workshop was attended by Ms. Wendy Matthews (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of New Zealand to Vietnam) and representatives from the embassies of Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and others.

Wendy Matthews - Ambassador of New Zealand to Vietnam

The workshop shared in-depth information on the formation and development of Southeast Asian studies worldwide. Accordingly, Southeast Asian studies originated and developed after World War II, starting in North America and then spreading to Europe from the 1950s. By 1970, Southeast Asian studies had gained widespread attention from the global regional studies community. However, since 1990, interest in Southeast Asia has tended to decline in European and American countries, but Southeast Asian studies scholars in the region have begun to show greater interest in this field of study.

In Vietnam, Southeast Asian studies were established and developed much earlier than in other countries in the region. However, it was only from 1995, after the establishment of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, that Southeast Asian studies training truly received attention. The Faculty of Oriental Studies became a pioneering unit in research in this field. But Southeast Asian studies essentially remained limited to country studies, meaning that training focused on the language and culture of individual countries in the region, rather than researching regional studies and its relationship with regional studies as a science of the region. In 2018, the first undergraduate program in Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities opened up new prospects for this field of study.

Scientists discussed emerging trends in Southeast Asian studies; key issues in Southeast Asian studies that are attracting international attention; and the relationship between Southeast Asian studies as a regional science and ASEAN studies...

In addition, the presentations also pointed out existing problems in the current training of Southeast Asian studies in Vietnam. The biggest challenge is how to train high-quality human resources to ensure the country's successful integration into the region and to enhance the knowledge and awareness of Vietnamese people and economic and political policymakers about Southeast Asia.

Key presentations at the conference:Southeast Asian Studies in Vietnam: Prospects and Challenges Teaching Southeast Asia as a regional studies, Achievements and Challenges in Southeast Asian Studies in Vietnam: A Perspective from the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies,Thai Studies in Vietnam: Reality and Trends The Greater Mekong Subregion - Challenges and Prospects From Southeast Asian Studies to Asian Studies – Geopolitical Shifts in Perception Research and teaching of Southeast Asian studies in Singapore, Vietnam, and Japan during the 1990s. Democratic governance in Southeast Asia: ongoing and emerging trends; Reflections on Southeast Asian studies: hopes and anxieties....

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