On May 14, 2024, the WTO Chair Program Management Board - FTU held the Opening Ceremony of the Training Course on Research Methods in International Trade for Young Lecturers.

Attending the opening ceremony were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thu Huong - Vice Rector of the University, Head of the WCP-FTU Program Steering Committee; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Trinh Thi Thu Huong - Deputy Director of the Institute of International Economics and Business, Director of the FTU Chair Program; Dr. Vu Kim Ngan - Deputy Director of the FTU Chair Program; along with experts, teachers participating in teaching the training course, members of the Program Management Board and students of the training course.

In her opening speech, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Thu Huong - Vice President of the University, Head of the WCP-FTU Program Steering Committee expressed her joy that the course was organized after a period of incubation and preparation. She especially emphasized the sustainability and connectivity of this course, in which the goal of improving the research capacity on international trade issues for young lecturers is the most important goal. She also expressed her expectation that the course, with the companionship and guidance of experts and leading teachers on international trade, will bring the most modern and updated perspectives, approaches, and research methods to students. Finally, she hopes that young students participating in the course will actively study and be proactive and creative throughout the course to gain more value for themselves and their research work.

Within the framework of the opening ceremony of the course, Dr. Pham Thi Cam Anh - Head of the WCP-FTU Program Research Subcommittee, gave an overview of the course: Objectives, Lecturers, Curriculum Content, Time, Results, and Course Requirements. Accordingly, the objective of the course is to provide systematic knowledge of economic and legal research methods in international trade; at the same time, students will have access to new research directions and current outstanding issues in international trade. Apply advanced and modern economic and legal research methods in in-depth studies on international trade. The course will be divided into 2 stages: Basic and Advanced with 15 theoretical lessons, practical guidance, mentoring under the guidance of leading experts, lecturers, experienced and research works on international trade at home and abroad. The course content focuses on the following topics: PTA, business data mining and analysis, industry data in trade research, gravity model, international trade law research, model practice, publishing research articles in prestigious international trade journals, etc. At the end of the training course, students will be awarded a certificate of completion and are encouraged to have at least 1 article published in prestigious journals and scientific conferences.

Immediately after the opening ceremony, the course began its first lesson with the content of "Previous and future preferential trade agreements" taught by Professor Manfred Elsig - Deputy Director of the WTI World Trade Institute, University of Bern (Switzerland).