“Reshaping Economic Borders: Regionalism and the Right Way to Address Global Challenges”

On May 30, 2024, Foreign Trade University cooperated with Laval University (Canada) to organize the 2024 International Student Conference with the theme “Reshaping Economic Borders: Regionalism and the Right Way to Address Global Challenges”, with the participation of the School's Faculty of Law and the CLE - FTU Legal Practice Education Organization.

Attending the opening session, on the side of Foreign Trade University, there were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Ngoc Tien - Vice Rector of the School; Dr. Ha Cong Anh Bao - Dean of the Faculty of Law; Heads/Deputies of some units at fTU, along with staff and lecturers of the School.

In his opening speech at the Workshop, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Ngoc Tien said, “The articles submitted to the Workshop are serious scientific research works revolving around topics that have attracted public attention in recent times regarding international trade. The articles demonstrated effort and creativity with multi-dimensional analysis and perspectives, but there was also no shortage of comments and assessments that reflected the "ego" of students passionate about scientific research". At the same time, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Ngoc Tien also sent his best wishes for the Conference to be a great success.

Representing Laval University, Canada, Dr. Ly Van Anh - Deputy Director of the Research Program on New Challenges of Economic Globalization (Chaire NEME) expressed that the cooperation between Laval University and Foreign Trade University is expected to create an academic exchange playground for students and trainees from many different regions and countries to discuss cross-border challenges in international trade.

Following the opening session were 5 thematic sessions. Including: Session 1: The relationship between regionalism and multilateralism in international trade; Session 2: Regional trade and some non-traditional issues (1); Session 3: Regional trade and a non-traditional issues (2); Session 4: E-commerce in regional trade agreements; Session 5: Regionalism and carbon market regulation.

Previously, the first day of the Workshop was successfully organized by Laval University in Quebec City, Canada with 20 papers presented on May 15, 2024. The Workshop in Vietnam was launched in September 2023. After 8 months, the Organizing Committee received dozens of proposals from students from many universities in Vietnam, Canada and France. Of which, 15 papers with the best quality were selected to be presented at the Workshop in 05 sessions under the evaluation of 03 judges in each session.

The papers at the Workshop were all evaluated by experts with experience and deep expertise in both theory and practice in international trade, such as: Ms. Dang Thi Thuy - Head of International Financial Law Department, Legal Department, Ministry of Finance; Dr. Ly Van Anh - Deputy Director of Chaire NEME Program, Laval University - Canada; Lawyer Nguyen Trung Nam - Senior Partner, Founder of EPLegal Law Firm; Lawyer Nguyen Quang Ngoc - Director of Vietsky Law Firm; Lawyer Nguyen Duy Hieu - Senior Partner of Sembcorp Energy Company; Ms. Bui Thi Thu Ha - Manager of Fair Finance Project, Oxfam in Vietnam; Ms. Bui Thi Thuy Duong - Dzungsrt & Associates Law Company Limited; Dr. Tran Thi Hong Nhung - Lecturer of Faculty of Law, University of Economics and Public Management, National Economics University and senior lecturers of Foreign Trade University.

In addition, the works submitted to the Conference are all serious scientific research works revolving around the current "hot topics" related to international trade: Regional trade agreements and their impacts on the global economy; Challenges and opportunities of regional economic cooperation related to global issues; Regional trade policies and their impact on economic globalization; Socio-economic consequences of regional trade agreements; Regional development strategies in the context of world globalization; New forms of economic regionalism and their global implications; Regional initiatives to address global issues such as: climate change, poverty and inequality; Multidisciplinary approaches to understanding the link between regionalism and global challenges.

The 2024 International Student Conference with the theme “Reshaping Economic Borders: Regionalism and the Right Way to Address Global Challenges” is expected to contribute to the learning, research and knowledge transfer process, clarifying theoretical and practical issues for many aspects of international trade, thereby contributing to spreading the image of Foreign Trade University as a prestigious training institution in Vietnam in the field of international trade as well as international trade law.