Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences affirms role in Asia's research community
New Delhi, December 9 (VNA) – A delegation from the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS) led by its Vice President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Duc Minh paid a working visit to New Delhi, India, from December 2 to 7 and attended the 26th Biennial Conference of the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC) to enhance academic exchange and cooperation with regional partners.
On December 4–5, the delegation joined the plenary session and seven specialised discussions of the conference, focusing on social science research in the Indo-Pacific for a sustainable future. The event gathered experts from leading academies, research councils, and universities across nearly 20 countries.
The VASS delegation contributed three presentations, highlighting the role of social sciences amid emerging global shifts; sustainable development and interdisciplinary approaches amid environmental – technological changes; and ethics, inclusion and transformation in the AI era. The presentations received strong interest from international scholars.
On the sidelines, the delegation held meetings with several international organisations to share research priorities and explore new cooperation opportunities.
VASS Vice President Minh also attended the AASSREC Executive Committee meeting, which reviewed activity and financial reports for 2023–2025, discussed the 2026 budget and financial sustainability strategy, and considered expanding membership. Members agreed to seek a host institution for the next-term Secretariat and to advance efforts to formalise the association’s legal status.
At the meeting, the VASS representative outlined cooperation orientations, including developing a research ecosystem and supporting young Vietnamese researchers to join multinational programmes, reaffirming Vietnam’s active role within the regional network.
During the trip, the delegation also met Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai at the Vietnamese Embassy in India. Both sides discussed strengthening collaboration in social sciences and humanities, with the ambassador affirming support for scholar exchanges, bilateral workshops, and joint research projects./.
