Faculty of Oriental Studies kicks off the 2026 scientific seminar series with a topic on Halal standards
On the afternoon of July 6, 2026, the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City held the first scientific seminar in the 2026 series for its faculty members. The program was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Hong Xuan, Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. The seminar was organized in a hybrid format (in-person and online), attracting nearly 20 lecturers to participate in academic discussions. This is a periodic activity implemented by the Faculty to create a forum for sharing research findings, exchanging professional expertise, and strengthening academic connections among lecturers, thereby contributing to promoting a research culture and enhancing the quality of the unit's scientific activities.
Opening the seminar series was a report by MA. PhD Candidate Phan Thanh Huyen on the topic “Harmonizing Halal standards between India and the United Arab Emirates: Challenges and strategies within the framework of the CEPA Agreement”. The report provided an overview of the basic concepts related to Halal and Haram, the development trends of the global Halal market, and analyzed the potential as well as the opportunities and challenges for the development of the Halal industry in Vietnam in the context of international integration.
Based on the case study of India after signing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates in 2022, the report focused on analyzing the harmonization process between India's i-CAS Halal certification system and the UAE's ESMA standard. Through this, the author clarified India's phased development strategy, starting from advantageous sectors such as beef and poultry, then gradually expanding to high-value-added sectors such as processed foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and Halal logistics services.
The discussion session was lively with many exchanges from lecturers regarding the development trends of the Halal economy in the region and around the world. Many opinions were particularly interested in the experience of non-Muslim majority countries like Thailand in building a Halal ecosystem, developing supply chains, and enhancing international competitiveness. The discussions also suggested many research directions and possibilities for applying international experience to support Vietnam in effectively exploiting the increasingly growing Halal market.
In her concluding remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Hong Xuan highly appreciated the serious preparation of the presenter as well as the academic spirit of the participating lecturers. She emphasized that the scientific seminar series will be maintained regularly with diverse topics, associated with the Faculty's research strengths and issues of regional and global concern, thereby contributing to enhancing research capacity, increasing scientific publications, and expanding domestic and international academic cooperation. The seminar concluded at 4:00 PM on the same day, marking a favorable start for the 2026 scientific seminar series of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, affirming the determination to build a dynamic, creative, and connected academic environment throughout the Faculty.
