Faculty of Oriental Studies organizes academic exchange program for graduate students - Asian Studies

On the morning of August 22, 2026, the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City organized an academic exchange program for Asian Studies graduate students with the participation and sharing of Mr. Firdauz Othman, Consul General of Malaysia in Ho Chi Minh City, and Colonel Tran Van Thong, former political counselor at the Embassy of Vietnam in Cambodia.

The program is an academic support activity that helps students broaden their understanding of culture, society, ethnicity, and diversity management in Southeast Asia through practical perspectives and experiences.

In his presentation on Malaysia, Consul General Firdauz Othman introduced the characteristics of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multicultural society, while discussing experiences in building social cohesion and harmony between community identity and national identity. The stories and experiences shared helped students better understand Malaysia's socio-cultural life as well as how different communities coexist in a diverse society.

From the Malaysian case, students had a basis to discuss concepts such as multiculturalism, social integration, cultural synthesis, diversity management, and nation-building in the context of globalization.

Continuing the program, Colonel Tran Van Thong presented on ethnic groups and some socio-cultural characteristics in Cambodia. Besides the majority Khmer community, Cambodia also has many different ethnic communities with distinct characteristics in history, language, culture, habitat, and livelihood.

Through archival materials and case studies, the speaker helped students gain a better understanding of Cambodia's ethnic diversity, the process of forming and maintaining community identity, and the adaptation of resident groups under different social conditions.

The discussion also sparked academic interest in issues regarding ethnic identity, citizenship, migration, social integration, and cultural identity preservation. These contents were placed in specific historical and social contexts, thereby helping students better identify the diversity in relationships between individuals, communities, and the nation, while distinguishing the concepts of integration, adaptation, exchange, and cultural transformation.

Another topic addressed by Colonel Tran Van Thong was the life of the ethnic Vietnamese community in Cambodia. From the materials introduced, students had the opportunity to learn more about the settlement process, social adaptation, cultural life, and the transformations of this community in the context of contemporary Cambodia. Through this, the lecture expanded the discussion to issues of migration, minority communities, and the relationship between cultural identity and the social environment of residence.

The program created a vibrant and practical space for academic exchange. While the sharing about Malaysia helped students observe the experiences of a multicultural society in building cohesion between communities, the presentation on Cambodia contributed to broadening the understanding of ethnic diversity, adaptation processes, and cultural identity preservation.

Through the two cases of Malaysia and Cambodia, Asian Studies graduate students gained more materials and comparative perspectives to approach issues of cultural diversity, ethnic relations, and coexistence among communities in Southeast Asia, thereby connecting theoretical knowledge with practical regional issues.