On the afternoon of January 3, 2025, the Institute for Sustainable Development organized an orientation session for doctoral students from Cohort 8 of the E-PhD Program at Room 1501, Building A1, National Economics University.
The orientation session was attended by faculty members from the program's academic committee, including Associate Professor Dr. Le Quang Canh, Professor Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai, and Associate Professor Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang from the Institute for Sustainable Development, who serve as members of the E-PhD Program's academic committee, along with the doctoral students from Cohort 8.
Opening the session, Associate Professor Dr. Le Quang Canh welcomed and thanked the faculty members and E-PhD Cohort 8 students for their attendance. He emphasized that this is a mandatory and crucial activity designed to provide students with comprehensive information and better preparation for effective participation in the E-PhD Program.
Associate Professor Canh then presented the main components of the orientation, beginning with the program's objectives: The E-PhD Program in Economics aims to train highly qualified scientists with advanced theoretical and applied knowledge, possessing independent and creative research capabilities to develop knowledge and address emerging issues, guide scientific research, and conduct professional activities in the fields of economics, management, marketing, and related social sciences.
Following this, Associate Professor Canh reintroduced the specialized courses that doctoral students will undertake during their first year, as well as the subsequent steps that students need to understand throughout their study and research journey. The training encompasses research methodology, theoretical coursework, statistics and econometrics, academic writing, and publication in academic journals. Alongside this research process, doctoral students will have opportunities to connect with colleagues, attend seminars and conferences, and collaborate with experts in their fields.
During the orientation, Associate Professor Canh also addressed what students should prepare for during their studies. He emphasized that doctoral students should always strive to develop THEIR OWN arguments based on solid foundations; practice new methods and techniques; remain careful with idea attribution through proper citations; collaborate closely with their advisors and the faculty team for guidance; and when feeling "discouraged," they should motivate themselves to persevere.
Since research cannot be accomplished overnight, doctoral students require substantial support from multiple sources throughout their academic journey: from family members—balancing studies with family responsibilities while receiving maximum family support; from their workplace—potentially through reduced workloads and collegial support.
Additionally, students can contact and discuss with faculty members at ISD whenever they have questions related to their studies. Most importantly, students must establish new habits and create a new environment conducive to self-directed learning.
The session concluded with a Q&A segment where doctoral students could ask questions about any unclear aspects of the program. The orientation was successfully conducted thanks to the enthusiastic participation of faculty members involved in teaching and program management, as well as the active engagement of Cohort 8 doctoral students. We wish all faculty members and Cohort 8 students good health and determination as they embark on this new research journey.
Article and photos: Institute for Sustainable Development
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