On the afternoon of August 23, 2026, the Specialized Committee of the English Doctoral Program (E-PhD) and the Institute for Sustainable Development, Postgraduate Training Institute – National Economics University (NEU) organized the Annual Scientific Seminar “Yearly E-PhD Seminar” – YES 2026 with the theme “Ethical Consumption, Governance, and Firm Performance.”

Seminar Overview

Held at Xanh Villas, Thach That, Hanoi, YES 2026 provided an in-depth academic environment, while also enhancing interaction and connection among generations of doctoral candidates. Marking its 7th year, YES is not only a forum for doctoral candidates to present, discuss, and receive feedback on their ongoing research, but also a place for E-PhD generations to meet, share experiences, and continue their passion for research.

Attending the Seminar from the E-PhD Specialized Committee were: Prof. Dr. Le Quang Canh – Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development – Standing Member of the Specialized Committee, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Vu Hung; along with numerous faculty members from the E-PhD Program Committee, reviewers, and doctoral candidates (PhD students).

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang – Deputy Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development delivers the opening speech

In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang – Deputy Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development emphasized the significance of YES in creating an academic exchange environment, encouraging creative thinking, and enhancing research capacity for E-PhD Program doctoral candidates.

“This is the seventh seminar within the framework of the E-PhD Program, initiated by the Program’s Specialized Committee. YES is a forum for doctoral candidates, young lecturers, and researchers to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and expand academic networks. The seminar is not only significant for NEU but also aims at those who share a passion for research and academia,” shared Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang.

Reflecting on the 9-year journey of the E-PhD Program, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang stated that to date, 34 doctoral candidates have successfully defended their dissertations, 49 are currently studying, and 40 research papers by doctoral candidates have been published in international journals within the WoS/Scopus system; many other manuscripts are under review.

“These results demonstrate the efforts in training and research of the E-PhD Program. The seminar is an opportunity for doctoral candidates to present research results, receive feedback from faculty and experts to further refine their work; it also contributes to showcasing the quality of training and the commitment to international academic integration of the National Economics University,” emphasized Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang.

Continuing the program, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bach Ngoc Thang chaired the presentation and academic discussion session at YES 2026. Here, doctoral candidates presented five studies on diverse topics, ranging from ESG, corporate governance, credit markets, fashion consumption, technological innovation to environmentally friendly behavior. The studies were presented sequentially by PhD candidates Dao Mai Huong (Cohort 7), Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoai (Cohort 6), Do Thu Trang (Cohort 6), Pham Van Hung (Cohort 6), and Ngo Phuong Dung (Cohort 7), with participation in discussions and critiques by faculty members and researchers.

Each presentation is an opportunity for doctoral candidates to reflect on their work from different perspectives. Questions, suggestions, and critiques may lead a study to undergo further revisions, deeper exploration, or even a complete reevaluation. However, these candid academic exchanges are an essential part of the research journey—where an idea is challenged to become more robust, a draft is refined for completion, and a doctoral candidate matures with each presentation.

Doctoral candidates present research proposals in two parallel sessions

Following the YES 2026 session, academic activities expanded with two parallel research proposal presentation sessions chaired by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuyet Mai and Dr. Nguyen Hoang Linh. Here, doctoral candidates presented numerous research proposals, covering topics from organizational resilience, workplace spirit and well-being, AI applications in short video advertising, business classification to green bonds and financial market development.

These topics demonstrate a research community that is continuously evolving, seeking new questions and addressing issues increasingly linked to changes in businesses, markets, and society.

Prof. Dr. Le Quang Canh – Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development delivers the closing remarks at YES

Concluding the seminar, Prof. Dr. Le Quang Canh addressed the “research trap”—tentatively called “convenient research.” These are studies conducted with the least effort but still propose “world-changing” suggestions or are heavily technical with modern research tools yet hold little economic significance. “Convenient research” often does not start with an important research question but rather with convenient data, samples, easily accessible research scope, convenient methods, focusing on statistical significance, selective reporting, and publication bias.

The results of convenient research often satisfy technical requirements but provide weak scientific evidence, incorrect inferences, very limited contributions, and the risk of proposing incorrect policy suggestions. In conclusion, Prof. Canh emphasized: “Research that creates knowledge is not about finding statistically significant results” and sent a message to doctoral candidates: “Research that creates knowledge is not just about completing a dissertation. Doctoral candidates should avoid becoming a ‘convenient PhD.'”

The seminar concluded in an atmosphere of openness, collaboration, and rich academic significance. YES 2026 is not only an opportunity for doctoral candidates to showcase their research results and refine drafts for publication in reputable journals but also an effort to contribute to building a research ecosystem at the National Economics University.

Delegates attending the program take commemorative photos

YES 2026 concludes, but the academic exchanges, the connections formed, and the research inspiration continue to extend. Over seven seasons, YES has gradually become a meeting point for generations of E-PhD, where ideas are exchanged, research is refined, and the spirit of knowledge creation continues to be nurtured and spread.

Some images from the Seminar:

Article and Photos: Institute for Sustainable Development