This morning (June 6, 2024), the Faculty of Law at National Economics University (NEU), in collaboration with the Vietnam Mediation Center under the International Arbitration Center (VIAC), officially announced the Vietnam Commercial Mediation Competition (VCMC 2024) and held a seminar on “Commercial mediation training in Vietnam and experience for students participating in commercial mediation competitions.”

An overview of the program

Representing NEU at the seminar were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President; Dr. Hoang Xuan Truong, Dean of the Faculty of Law; and MSc. Vu Tri Tuan, Secretary of the Youth Union. Representing the Vietnam Mediation Center was Phan Trong Dat, Acting Director of the Vietnam Mediation Center (VMC) under the Vietnam International Arbitration Center (VIAC). Speakers included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Van Nam, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, NEU, VIAC Arbitrator and VMC Mediator; Dr. Ha Cong Anh Bao, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Foreign Trade University; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Binh, Dean of the Faculty of International Trade Law, Hanoi Law University, VIAC Arbitrator and VMC Mediator; Bui Ngoc Linh, a student at the Faculty of International Law, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam; and Pham Chieu Minh, a student at the Faculty of Law, NEU. Also attending were leadership representatives from the University’s functional units and sociopolitical organizations, along with a large number of its students.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU, delivers remarks.

In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President of NEU, commended the Faculty of Law’s efforts to create meaningful opportunities, such as the commercial mediation competition, for students to conduct scientific research and practice skills for their future careers. He emphasized that the seminar’s theme, “Commercial mediation training in Vietnam and experience for students participating in commercial mediation competitions,” within the framework of the Vietnam Commercial Mediation Competition – VCMC 2024, was highly meaningful and timely. He also expressed his hope that the seminar would provide an open forum for experts, scholars, mediators, lecturers and students to exchange views and discuss issues related to commercial mediation in Vietnam.

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Hieu, Vice President, also expressed confidence that the day’s event would create opportunities and an environment for exchanges and connections between NEU and reputable educational institutions across the country. It would mark the beginning of further and deeper ties between NEU, specifically its Faculty of Law, and mediation practice institutions such as the Vietnam Mediation Center – VMC. “This is also an essential factor in creating an environment where students can develop practical skills to meet the University’s educational objectives, as we strive to reach new heights in education and training not only in the northern region but nationwide,” emphasized Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Hieu.

Phan Trong Dat, Acting Director of the Vietnam Mediation Center (VMC), speaks at the event

As is well known, the introduction of Decree No. 22/2017/NĐ-CP (hereinafter referred to as Decree 22) was closely linked to Vietnam’s strong economic development, as Party and State policies encouraged out-of-court dispute resolution to avoid overburdening the court system. In that context, commercial mediation became an independent, effective and cost-efficient method of dispute resolution, recognized and protected by the legal framework established by Decree 22. In the future, alongside integration into the international commercial mediation community, the legal framework dedicated to this method of dispute resolution must be further refined. This will enhance the credibility and effectiveness of commercial mediation, as well as public awareness of and confidence in commercial mediation when choosing a dispute resolution method.

The presiding panel moderates the seminar’s open discussion session

Since the Faculty of Law at NEU was established in 2003, its faculty and students have worked hard to make it one of Vietnam’s quality legal education institutions, earning employers’ trust and satisfaction… This has been a sustained, continuous effort to provide legal education for generations of students. These efforts have helped the Faculty of Law’s faculty and students achieve many impressive results, including second prize in the Vietnamese-language International Commercial Mediation Competition hosted by Hanoi Law University in 2022, and second prize in the 2023 Commercial Mediation Competition held at the University of Economics and Law in Ho Chi Minh City. These achievements demonstrate the efforts and dedication of the faculty and students of NEU’s Faculty of Law. With its current team of young, dedicated staff members who actively pursue further study to improve their qualifications, the Faculty of Law has gradually affirmed its capabilities, educational quality and reputation.

The Vietnam Commercial Mediation Competition – VCMC 2024 is organized to improve the quality of legal education and also serves as a useful activity for fostering connections and exchanges among legal education institutions nationwide. It thereby creates a solid foundation for cooperation and improvements in the quality of legal education in Vietnam amid international integration. As part of the competition, the seminar on “Commercial mediation training in Vietnam and experience for students participating in commercial mediation competitions” brought together experienced experts who shared insights into the current state of training and discussed directions for developing commercial mediation at universities and legal education institutions in Vietnam.

Some photos from the program:

Article and photos: Department of Communications

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.