On the morning of August 28, 2026, the VietTESOL International Convention 2026 officially opened at University of Foreign Language Studies, The University of Danang (UFLS) bringing together more than 1,000 educational leaders, experts, scholars, lecturers and teachers from Viet Nam and abroad. Held from August 27 to 29, 2026, the Convention is co-organized by the VietTESOL Association, the National Foreign Languages Project, and UFLS under the theme “Repositioning English: From Foreign to Second Language.” Against the backdrop of Viet Nam’s roadmap to make English a second language in schools for the 2025–2035 period, with a vision to 2045, the event serves as a major academic forum for connecting stakeholders, sharing experiences, proposing solutions and promoting substantive transformation in English language education.

Delivering the welcome address and officially declaring the Convention open, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Long, Rector of the University expressed his honour that the University was co-hosting an international academic event of special significance in Da Nang. He emphasized: “We are deeply honoured to co-host this important international academic convention in Da Nang, and sincerely appreciate the trust, partnership and close collaboration of the VietTESOL Association, the National Foreign Languages Project and our partners.”

With a development journey spanning more than four decades, UFLS has gradually affirmed its position as one of Viet Nam’s reputable institutions for training and research in foreign languages, foreign language teacher education, cultural studies and international studies. In the new context, the University continues to reform teacher education, promote research, expand international partnerships and strengthen the application of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in language education, aiming to make practical contributions to the national agenda of developing English as a second language. Beyond providing a platform for presenting new research, VietTESOL 2026 also creates a space for dialogue among policymakers, experts, researchers and frontline English language teachers.

As part of the Convention, delegates are taking part in a wide range of academic activities, including plenary sessions, parallel presentations, workshops, roundtable discussions, a doctoral forum, poster presentations and a technology exhibition.

In her keynote-oriented remarks at the opening session, Dr. Nguyen Thi Quyen Thanh, Deputy Minister of Education and Training, stressed that making English a second language is not merely about increasing learning hours or revising curricula and textbooks. More importantly, it is a process of creating an environment in which English is used naturally, regularly and effectively within schools.

This vision raises a range of interconnected issues that must be addressed systematically: enhancing teachers’ professional capacity, developing English-use environments beyond the classroom, ensuring equitable access across regions, effectively harnessing digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and designing an implementation roadmap aligned with practical conditions.

Representing the VietTESOL Association, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hoa, President of the VietTESOL Association, noted that the orientation toward making English a second language marks an important shift in thinking about foreign language education. In this regard, English is no longer merely a school subject but is gradually becoming a form of “linguistic capital” that expands opportunities for Vietnamese learners in education, research, employment and international integration.

The co-organization of VietTESOL International Convention 2026 further affirms the organizational capacity, academic networking role and institutional responsibility of UFLS in advancing foreign language education reform and international integration.

In recent years, the University has actively hosted and co-organized numerous prestigious national and international conferences, including AsiaCALL 2023, SEAAIR 2024 and FACLE 2026, as well as professional forums on language education, teacher development, social sciences and humanities, and the application of artificial intelligence in foreign language teaching and learning.

At the opening ceremony, representatives of international partners and organizations also expressed their interest in and support for Viet Nam’s orientation toward developing English as a second language. Ms. Freya Kaine, Counsellor for Education and Research at the Australian Department of Education, Australian Embassy in Viet Nam, affirmed the readiness of Australian educational institutions and organizations to accompany Viet Nam in this process, particularly in teacher training and the development of practical English language competence.

Concluding the opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Long extended his appreciation to the Ministry of Education and Training, the VietTESOL Association, the National Foreign Languages Project, partners, sponsors, speakers, researchers, lecturers, students and volunteers for their contributions to the event. With more than 1,000 delegates and the active participation of educational leaders, experts and scholars from Viet Nam and around the world, VietTESOL 2026 is expected to generate in-depth academic exchanges, foster new partnerships and propose practical solutions. In doing so, the Convention contributes to realizing the goal of building a generation of Vietnamese learners who can use English confidently in learning, research, professional practice and global integration.

UD Media