Date posted:
14/08/2026
14
| Read the article |The second week of the HLU International Summer School 2026 continued with a diverse range of academic and experiential activities, giving our international students further opportunities to deepen their understanding of Vietnam while connecting classroom knowledge with professional practice and cultural experiences.
Building on the academic foundation established during the first week, students continued exploring the theme of “Law, Governance, Markets and Society in Vietnam” through engaging lectures, discussions, and field visits. This week, they had the opportunity to discover Vietnam’s legal profession through a visit to VILAF, one of Vietnam’s leading law firms, while also exploring the country’s rich cultural diversity at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.
Together with classroom learning and interactions with HLU lecturers and student buddies, these experiences created another meaningful week of learning, discovery, and cross-cultural exchange.
Following the academic session, our international students had the opportunity to visit VILAF, gaining a closer look at the professional environment in which lawyers work.
The visit offered students a valuable introduction to the operations of a leading Vietnamese law firm and provided further insights into the role of lawyers in supporting businesses and addressing complex legal matters.
For students studying law in an international environment, visiting a Vietnamese law firm was particularly valuable. It allowed them to see how legal knowledge is applied in practice and how lawyers contribute to the functioning of businesses and the wider economy.
The experience also encouraged comparative discussions about the legal profession in different countries. Students were able to identify similarities and differences between legal practice in Vietnam and their own jurisdictions, making the visit a meaningful international learning experience.
The combination of the academic session with Lawyer Vu Ha Anh and the visit to VILAF created a particularly valuable learning experience: students first explored legal practice through professional discussion and then had the opportunity to experience the professional environment firsthand.
We sincerely thank VILAF and Lawyer Vu Ha Anh for welcoming our international students and sharing valuable professional knowledge and experience with them.
An important feature of the HLU International Summer School is its emphasis on comparative and international perspectives.
Students from different countries naturally bring different expectations and experiences of legal education and professional practice. A visit to a Vietnamese law firm therefore created an environment where students could ask questions, exchange perspectives, and identify both similarities and differences between legal practice in Vietnam and their own jurisdictions.
These conversations are particularly valuable for students considering future careers in international law, commercial law, arbitration, corporate law, or other areas involving cross-border legal work.
The VILAF visit demonstrated that legal education does not end with understanding legislation and legal principles. It also requires communication, analytical thinking, problem-solving, professional responsibility, and the ability to understand the needs of clients and businesses.
We sincerely thank VILAF for warmly welcoming our international students and for providing such an insightful introduction to legal practice in Vietnam.
The second major highlight of the week was a visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, where students had the opportunity to discover the remarkable cultural diversity of Vietnam.
Vietnam is home to 54 officially recognized ethnic groups, each with its own traditions, customs, languages, clothing, architecture, and cultural practices. The museum provides a fascinating space for visitors to explore this diversity and better understand the cultural heritage of different communities across the country.
For our international students, the visit offered a valuable opportunity to look beyond the legal and institutional aspects of Vietnam and discover the people and cultures that make up Vietnamese society.
Through exhibitions, artifacts, traditional objects, and architectural displays, students explored different aspects of everyday life and cultural traditions.
The museum visit also helped students appreciate how cultural diversity contributes to Vietnam’s national identity and social fabric.
The visit to the Museum of Ethnology complemented the academic focus of the Summer School in an important way.
Understanding a country's legal system and institutions also requires an appreciation of its social and cultural context. Laws and institutions do not exist in isolation; they operate within communities shaped by history, traditions, values, and different ways of life.
By exploring Vietnam’s ethnic and cultural diversity, students gained another perspective on Vietnamese society and the broader context in which its legal and governance systems operate.
For international students, the experience also provided opportunities for comparison. Students were able to share examples from their own countries and discuss the similarities and differences between cultural traditions around the world.
In this way, the museum became not only a place of cultural discovery but also a space for meaningful international dialogue.
Beyond the formal academic programme, the second week continued to strengthen the sense of community among the international students.
Whether attending lectures, visiting professional institutions, exploring cultural sites, or simply spending time together between activities, students continued to build friendships and exchange perspectives.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the Summer School is seeing students from different countries gradually become a close international community. Each student brings a unique background and perspective, and every interaction becomes an opportunity to learn from one another.
The presence and support of HLU student buddies have also played an important role in creating a welcoming environment for our international students, helping them navigate their experience in Vietnam and making their time at HLU even more enjoyable.
The second week of the HLU International Summer School demonstrated once again that meaningful international education goes far beyond the classroom.
At VILAF, students explored the realities of legal practice and gained insights into the work of Vietnamese lawyers.
At the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, they discovered the extraordinary cultural diversity of Vietnamese society.
Together with the academic sessions at Hanoi Law University, these experiences helped students develop a broader and more comprehensive understanding of Vietnam — its legal system, professional environment, society, history, and culture.
This multidisciplinary approach is at the heart of the Summer School. By bringing together law, professional practice, culture, and international exchange, the programme encourages students to look at Vietnam from multiple perspectives.
As the second week comes to a close, our international students have once again experienced a week filled with learning, discovery, and connection.
From the professional environment of a leading Vietnamese law firm to the diverse cultural heritage showcased at the Museum of Ethnology, every activity has offered a new perspective and contributed to a richer understanding of Vietnam.
We are grateful to all the lecturers, legal professionals, museum staff, student buddies, and HLU colleagues who have contributed to making these experiences possible.
Most importantly, we are delighted to see our international students actively engaging with Vietnam, asking questions, sharing their own perspectives, and creating memories together.
The journey continues, with more academic activities, cultural experiences, and opportunities for international exchange still ahead.
HLU International Summer School 2026 — where law meets practice, culture meets connection, and learning goes beyond the classroom. 🌏⚖️🇻🇳💙
