The conference aimed to discuss Trần Nhân Tông Institute’s training and research activities, especially, the doctoral program in Buddhist Studies anticipated to start in 2017.

VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn and Chairman of VNU’s Council for Science and Academics Vũ Minh Giang co-chaired the conference.

At the conference, VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn stated that VNU Trần Nhân Tông Institute was aimed at implementing training and research activities not only on Trần Nhân Tông’s Buddhist Studies but also on the Trần dynasty, Buddhism, Vietnamese Buddhism and its impact on Vietnam’s socio-political life.

VNU Trần Nhân Tông Institute focuses on graduate Buddhist Studies. The building of a major trend in Buddhism Studies and research plays an important role to current Vietnam.

Besides, the Institute will be a venue for organizing academic, cultural and spiritual activities to promote national culture values. It will also be an academically diplomatic environment for expanding cooperation between VNU and national, international organizations in related fields.

To put Trần Nhân Tông Institute into operation, VNU set up a task force and intensively prepared the initial resources for the Institute. It is the fourth VNU’s research institute approved by the Prime Minister. VNU is expected to hold a ceremony for announcing the Decision on the Institute’s establishment and presenting its leaders in November, 2016.

The Institute is to be located on Hòa Quang mountain (popularly, Thằn Lằn mountain) west of VNU’s Hòa Lạc compound in an area of 33 hectares.

At the conference, Superior Buddhist monk Thích Thanh Nhiễu – Standing Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council, expressed his pleasure in that VNU was the first higher education institution to train Buddhist human resources, which will contribute to the strengthening of graduate training for Buddhist monks, religion managers, in Vietnam.

He hoped for tight cooperation between the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s four Buddhism institutes and VNU Trần Nhân Tông Institute in delivering the doctoral program in Buddhist Studies.

Vice President of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha’s Executive Council - Superior Buddhist monk Thích Thanh Quyết said: “The foundation of VNU Trần Nhân Tông Institute will help enrich academic value of Vietnam Buddhism in the world”.

Closing the conference, VNU President Nguyễn Kim Sơn appreciated all the contributed ideas from Buddhists and scientists. He affirmed that VNU Trần Nhân Tông Institute’s training and research activities would play an important role in raising Buddhism wisdom to a higher intellectual level.

VNU hoped for cooperation and support from organizations, agencies and the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha to soon launch the Institute’s operations as well as secure its future development.