Nguyen Ngoc Lan, a Vietnamese recipient of two full scholarships to study at Cambridge University, expressed her determination in studying the East Vietnam Sea situation and an aspiration to present her knowledge to the international community.

Lan started her journey in becoming an expert on the East Vietnam Sea when she decided to make it her thesis topic during her master’s program at Cambridge University, the young Vietnamese scholar said.

Since then, the sea dispute has become her interest and was chosen as the main subject of her PhD dissertation.

“When the Philippines took China to an international tribunal, I was even more determined to further my knowledge of the subject matter,” Lan said.

Lan’s passion for the issues surrounding the East Vietnam Sea dispute arose from the fact that the situation has raised several questions regarding Vietnam’s security, politics, military, economy, legislation, and more.

The young academic was fueled with motivation created by a constant concern over how the situation affects Vietnam and how she can help solve the problem.

One of Lan’s most memorable moments during her time at Cambridge University was when she was given the opportunity to present her understanding of the dispute in the East Vietnam Sea to other Cambridge students, she recounted.

The lecturer who offered her the opportunity said that Lan’s speech gave her helpful insight into the situation, while many other international students agreed with the Vietnamese academic's point of view, she said.

In 2015, Lan was invited to a Harvard University conference on disputes in the East Vietnam Sea with the participation of many reputable experts and scholars.

“I was filled with absolute happiness and pride,” Lan said.

She stated that the primary role of a scholar is to conduct research with great significance, not only to Vietnam but also to the international community.

As the number of Vietnamese people specializing in the study of the sea disputes is still limited, scholars should exert more effort in assisting one another in further developing this field in the country, Lan recommended.

The Vietnamese academic wished to continue teaching at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam after finishing her PhD program, as well as turn her doctoral thesis into a book that could be sponsored by an international publisher.

“I also look forward to being able to become an intern at several international courts to gain more practical experience for my studies,” Lan said.

Nguyen Ngoc Lan, who was born in 1986 and graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam as a valedictorian in 2009, is currently a research fellow at Cambridge University.

Lan was given the full Chevening Scholarship by the British government for her master’s program after her graduation. 

She later received another full scholarship for her doctoral studies at Cambridge University.

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