Abstract:Publishing scientific research is very important in contributing to the knowledge of a discipline and in sharing research findings among scientists. Based on the quantity and quality of publications, one can evaluate the research capacity of a researcher or the research performance of a university or a country. However, the number of quality publications in Vietnam is very low in comparison with those in the other countries in the region or in the world, especially in the fields of social sciences and humanities. Employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the current study investigates university lecturers' attitudes towards research and publication and the obstacles to local and international publication at one of the main universities in social sciences and humanities in Vietnam. The study found the main barriers to publication are funding and time for research and publication, among many other obstacles. From the analysis of the data, the study would also argue that lecturers' obstacles to publication may vary across faculties (or disciplines), ages, qualifications, education, research and publication experience. The findings in this study may be applied to other institutions in Vietnam or in other countries where English is used as a foreign language.

A new wire-on-plate electrostatic precipitator (WOP-EP), where discharge wires are attached directly on the surface of a dielectric plate, was developed to ease the installation of the wires, minimize particle deposition on the wires, and lower ozone emission while maintaining a high particle collection efficiency. For a lab-scale WOP-EP (width, 50 mm; height, 20 mm; length, 180 mm) tested at the applied voltage of 18 kV, experimental total particle collection efficiencies were found as high as 90.9-99.7 and 98.8-99.9% in the particle size range of 30-1870 nm at the average air velocities of 0.50 m/s (flow rate, 30 L/min; residence time, 0.36 s) and 0.25 m/s (flow rate, 15 L/min; residence time, 0.72 s), respectively. Particle collection efficiencies calculated by numerical models agreed well with the experimental results. The comparison to the traditional wire-in-plate EP showed that, at the same applied voltage, the current WOP-EP emitted 1-2 orders of magnitude lower ozone concentration, had cleaner discharge wires after heavy particle loading in the EP, and recovered high particle collection efficiency after the grounded collection plate was cleaned. It is expected that the current WOP-EP can be scaled up as an efficient air-cleaning device to control fine particle and nanoparticle pollution.

The field of second language acquisition has grown enormously in the past decades. Many studies have been done on how learners acquire English as a second language; however, research on how visually impaired learners acquire English as a second or foreign language has been relatively scarce. It is even more difficult to find such studies in Vietnam. Based mainly on in-depth interviews with two visually impaired Vietnamese adults who have been successful in acquiring English, the present study seeks to answer two main questions: (1) How Vietnamese visually impaired learners acquire English as a second language; (2) What difficulties they have in learning English, and how they overcome their difficulties. The findings of the present study can contribute to the theory of second language acquisition and language teaching. The study can also provide strategies for practicing and learning a language not only for visually impaired learners but also for second language learners in general.

<p>Vietnam is an economy in transition that has encountered a great deal of obstacles and issues shifting to the market tract. Due to a lack of synchronized legal systems, and the legacy of stagnant economic development and low efficiency dating from the wartime, it has been even more difficult for Vietnam to adapt itself to the new context of globalization. Since Doimoi however, Vietnam has witnessed gradual but important changes in thinking and action. In order to apply the model of “socialist market-oriented economy” in practice, Vietnam enacted the Vietnam Competition Law (VCL) in 2004. After nearly a decade of being in force, the VCL (2004) has attracted lots of critique over its outdated and inappropriate content. In contrast, a number of comments from economic experts and academia still express supportive attitudes and highly appreciate the introduction of the law in 2004. Competition-related issues are now an important concern in the domestic market and the law has strengthened Vietnam’s integration into the regional and global economy.  This thesis identifies the factors determining the promulgation of the VCL (2004). It argues factors came from both internal and external sites. Changes in economic political thinking and negative experience in the national economy for a long period are found to be the main forces for the promulgation from a domestic perspective. While entering a number of regional organizations like ASEAN and APEC and indirect pressure from application for entrance into the WTO and negotiation with the U.S. under the Bilateral Trade Agreement are the main forces from an external perspective. The thesis shows how both external and internal factors contributed to and interacted with each other in the enactment of the VCL (2004). It finds these forces were harmonized in a way that met Vietnam’s international obligations and desire for deeper integration with the global economy while also meeting the requirements of competition law in a transitional economy. These findings suggest further study on the process of harmonization of external and internal forces in the area of competition policy is needed to understand better the process of introducing competition policy in transitional economies.</p>

<p>Vietnam is an economy in transition that has encountered a great deal of obstacles and issues shifting to the market tract. Due to a lack of synchronized legal systems, and the legacy of stagnant economic development and low efficiency dating from the wartime, it has been even more difficult for Vietnam to adapt itself to the new context of globalization. Since Doimoi however, Vietnam has witnessed gradual but important changes in thinking and action. In order to apply the model of “socialist market-oriented economy” in practice, Vietnam enacted the Vietnam Competition Law (VCL) in 2004. After nearly a decade of being in force, the VCL (2004) has attracted lots of critique over its outdated and inappropriate content. In contrast, a number of comments from economic experts and academia still express supportive attitudes and highly appreciate the introduction of the law in 2004. Competition-related issues are now an important concern in the domestic market and the law has strengthened Vietnam’s integration into the regional and global economy.  This thesis identifies the factors determining the promulgation of the VCL (2004). It argues factors came from both internal and external sites. Changes in economic political thinking and negative experience in the national economy for a long period are found to be the main forces for the promulgation from a domestic perspective. While entering a number of regional organizations like ASEAN and APEC and indirect pressure from application for entrance into the WTO and negotiation with the U.S. under the Bilateral Trade Agreement are the main forces from an external perspective. The thesis shows how both external and internal factors contributed to and interacted with each other in the enactment of the VCL (2004). It finds these forces were harmonized in a way that met Vietnam’s international obligations and desire for deeper integration with the global economy while also meeting the requirements of competition law in a transitional economy. These findings suggest further study on the process of harmonization of external and internal forces in the area of competition policy is needed to understand better the process of introducing competition policy in transitional economies.</p>