PhD candidate Pham Thuy Trang successfully defends Doctoral Dissertation at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam

On October 3, 2025, at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, PhD candidate Pham Thuy Trang successfully defended her doctoral dissertation at the Academy level in the field of International Relations, code 9.31.02.06, with the topic “Canada’s Multilateral Diplomacy from 2006 to the Present,” under the scientific supervision of Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Vinh and Dr. Lai Thai Binh.

The Committee highly appreciated the scientific and practical contributions of the dissertation. This is a systematic research work from the perspective of a Vietnamese scholar on Canada’s multilateral diplomacy from 2006 to the present.

The dissertation is an in-depth study that clarifies the evolution and characteristics of Canada’s multilateral diplomacy from 2006 to 2025, based on updated sources. Its findings help fill the research gap on Canadian multilateral diplomacy in Vietnam, while contributing to the clarification of several theoretical and practical issues related to multilateral diplomacy, the rationale for adopting multilateral approaches, and Canada’s experience in implementing them. Specifically, the research gap lies in clarifying the actual state and dynamics of Canada’s multilateral diplomacy from 2006 to the present.

The dissertation focuses on analyzing the practical factors influencing Canada’s multilateral diplomacy at three levels—systemic, national, and individual—and examines Canada’s behavioral patterns in multilateral engagement, including: the behavior of a “rule follower,” a “rule shaper,” and a “rule maker.”

The dissertation systematizes the key features of Canada’s multilateral diplomacy during the 2006–2015 tenure of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the 2015–present tenure of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. It examines the implementation of multilateral policies across major areas such as political–diplomatic affairs, trade–development aid, security–defense, and other sectors including health, education, and climate change within selected international institutions.

The dissertation evaluates the achievements and limitations of Canada’s multilateral diplomacy, identifies differences between the two prime ministerial periods, offers forecasts, assesses implications for Vietnam and Vietnam–Canada relations, and analyzes the similarities between Vietnam and Canada. From this, it draws lessons and proposes policy implications for Vietnam’s multilateral diplomacy in the coming period.

The dissertation can serve as reference material for teaching and learning (including short-term and specialized training programs at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and other institutions) on multilateral diplomacy theory. To a certain extent, its findings can also be used as reference for Vietnamese policymakers engaged in multilateral foreign policy planning.

The defense ceremony took place in a serious academic atmosphere and in full compliance with doctoral training regulations. The candidate presented the main research findings and responded well to the Committee’s questions. The Committee concluded that PhD Candidate Pham Thuy Trang fully deserves to be awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree in International Relations.

Readers interested may access the full dissertation at the Library of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the National Library of Vietnam.