Events

Inter-University English Speaking Contest Finale: Students Raising Their Voices to Inspire Change

01/16/2026

On the afternoon of January 16, the Faculty of English successfully organized the finals of the Inter-School English Speaking Contest for the academic year 2025-2026, themed “The Era of Rising - Voices That Inspire Change.”

This year's contest made a significant impact by gathering a large number of students from various universities in Ho Chi Minh City, creating a vibrant academic forum where young people could express their critical thinking, linguistic prowess, and articulate their views on current issues.

The Inter-University English Speaking Contest for the 2025-2026 academic year culminated in a brilliant finale. The finals featured the top 10 outstanding contestants from UEF and the following universities: Van Lang University, Foreign Trade University II, Branch of Thuy Loi University, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCM), Saigon University, and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

Attending and cheering for the top 10 contestants were Associate Professor Pham Huy Cuong, Dean of the Faculty of English; Mr Nguyen Dinh Tuan, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of English; Mr. Le Nhat Vu, Director of Envy English Center, the gold sponsor of the contest; along with leaders from departments and centers, faculty members, and representatives from participating universities.

The organizing committee expressed gratitude to the Envy English Center for their support.

Contributing to the success of the finals was a panel of experienced judges, including Ms. Ta Nguyen Phuong Khanh, Lecturer at Envy English Center; Ms. Le Thuy Thao Suong, Ms. Nguyen Thi Truc Phuong, Ms. Le Hoang Nhi An, Mr. Nguyen Duy Khoi, Lecturer in the Faculty of English.

The finale were designed with two segments: team and individual competitions, requiring contestants to flexibly apply teamwork skills, argumentative thinking, critical thinking, and presentation skills in English.

In the team competition, the teams debated in a FOR - AGAINST format on topics relevant to young people, such as the impact of AI on personal development and the relationship between academic achievement and personal growth. Clear roles, logical arguments, and persuasive evidence created lively and academically rich debates.

As the contest moved into the individual segment, the top 5 contestants continued to demonstrate their strength before the judges by presenting their personal opinions and engaging in direct rebuttals. This segment showcased not only their language abilities but also the depth of their understanding of social issues and their stage presence.

Through each contestant's performance, the judges conducted serious evaluations, providing fair assessments and insightful professional feedback that helped participants better recognize their strengths and areas for improvement in developing English speaking skills.

The final results are as follows:

First Prize went to Tran Duy Nhat Tien from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.
Second Prize went to Do Nguyen Hoang Quyen from UEF.
Third Prize was awarded to Luu Tran Khanh Han from Foreign Trade University II, Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCM), and Huynh Gia Hy from UEF.
Encouragement Prizes went to Loi Gia An from Van Lang University, Nguyen Tien Danh from UEF, Vu Nguyen My Han from UEF, Phan Kim Ngan from the Branch of Thuy Loi University, and Nguyen Tran Minh Thu from Saigon University.

The convincing final results saw UEF congratulate all contestants.

With a topical theme and a professional competition format, the Inter-University English Speaking Contest for the 2025-2026 academic year has become an essential environment for students to develop necessary skills in the context of international integration. Through the contest, young people refined their academic English proficiency, critical thinking, teamwork skills, and confidence in presenting their opinions in front of an audience.

As the season concludes, the contest has successfully built a quality academic playground, enhancing students' foreign language capabilities and global thinking while strengthening connections and interactions among universities in the city.