International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research

The 1954 Geneva Agreements and the Legal Construction of “Temporary Division”: Military Armistice, Sovereignty, and Postcolonial Statehood in Vietnam

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

This article approaches the 1954 Geneva Agreements as a military armistice from a postcolonial perspective. Based on an analysis of the Agreement’s text, the study demonstrates that mechanisms such as the provisional military demarcation line, the demilitarized zone, and military restrictions were constructed consistently with the armistice logic of international law, to end violence and manage the post-conflict transitional period. However, efforts at legal neutralization and non-coercive supervisory mechanisms have revealed significant limitations in the absence of political guarantees and institutional legitimacy within the polarized Cold War context. The paper argues that the 1954 Geneva Agreements constituted a power-based compromise, in which international law functioned both as an instrument of temporary stabilization and as a means of conditioning the space for self-determination of newly independent actors. The prolongation of the “temporary” status did not stem from the content of the legal text, but from the gap between legal design and conditions of implementation. The study contributes to re-centering the debate on Geneva 1954 and offers implications for the design of international conflict governance mechanisms.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.01

Human Rights before 1948: The International Character of Vietnam’s First Constitution

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

This paper examines Vietnam’s 1946 Constitution from the perspective of pre-1948 human rights and postcolonial constitutionalism, with the aim of elucidating the international character and normative significance of Vietnam’s first constitutional text. Rather than approaching the 1946 Constitution as a purely domestic legal instrument or a by-product of national political history, the study argues that it functioned as a deliberate normative declaration, reflecting Vietnam’s effort to assert legal personality and international legitimacy within the post-World War II international legal order. Drawing on constitutional text analysis, contextual historical inquiry, and selective comparative constitutional analysis, the paper demonstrates that principles such as human rights, popular sovereignty, representative democracy, the rule of law, and equality were constitutionalized at an early stage in the 1946 Constitution – prior to the full institutionalization of these norms at the international level in 1948. In doing so, the Vietnamese case is presented as a paradigmatic example of how postcolonial states did not merely receive international norms passively, but actively interpreted, adapted, and participated in the formation of universal values in modern constitutional and international law. The paper thus contributes to rethinking the history of human rights and the role of constitutions as normative instruments within an evolving international legal order.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.02

Russia’s 2023 Foreign Policy Concept Seen from Southeast Asia: Perceptions, Ambiguities, and Strategic Hedging

Vuong Quoc Khanh — 2026-06-30

This paper examines how Southeast Asia received Russia’s 2023 Foreign Policy Concept amid intensifying great-power competition and a fragmented post-2022 international order. Drawing on the theoretical framework of strategic hedging, the study argues that Southeast Asian states do not interpret Russia’s new foreign policy as a driver of regional-order restructuring. Instead, they largely incorporate it into existing practices of uncertainty management. Through an analysis of the region’s strategic context, perceptions of Russia’s role, and patterns of strategic ambiguity and selective alignment, the paper demonstrates that Russia is viewed as an important but non-decisive partner in Southeast Asia. While Russia’s discourses on multipolarity and the Global South resonate at a principled level, they have not translated into firm strategic commitments from the region. Rather, Southeast Asian states maintain strategic ambiguity to preserve autonomy and mitigate risks arising from structural confrontation among major powers. The paper contributes to contemporary international relations scholarship by reaffirming the analytical value of the hedging framework in understanding the behavior of middle and small states in an increasingly fragmented global order.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.03

Reframing Soft Power in South–South Cooperation: India’s Developmental Engagement in Ethiopia

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

Amid the shift of the international order toward multipolarity and post-Western configurations, South–South Cooperation (SSC) has increasingly become a key arena in which developing countries shape their international influence. However, prevailing conceptions of soft power remain largely grounded in Western experiences and therefore fail to fully capture non-coercive forms of influence operating within SSC. This paper reframes soft power through an analysis of India’s developmental engagement in Ethiopia. Drawing on a qualitative case study that combines policy and discourse analysis, the study demonstrates that soft power in the South–South context is primarily constructed through capacity-building, human resource development, and postcolonial partnership narratives rather than cultural attraction or policy conditionality. These practices generate long-term influence in the form of social capital, professional networks, and legitimacy, while also revealing inherent constraints related to measurement difficulties, limited resources, and context-dependent reception. The paper argues that soft power in SSC should be understood as a relational process accumulated over time, thereby extending existing analytical frameworks of soft power and clarifying the role of middle powers in the Global South.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.04

Open Distance e-Learning in Real Estate Education: Program Mapping and Review

Partson Paradza — 2026-06-30

Open distance e-learning (ODeL) has become an increasingly important mode of delivery in real estate education, driven by the applied nature of the discipline, the needs of working professionals, and the digital transformation of higher education. Despite its growing adoption, systematic evidence on how ODeL is conceptualized, implemented, and aligned with pedagogical and professional standards in real estate education remains limited. This study addresses this gap through a two-strand approach combining a narrative review of peer-reviewed literature with a global web-based mapping of ODeL real estate programs. The literature review analyzed studies published between 2000 and 2025, examining dominant pedagogical frameworks, technological approaches, methodological trends, and geographic patterns. The program mapping analyzed the global distribution of ODeL real estate qualifications by region, academic level, delivery mode, assessment approach, and professional accreditation status. The findings indicate that ODeL real estate education is predominantly postgraduate and geographically concentrated in the United Kingdom and Australia, where alignment with professional accreditation bodies, particularly the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), is strongest. Pedagogical practices are largely asynchronous and learning management system-based, with limited integration of interactive and collaborative learning. Interpreted through transactional distance theory and the community of inquiry framework, the results reveal persistent tensions between accessibility, interaction, and professional competency development, especially in the Global South. The study concludes that effective ODeL real estate education requires deliberate alignment between pedagogy, technology, and professional standards to enhance quality and global recognition.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.05

AUSINDEX and the Practice of Minilateral Maritime Security Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

Amid the growing fragmentation and strategic competition characterizing the Indo-Pacific security environment, flexible forms of security cooperation among middle powers have emerged as a salient feature of the contemporary regional order. This paper examines the India–Australia bilateral naval exercise AUSINDEX as a representative case of minilateral security practice, moving beyond conventional approaches that treat military exercises primarily as instruments of operational training. Drawing on an analytical framework that integrates Global International Relations (IR), middle-power studies, and scholarship on minilateralism, the paper demonstrates that AUSINDEX performs three interrelated strategic functions. First, it contributes to capacity-building and the enhancement of operational interoperability between the two navies. Second, it serves as a flexible instrument of strategic signaling within a competitive regional context. Third, it operates as a connective node within the broader networked architecture of Indo-Pacific maritime security. Through repeated and predictable practices, AUSINDEX helps shape behavioral expectations and cooperative norms without relying on formal alliances or highly institutionalized arrangements. The paper argues that conceptualizing naval exercises as minilateral security practices provides deeper insight into the substantive role of middle powers in sustaining regional stability and contributing to the construction of the Indo-Pacific order.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.06

The Relationship Between Integrated Assessments and Critical Thinking Skills of First-Year Accounting Students

Melanie Cloete — 2026-06-30

In the intelligent era, characterized by rapid technological advancements, the accounting profession is shifting from routine tasks to demanding higher-order cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking. This study examines the relationship between integrated assessments and the development of critical thinking skills in first-year accounting students. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study examines the impact of integrated assessments on the critical thinking abilities of two groups of accounting students: an experimental group exposed to integrated assessments and a control group receiving traditional assessments. The Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, UK Edition was used to measure critical thinking skills in both groups. Using analysis of variance (ANCOVA), the findings indicate that students exposed to integrated assessments scored significantly higher on critical thinking measures than those in the control group. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating such assessments to equip accounting graduates with the necessary skills to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape. This research contributes valuable empirical evidence supporting the use of integrated assessments as an effective pedagogical approach to foster critical thinking skills in accounting education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.07

Drawing the Line: University Students’ Perspectives on Ethical and Unethical GenAI Use in Academic Work

Nataša Košuta — 2026-06-30

Despite generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools being widely used in higher education, ethical boundaries remain unclear. While existing research shows widespread GenAI adoption, less is known about how students define ethical and unethical use, and what criteria they use to distinguish acceptable assistance from authorship substitution. This study examined university students’ perspectives on ethical GenAI use through a thematic analysis of 150 prompt-driven essays collected across three years (2024–2026) from participants at two Croatian universities. Participants demonstrated strong consensus in defining ethical use as functional support for understanding, organization, and technical refinement (brainstorming, clarifying concepts, grammar checking, summarizing materials, structuring essays), and unethical use as content generation that substitutes for student thinking (copying–pasting, exam cheating, submitting AI-generated work). Participants identified three overlapping criteria for authorship substitution: whether AI assists or replaces their work, whether they remain cognitively engaged, and whether they retain intellectual ownership. Participants also expressed concerns about learning loss, cognitive dependence, fairness, and authenticity, while also acknowledging efficiency benefits. Additionally, participants explicitly called for clearer institutional guidance and systematic AI literacy education rather than general prohibitions. Thus, the contribution of this study is the articulation of a student-generated framework for ethical use of GenAI and the translation of that framework into concrete principles for assessment and institutional policy.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.08

University Merger as a Strategic Approach to Higher Education Development: International Experiences and Policy Implications for Vietnam

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

This paper examines university mergers as a strategic approach to modern higher education development and draws policy lessons for the Vietnamese context. Building on a synthesis of international theoretical foundations – including organizational change theory, the resource-based view, and new institutionalism – the study analyzes representative merger models in the United Kingdom, Finland, France, and China. The findings reveal five core determinants of successful mergers: (i) a unified and coherent strategic vision; (ii) a centralized yet flexible governance structure; (iii) substantial financial investment; (iv) a stable and supportive institutional framework; and (v) effective coordination of organizational cultures. In comparison, Vietnam’s higher education system remains highly fragmented, with most merger initiatives limited to administrative consolidation rather than strategic integration, and constrained by insufficient financial resources. Based on international experiences and domestic realities, the study proposes a set of policy recommendations tailored to different institutional types and phases of implementation, with the aim of forming large, research-intensive universities capable of international competitiveness. The findings contribute both theoretically and practically to ongoing discussions on higher education restructuring and provide an evidence-informed foundation for policy formulation in Vietnam’s higher education reforms.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.09

Strategic Investment and Energy Cooperation in Vietnam–Japan Relations: Perspectives

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

This paper examines strategic investment and energy cooperation in Vietnam–Japan relations from a political economy perspective, aiming to clarify the role of official development assistance (ODA), foreign direct investment (FDI), and infrastructure cooperation in shaping Vietnam’s development trajectory. Drawing on a historical political economy approach and a case study methodology, the paper demonstrates that Japan has employed investment and ODA as strategic instruments to support Vietnam’s industrialization, infrastructure development, and long-term energy security. Energy cooperation—particularly in the power sector—has provided a critical foundation for attracting investment, integrating Vietnam into regional and global value chains, and sustaining stable economic growth. At the same time, this cooperation model reflects pronounced asymmetries in capital, technology, and institutional capacity, posing challenges to Vietnam’s developmental autonomy and prospects for upgrading. In the context of accelerating energy transition and increasingly stringent climate commitments, the paper argues that Vietnam–Japan relations are entering an important phase of adjustment, in which energy cooperation and investment need to be reconfigured toward greater sustainability and balance. Overall, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of a distinctive model of development cooperation in Asia, where growth, asymmetry, and transformation coexist.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.10

Digital Transformation as a University Governance Strategy: International Lessons and Implications for Vietnam

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

Digital transformation has become an inevitable trend in higher education worldwide; however, in practice, it is often narrowly interpreted as technological investment or the digitization of existing processes. This paper approaches digital transformation as a university governance strategy, emphasizing that digital technologies can generate meaningful impact only when embedded within a clear developmental vision and accompanied by substantive governance reform. Drawing on theoretical frameworks and a synthesis of international scholarship, the paper clarifies the distinctions between digitization, digitalization, and digital transformation, and argues that digital transformation constitutes a comprehensive process of restructuring organizational arrangements, operational processes, and decision-making mechanisms in higher education. Through a comparative analysis of experiences from European, East Asian, and Anglo-Saxon models, the paper demonstrates that there is no single, universal pathway to digital transformation. Instead, national approaches vary according to institutional contexts, resource endowments, and underlying development philosophies. Building on this comparative perspective, the paper examines key characteristics of Vietnam’s higher education system in the context of expanded institutional autonomy, persistent resource disparities, and growing quality pressures. It then proposes a set of policy and governance implications aimed at guiding digital transformation in Vietnamese higher education toward a more human-centered, sustainable, and socially responsible trajectory.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.11

The South China Sea as an Asymmetric Governance Space in ASEAN–China Relations

Pham Van Thinh — 2026-06-30

This paper approaches the South China Sea as an asymmetric governance space in ASEAN–China relations, rather than viewing it merely as a collection of overlapping sovereignty disputes. Drawing on a combined framework of regional institutionalism, hedging strategies of small and middle powers, and the behavior of a rising great power, the study examines how ASEAN and China interact under conditions of persistent power asymmetry. The findings indicate that ASEAN has not pursued hard balancing or full bandwagoning toward China; instead, it has opted for asymmetric governance through soft, consensus-based, and non-legally binding institutional mechanisms, most notably the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the ongoing negotiation process of the Code of Conduct (COC). These mechanisms have contributed to maintaining relative stability and preventing conflict escalation, despite their inability to resolve sovereignty disputes at their root. From China’s perspective, selective institutional engagement enables Beijing to stabilize the regional environment while preserving strategic freedom of action. The paper makes a theoretical contribution by conceptualizing the South China Sea as an asymmetric governance space, thereby illuminating both the possibilities and the limitations of ASEAN-led regional governance in the context of intensifying great-power competition.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.12

Enhancing Professional Accounting Education: Concept-Mapping Learning Theories to Proficiency Levels

Michelle van Heerden — 2026-06-30

This study mapped Bloom’s taxonomy and Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development (ZPD) to the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants’ (SAICA) tax technical proficiency levels, offering a novel instructional framework to clarify proficiency levels and support curriculum design in professional accounting education. Despite the prominence of proficiency levels in SAICA’s competency framework, ambiguity persists among lecturers and students regarding the expectations and application, risking syllabus overload and misaligned teaching strategies. Adopting a qualitative approach, the study employed concept mapping to integrate learning theories with tax technical competencies. The findings show that Bloom’s taxonomy provides valuable insight for distinguishing between levels 2 and 3, most notably highlighting the difference between analysing and evaluating. Vygotsky’s learning theory, in turn, clarifies the foundational Level 1 as risk recognition, achieved through a sound grasp of principles and the ability to ask appropriate questions. These insights provide lecturers with clearer guidance for teaching and assessment and assist students in understanding the scope and limits of their competencies. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to apply concept mapping to proficiency levels, contributing a novel interpretive framework that serves as a practical interpretive tool for lecturers and students, with potential applicability across other disciplines in professional accounting education.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.13

Vietnam–Russia Relations through the Lenses of History, Memory, and Community

Vuong Quoc Khanh — 2026-06-30

This paper examines Vietnam–Russia relations in the post-Cold War era from the perspectives of historical legacy, collective memory, and societal linkages, seeking to move beyond conventional approaches that emphasize geopolitics and military cooperation. The study argues that the durability of bilateral relations is not grounded solely in contemporary strategic interests but is shaped by a multi-layered structure in which the Soviet–Vietnam legacy, memory politics, and transnational social networks play foundational roles. Based on a review of academic literature published between 2015 and 2025, combined with an analysis of political discourse and public diplomacy practices, the paper identifies three main findings. First, the institutional, legal, and human resource legacies of the Soviet period continue to influence political structures, levels of trust, and the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Second, the memory of “traditional friendship” is reproduced in political discourse, education, and media as a symbolic resource that reinforces legitimacy and the distinctive character of bilateral ties amid intensifying major-power competition. Third, cooperation in education, culture, language, and two-way migration forms a “soft infrastructure” that sustains interaction beyond the state level. The paper concludes that integrating historical and societal dimensions into the analysis of Vietnam–Russia relations provides a more comprehensive explanation of their continuity and adaptability within a transforming international order.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.14

Academic Underpreparedness and the Articulation Gap in Higher Education: Implications for First-Year Student Success in South Africa

Mart-Mari Els — 2026-06-30

This paper investigates the critical challenge of academic underpreparedness and the articulation gap among first-year students entering higher education in South Africa. Focusing on the interdisciplinary landscape of the built environment, specifically the building measurement module in quantity surveying, the study explores how deficiencies in secondary schooling impact student readiness, adjustment, and, ultimately, student success. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, incorporating a baseline survey and focus group discussions for first-year students and semi-structured interviews with first-year lecturers across multiple accredited South African universities. The novelty of this study lies in its integrated, multi-institutional examination of first-year student preparedness within a discipline-specific context, linking student experiences with lecturer perspectives to provide a holistic understanding of the articulation gap in built environment education. The research highlights a significant discrepancy between students’ perceived readiness and the rigorous cognitive, technical, and personal demands of university-level study. Key findings indicate that students frequently lack foundational literacy, numeracy, and critical thinking skills, while also struggling with spatial visualisation and the integration of knowledge across different modules. Furthermore, personal challenges, such as poor time management and the sudden requirement for independence, intensify the transitional challenges experienced by many entering the university environment. The study concludes that the articulation gap is a systemic issue requiring urgent attention from basic and higher education systems, as well as industry stakeholders. It calls for the development of targeted pedagogical interventions, structured support mechanisms, and alignment between education and the world of work through innovative curriculum design to bridge this gap. By addressing these shared challenges, the research seeks to enhance first-year student success and ensure the long-term sustainability and competency of graduates within built environment professions.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.15

Towards Ethical Tax Leadership: A Systematic Review of Corporate Tax Governance in South Africa

Michelle van Heerden — 2026-06-30

This study examines how corporate tax governance has been conceptualised within the South African scholarly context. Using a systematic literature review and interpretive synthesis of fourteen A-list contributions, the study identified seven principle-oriented themes: ethical responsibilities, tax policy/strategy, tax risk management, tax control frameworks, the function of tax operations, co-operative compliance, and transparency and reporting. While these themes broadly align with the six VBDO (Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development) and Oikos principles, the findings extend the framework through the explicit inclusion of ethical responsibility as an additional principle and refine it by framing accountability primarily through transparency rather than formal assurance mechanisms. More critically, the literature is characterised by a predominantly normative and conceptual orientation, with minimal empirical evidence and an absence of explicit theoretical grounding. The primary contribution of the study lies in consolidating fragmented perspectives into a coherent, principle-oriented framework, particularly given that none of the reviewed sources explicitly articulate corporate tax governance principles, and these had to be inferred from the literature. The findings highlight the need for more theoretically grounded and empirically informed research that explicitly conceptualises corporate tax governance principles within the South African context, rather than inferring them from implicit and fragmented discussions.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.16

Isidwaba sikaMkabayi: Gender Transgression and Power in Sheli Masondo’s Costume Design for Shaka iLembe

Motshidisi S. Manyeneng — 2026-06-30

This paper presents and analyses costume design in a recent popular South African television series titled Shaka iLembe (Gibson et al., 2024). The series is based on the life and times of the legendary founder of the Zulu nation, Shaka Zulu. The paper focuses on the series’ costume designer, Sheli Masondo’s, disruption of normative gender identities in traditional Zulu attire. Masondo’s designs reconstruct the character of Mkabayi kaJama in the television series by combining isidwaba (a traditional female leather skirt) with ibeshu (a traditional male back apron) to create a sartorial language that articulates Mkabayi’s political power and military authority, as it presents a transgressive femininity. The paper argues that Masondo’s designs present gender ambiguity in costume design in ways that challenge essentialist notions of gender in traditional African contexts, even as they remain rooted in authentic practices in traditional Zulu material culture. Furthermore, the paper argues that Masondo’s approach represents a fascinating case of costume as both historical reconstruction and feminist intervention, positioning dress as a site where gender, power, and cultural authenticity are negotiated to intersect in modern cultural practice.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.17

Braille Communicative Tools and the Readiness of Visually Impaired Consumers in South African Apparel Retail: A Socio-material Inquiry into Inclusive Design

Aubrey Ramatla — 2026-06-30

This paper critically explores the Braille Communicative Tool (BCT) as a material and cultural innovation within South African apparel retail, examining its role in enabling visually impaired consumers' autonomous engagement with garment information. Drawing on an adapted Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, the research investigates how perceptions of utility, social support, and enabling environments influence readiness to adopt the BCT. Employing a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design comprising workshops, focus groups, and simulated retail observations with 60 participants drawn from three South African provinces the findings indicate that the BCT functions not merely as an assistive device but as a catalyst for inclusive sensory engagement, autonomy, and social dignity within a historically visual centric commercial space. Implications for inclusive design, disability rights, and sensory culture within South African material culture studies are discussed.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.18

Reframing Assessments in the Age of AI: A Multidisciplinary Student-Centred Framework for Enhancing Creativity

Melissa Haripersad — 2026-06-30

This study examines how assessment design in higher education can foster creativity while minimising over-reliance on generative artificial intelligence (AI). The increasing availability of AI tools has significantly transformed student learning behaviours, raising concerns about reduced critical thinking, academic integrity, and superficial engagement with learning tasks. Traditional assessment approaches, which often prioritise content reproduction, may inadvertently encourage students to rely on AI-generated outputs rather than engage meaningfully with knowledge construction. This research adopted a qualitative design science research (DSR) approach, drawing on semi-structured interviews with 10 lecturers and 14 students across multiple disciplines at a higher education institution in South Africa. Thematic analysis revealed five key findings: current assessments limit creativity and promote reproduction; AI reliance is driven by uncertainty in assessment expectations rather than student laziness; students prefer authentic, real-world, and multidisciplinary tasks; assessment literacy is low among both students and lecturers; and AI can enhance creativity when integrated ethically. Based on these findings, the study proposes a multidisciplinary student-centred assessment framework comprising creative assessment design, authentic multidisciplinary tasks, and ethical AI integration. The framework contributes to theory and practice by offering a structured approach to redesigning assessments in an AI-enabled educational environment. The study provides practical implications for higher education institutions seeking to balance innovation, creativity, and academic integrity.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.19

Navigating AI in Design Education: A Student-Led Reflection on AI as a Tool in the Creative Process

Ashton Margarete Moseley — 2026-06-30

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is disrupting and reshaping both professional design practice and design education. While AI-driven generative tools offer new possibilities in the design process, questions remain about their broader impact on creative processes, authorship, and pedagogical approaches. This paper presents findings from the first cycle of an Action Research project investigating the perceived benefits and challenges of integrating generative AI tools into the design process and design education. In this pilot study, 10 postgraduate industrial design students were tasked with completing a speculative design project in which they were challenged to envision possible futures where humans, technology, and the environment coexist harmoniously. Following the Double Diamond design process model, the curriculum-based project was structured to explicitly integrate generative AI technology as a primary tool in the visualisation and delivery phase (second diamond) of design outcomes. Students were required to accurately document and critically reflect on their experiences using AI in their creative process. This paper presents key findings and themes derived from a thematic analysis of student reflections and lecturer observations on the use and effectiveness of AI in a speculative design project. Initial findings highlight both the potential and limitations of AI in design. While AI enhances efficiency and expands creative possibilities, it lacks human intuition, emotional depth, and cultural nuance. Overall, this paper captures student perceptions of the impacts of AI on the design process and underscores the need for critical engagement with AI in design education. It concludes with recommendations for future research, including subsequent Action Research cycles and related projects, to further refine and expand on these initial findings.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.20

Dimensional Structure of Student Perceptions in AI-Supported Avatar Learning Environments

Riyad Moosa — 2026-06-30

As artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into various learning environments, more research is needed to examine how students structurally organise their perceptions when using such technology. This explorative study investigated the dimensional structure and reliability of student perceptions of an AI-assisted instructional avatar among a cohort of postgraduate students. A cross-sectional survey was administered using Google Forms, yielding 65 responses following engagement with the avatar instructional sessions. Exploratory factor analysis using principal axis factoring with oblimin rotation yielded a two-factor solution comprising perceived learning support (PLS) and cognitive engagement (CE). These findings provide structural evidence for improving an understanding of how students organise their perceptions when receiving technology-supported instruction and shed new light on how students experience AI-assisted avatars. The findings also offer insights into the design and evaluation of technology-based learning environments and inform the effective integration of avatars as pedagogical tools.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.21

A Maqāṣid Approach to Artificial Intelligence in Islamic Banking

Bello Sani Yahuza — 2026-06-30

This research proposes a Maqāṣid–AI framework (MAF) as a normative lens to evaluate whether the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in Islamic banking enhances Maqāṣid (the higher purposes of Islamic law). AI has significantly transformed Islamic banking, creating unique opportunities and enhancing efficiency through smart and seamless operations. Yet, Sharī’ah compliance and ethical challenges such as system opacity, explainable AI, algorithmic bias, and data privacy remain. This is because current research is mainly descriptive and lacks a solid theoretical framework to evaluate the performance of AI. This research proposes a Maqāṣid framework that aligns Sharī’ah ethical values with technological innovations. It addresses existing gaps in the literature by proposing an operational framework to evaluate the integration of AI with maqāṣid, including the preservation of faith (dīn), life (nafs), intellect (ʿaql), dignity (ʿird), and wealth (māl). The MAF is developed across three key stages, Innovation in Application and Development, Regulation in Governance and Risk Mitigation, and Repercussion in Evaluation and Prevention, to uphold Islamic ethical values. From this background, the research critically assesses recent AI literature alongside the classical maqāṣid theoretical principle of maṣlaḥa (benefit maximisation) to provide a normative blueprint for regulators, Sharī’ah scholars, and banking professionals seeking ethical AI adoption. The research highlights implications for corporate governance, emphasising the need for maqāṣid-based governance policies.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.22

Sensory Acceptability of Soynuts Compared to Popular Nut Snacks: Prospects for Addressing Malnourishment among the South African Youth

Khezwo Nematshema — 2026-06-30

Healthier snack alternatives must be accessible to all segments of society, including low-income households that often rely on ready-made options from informal shops and street vendors. It is not enough for these snacks to be convenient; they must also deliver meaningful nutrition. For example, plant-based protein-rich options such as roasted soynuts can provide both affordability and health benefits, ensuring that families do not have to choose between cost and nutrition. By bridging the gap between convenience, affordability, and nutritional value, the production of such snacks can support public health while contributing to sustainable food systems. The aim of this study was to compare a laboratory-developed snack nut called “soynuts” prepared from soybean (Glycine max) grains with chickpeas (Cicer arietinum), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), and almonds (Prunus dulcis) in terms of consumer acceptability and nutritional content. The samples were analysed for sensory analysis, crude protein, fat, and ash content. Peanuts and almonds were highly liked, chickpeas were disliked slightly, while soynuts were neither liked nor disliked. Soynuts were very high in crude protein (39.068 g) and neutral detergent fibre (30.267 g). The calcium content was similar between the soynuts (0.030 mg/100 g) and the almonds (0.030 mg/100 g). The potential for further development of the soynut snack and its value chain is promising; however, innovations are needed to enhance sensory attributes such as shape and colour to make it more appealing to consumers.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.23

From De Jure Autonomy to De Facto Autonomy: Implementation Gaps in Vietnam’s Higher Education Reform

Le Tuan Anh — 2026-06-30

This article examines the gap between de jure university autonomy and de facto autonomy in Vietnam within the broader context of higher education reform. The study addresses the central research question: Why has the expansion of legal autonomy not fully translated into substantive autonomy in the operational practices of higher education institutions in Vietnam? Drawing on an integrated theoretical framework that combines new public management, state–university relations, and historical institutionalism, the study employed a qualitative institutional analysis. This approach included a systematic content analysis of key legal documents—namely the amended Law on Higher Education (2018), its 2025 revision, and related regulations—alongside a structured synthesis of domestic empirical studies on financial autonomy, governance, and accountability. The findings indicate that Vietnam has significantly expanded institutional autonomy across organizational, academic, and financial dimensions. However, implementation remains constrained by legal fragmentation, administrative inertia, proceduralized accreditation mechanisms, and uneven institutional capacity across universities. The implementation gap thus arises not only from policy design but also from historically embedded institutional legacies and power structures. The study contributes to the literature by identifying the underlying mechanisms that generate the “autonomy gap” in a transitional higher education system and by advancing an analytical approach that integrates legal, organizational, and institutional perspectives. The findings suggest that expanding formal autonomy must be accompanied by governance reform and capacity-building to ensure effective and sustainable institutional autonomy in practice.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.24

Vietnam–Russia Economic Cooperation under Geopolitical Turbulence: Trade, Investment, and Institutional Adaptation in the EAEU Framework

Vuong Quoc Khanh — 2026-06-30

This paper analyzes economic cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation in the context of global geopolitical turbulence after 2022, based on a synthesis of recent scholarly studies. The research focuses on three key pillars: bilateral trade, investment cooperation, and the role of the institutional framework, particularly the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The findings indicate that bilateral trade has shown short-term growth due to Russia’s reorientation toward Asian markets; however, this trend lacks sustainability and remains dependent on external factors. Meanwhile, investment cooperation remains limited, concentrated in traditional sectors such as energy, and has yet to generate spillover effects through the formation of integrated value chains. From an institutional perspective, the Vietnam–EAEU FTA serves as an important foundational framework, but its practical effectiveness is constrained by structural economic barriers, logistical challenges, and the broader geopolitical environment. Based on these findings, the paper proposes a “geo-economic adaptation” approach to better explain both the drivers and limitations of bilateral cooperation, while also offering several policy implications in the context of an ongoing restructuring of the global economy.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.25

From Cooperation to Integration? The Limits of Internationalization in Vietnamese Higher Education

Le Tuan Anh — 2026-06-30

This paper examines the trajectory of higher education internationalization in Vietnam since the Đổi Mới reforms (1986), with the aim of clarifying the extent to which the system has transitioned from “international cooperation” to “system-level integration”. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of internationalization and globalization in higher education, and employing document and policy analysis, the study found that Vietnam has achieved significant progress in expanding the scale and diversifying the forms of internationalization. This is reflected in the growth of joint training programs, the expansion of English-medium instruction, and increased international research collaboration. However, the process continues to face structural constraints, including limited university autonomy, insufficient governance and financial capacity, and uneven quality of academic staff. Notably, a considerable gap persists between policy orientation and actual implementation, alongside a continued dependence on international models and standards. These factors give rise to developmental paradoxes such as “rapid expansion without depth” and “formal integration without structural transformation”. Based on these findings, the paper argues for a reconceptualization of internationalization toward a system-integrated approach, emphasizing a shift from passive reception to proactive co-creation. Such a transformation is essential for advancing comprehensive reform and ensuring the sustainable development of Vietnamese higher education in the context of globalization.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.26

Sexual Consent in a South African Higher Education Sample: An Examination of Differences in Conceptualisation and Communication

Ronél Koch — 2026-06-30

South African higher education institutions continue to experience alarmingly high levels of sexual abuse and gender-based violence, underscoring the urgency of understanding how sexual consent is conceptualised and communicated among young adults. Poor understanding of consent is widely linked to sexual exploitation, coercion, manipulation, and abuse. Despite its critical importance, the communicative dimensions of sexual consent in South African higher education remain substantially under-researched. This study aimed to examine how university students at a South African higher education institution conceptualise and communicate sexual consent based on their own sexual encounters. A qualitative descriptive design was employed, with data generated through semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected university students at a historically disadvantaged institution in the Western Cape province. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants predominantly relied on non-verbal cues to communicate consent and frequently submitted to expectations set by the individual initiating the encounter. Many participants described sexual experiences that they did not perceive as rape, yet neither fully desired nor explicitly consented to. Explicit verbal consent was uncommon and often viewed as unnecessary or awkward. Significant gendered asymmetries in initiation and compliance were evident, and intoxication frequently created conditions in which meaningful consent was compromised. Participants demonstrated difficulty distinguishing between non-consensual sex and rape, suggesting a concerning gap in consent literacy. The findings point to an urgent need for higher education institutions to embed discussions of consent communication, power, and assertiveness within student orientation and reproductive health programmes and initiatives.

https://doi.org/10.26803/MyRes.2026.27