International Conference on "Functional Linguistics and Multimodality"

On March 22, 2025, School of Foreign Languages and Tourism under Hanoi University of Industry (HaUI) hosted the international conference titled "Functional Linguistics and Multimodality." Given the university’s ongoing development of an applied linguistics undergraduate program and its strategic direction toward offering master's and doctoral degrees in applied linguistics, this conference was convened to provide a forum for scholars, researchers, and lecturers to exchange insights, share pioneering research findings, and engage in discussions on both theoretical and applied aspects of functional linguistics, with a particular focus on multimodal texts and discourse. Furthermore, the event served as an opportunity to enhance HaUI’s reputation as a dynamic and professional institution committed to evolving into a multidisciplinary applied research university with global integration.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lê Ba Phong, Vice Principal of School of Foreign Languages and Tourism, delivered the opening remarks at the conference

Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hiệp, Chairman of the Scientific and Training Council of School of Foreign Languages and Tourism, delivered the keynote address at the conference

The conference featured insightful keynote presentations from four distinguished scholars, each contributing their expertise to the discussion on functional linguistics and multimodality:

Keynote speaker1: Prof. Dr. Theo van Leeuwen – The University of New South Wales, Australia

Keynote speaker 2: Prof. Dr. Dinh Van Duc – University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University

Keynote speaker 3: Prof. Dr. Louise Ravelli – The University of New South Wales, Australia

Keynote speaker 4: Prof. Dr. Len Unsworth – The University of New South Wales, Australia

Prior to the main event, on March 20 and 21, 2025, Prof. Theo van Leeuwen conducted intensive workshops exploring core concepts of visual grammar and multimodal discourse analysis. These sessions provided hands-on training and practical applications, offering participants valuable insights into the methodologies used for analyzing various types of discourse. The impressive turnout of 90 participants for the pre-conference workshops and 270 registered attendees for the main conference attested to the growing prominence of functional linguistics, particularly Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), as an influential and highly applicable field, as described by J.R. Martin.

The Pre-Conference Symposium on "Functional Linguistics and Multimodal Issues"

The conference received nearly 70 high-quality research papers from esteemed scholars, academics, and educators from prestigious universities and institutions, both domestic and international, with submissions in both Vietnamese and English. These papers encompassed diverse dimensions of functional linguistics and its applications, with a significant number dedicated to multimodal analysis. Due to the specialized nature of the conference, 57 papers were selected for presentation and discussion.

Following the plenary session featuring keynote addresses by Professors Theo van Leeuwen, Dinh Van Duc, Louise Ravelli, and Len Unsworth, the remaining presentations were divided into four thematic panels. These selected papers underwent rigorous peer review and received commendation from experts in the field. Discussions at the conference centered around key themes, including:

- The evolution of functional linguistics, with a particular focus on Systemic Functional Linguistics and its applications in grammatical studies, discourse analysis, appraisal theory, and modality research.

- Fundamental issues and advancements in multimodal approaches, practical applications of multimodal discourse analysis across various discourse types, and their integration into language education and broader socio-semiotic domains, including video analysis, film posters, theatrical paralinguistics, facial expressions and vocal intonations in drama, and visual elements in journalistic reporting.

The presentations at the four sub-sessions

The field of functional linguistics has undergone remarkable development, both in Vietnam and globally. This conference served as an essential academic platform for linguists to engage in profound discussions on contemporary challenges in functional linguistics and multimodal discourse. Through a diverse array of scholarly exchanges, enriched by perspectives grounded in global integration and digital transformation, the conference yielded significant theoretical and applied contributions. These insights not only resonate with emerging trends in applied linguistics education but also offer practical solutions to pressing theoretical and methodological challenges, aligning with labor market demands and fostering the advancement of linguistic research and education in the digital era.