Ho Chi Minh City is expected to undergo a significant reorganization of its higher education system, with plans to merge or restructure more than 30 universities and colleges. This move aims to streamline management and improve efficiency across institutions.

At the university level, the city plans to retain Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Thu Dau Mot University as independent institutions. Meanwhile, Saigon University will be reorganized through a merger with Ba Ria - Vung Tau College of Education and continue to operate under the name Saigon University.

Currently, there are 19 colleges in HCMC. Among them, 14 partially self-finance their recurrent expenditures. These include Ba Ria - Vung Tau College of Education, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Medical College, HCMC College of Culture and Arts, Thu Thiem College - HCMC, Thu Duc College of Technology, HCMC College of Transport, HCMC College of Architecture and Construction, HCMC College of Economics and Technology, Nguyen Truong To Technical College, Thu Duc College of Economics and Technology, Southern Saigon Polytechnic College, HCMC Vocational College, Ly Tu Trong College - HCMC, and HCMC College of Economics.

Four colleges are fully self-financing for recurrent expenditures: Vietnam - Singapore Vocational College, Vietnam - Korea Binh Duong College, Ba Ria - Vung Tau College of Engineering and Technology, and Binh Duong Medical College.

One college, the Semi-public College of Technology and Business Administration, is self-financing both operational and capital expenditures.

Planned mergers include:

Binh Duong Medical College and Ba Ria - Vung Tau Medical College will merge to form HCMC Medical College.
HCMC Vocational College, Hung Vuong Technical and Technology Intermediate School, and Quang Trung Vocational Intermediate School will combine to become HCMC Vocational College.

HCMC College of Economics and Binh Duong Intermediate School of Economics will merge into HCMC College of Economics.

HCMC College of Economics and Technology, Tran Dai Nghia Intermediate School, and District 12 Intermediate School of Economics and Technology will form Tran Dai Nghia College.

Southern Saigon Polytechnic College, Nhan Dao Vocational Intermediate School, and Binh Thanh Vocational Intermediate School will be merged into Southern Saigon Polytechnic College.

Nguyen Truong To Technical College, HCMC Polytechnic Intermediate School, and Cu Chi Vocational Intermediate School will become Nguyen Truong To College.

Thu Duc College of Economics and Technology and East Saigon Vocational Intermediate School will become HCMC Advanced Technical College.

Ly Tu Trong College - HCMC and the Information and Communication Intermediate School will consolidate as Ly Tu Trong College - HCMC.

HCMC College of Transport, the Binh Duong Vocational Education and Driver Testing Center, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau Transport Intermediate School will merge into HCMC College of Transport.

Thu Thiem College - HCMC, Nguyen Huu Canh Intermediate School of Economics and Technology, and Ton Duc Thang Technical and Professional Vocational Intermediate School will form Nguyen Huu Canh College.

HCMC College of Culture and Arts and the Binh Duong Intermediate School of Fine Arts and Culture will merge into HCMC College of Culture and Arts.

Five colleges will remain unchanged, including Vietnam - Singapore Vocational College, Vietnam - Korea Binh Duong College, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau College of Engineering and Technology.

Thu Duc College of Technology and HCMC College of Architecture and Construction will retain their identity but will shift to different financial autonomy levels.

The Semi-public College of Technology and Business Administration will be converted into a fully public, financially autonomous institution.

Additionally, the city intends to establish two new colleges:

Saigontourist College of Tourism and Hospitality, upgraded from the Saigontourist Tourism and Hospitality Intermediate School.

HCMC College of High-tech Agriculture, formed by merging the HCMC Agricultural Technical Intermediate School, the Intermediate School of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Center for High-tech Agricultural Vocational Training.

After the restructuring, HCMC is expected to eliminate all intermediate-level vocational schools, creating a streamlined, college-only vocational education system.

Le Huyen