Vietnam will soon reduce its network of teacher training colleges to just 3–4 institutions, with most set to be integrated into pedagogical universities, according to Education and Training Minister Nguyen Kim Son.

A new wave of academic talent joins Vietnam National University HCM City under the VNU350 program.

With over 90 institutions offering law degrees and 30 training doctors, Vietnam faces a challenge: how to regulate these critical fields?

Despite their academic value, several social science disciplines are being discontinued due to lack of market demand.

Secretary Tran Luu Quang affirmed that the city is poised for change - particularly in its approach to tackling complex issues. Ho Chi Minh City’s leadership expressed a strong desire to listen more to experts and scientists.

Representatives from several universities support allowing accredited universities to self-assess and confer the titles of professor and associate professor based on national standards.

Vietnam’s presence in the QS Asia University Rankings jumps to 25 institutions, with three universities in the top 200.

Associate Prof Do Phu Tran Tinh, Director of Policy Development Institute, an arm of VNUHCMC, said limiting universities, whether they have 40,000 or 4,000 students, to a maximum of three vice rectors is a management flaw.

Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and Head of the Central Commission for Publicity and Education, emphasized the need to allocate at least 3% of the national budget to higher education.

A nationwide reshaping of Vietnam’s education network is underway, with significant institutional mergers proposed across five provinces.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son says the education sector is preparing for a major restructuring of higher education institutions.

Tran Quang Tien, PhD, stated that many countries around the world maintain and develop the model of women’s universities, not only because of traditional reasons, but also of the value they bring to women's advancement and societal development.

Vietnam now has 11 universities in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, the highest number ever recorded, including some newly listed institutions.

Ho Chi Minh City plans to streamline its education system by merging universities and vocational colleges into fewer, larger institutions.

Among eight public universities with annual revenue exceeding VND1,000 billion, University of Economics HCMC earned nearly VND2 trillion.

At least 173 public universities across Vietnam are expected to dissolve their university councils, as part of a sweeping restructuring and merger plan aimed at reducing administrative fragmentation.

Vietnam’s top universities with annual revenues in the trillions of dong have all adopted autonomy. Tuition fees range from a few thousand dollars to nearly $4,000 per year for domestic programs.

Public universities face sweeping changes, with MOET reducing control and boosting autonomy.

At over 70 years old, Pham Ngoc Hong diligently attended lectures in traditional medicine. Before that, he had earned two bachelor’s degrees from two different universities when he was over 60.