higher education

Update news higher education

Ethnic minority student rises from border village to national runner-up

Seeing that many people had left their villages to seek work far from home, Na Ni realized that education was the only path to changing her life.

How many vice rectors should universities have?

Many private universities currently have between eight and 10 vice rectors, reflecting a trend for personnel autonomy suitable to their scale.

HCMC National University targets 1,500 more PhDs in 5 years

Vietnam National University, HCMC (VNU-HCMC) has set a target of adding 1,500 PhDs over the next five years and is stepping up multiple initiatives to turn this goal into reality.

Ban on use of “national” and “international” in university names raises concerns

A more flexible, rather than prohibitive, approach, in using the words ‘national’ and ‘international’ when naming universities is needed, according to experts.

Vice President limits: a governance strain on large universities

Public universities in Vietnam, whether they have 4,000 or 40,000 students, are currently allowed to appoint only three vice presidents at most, which is seen as a challenge for administration and management at large-scale institutions.

Why are “hot” university majors at risk of saturation?

Experts say that rushing to register for “hot” majors does not guarantee young people will secure desirable jobs, due to the risk of saturation and the unpredictable volatility of the future job market.

Vietnam National University HCMC appoints first-ever female president

On December 15, 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh officially signed a decision appointing Professor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, currently Vice President of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC), as the institution’s new president.

Vietnam-based design school claims no fraud in unrecognized UK degree program

The London College for Design and Fashion in Vietnam insists it had no intent to mislead students regarding the UK-issued degrees not recognized by Vietnam’s education ministry.

Ministry to provide maximum support for VN-Japan University project: Official

The Ministry of Education and Training, with support from the Ministry of Finance, is developing a special financial mechanism to enhance the operational efficiency of Vietnam–Japan University, Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong has said.

Students shocked as international fashion degrees not recognized in Vietnam

Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has confirmed that the London College for Design and Fashion has never been licensed to conduct any foreign education programs in the country.

Pedagogical junior colleges to be merged with pedagogical universities

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son has said that pedagogical junior colleges (3-year training) will be merged with pedagogical universities (4-year training). Only three or four colleges will remain.

Southern Vietnam’s university admissions face record 172% virtual rate

More than 1.59 million applications were processed in 2025, with a virtual rate nearly doubling from the previous year.

Only 3–4 teacher colleges to remain as Vietnam reforms higher education

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.

Vietnam welcomes 19 returning PhDs from top global universities

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

Vietnam plans tighter control over law and medical education programs

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

Many meaningful social science majors forced to shut down

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

HCM City vows support for universities as leaders meet academics

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.

Universities proposing to grant professorships: how to prevent title inflation?

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 has 25 universities ranked in QS Asia list for 2026

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

Experts highlight flaw in capping the number of vice rectors for universities

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.