The announcement came during a National Assembly Standing Committee session on December 4, as lawmakers discussed several draft laws related to education and training.

One key change in the draft Law on Vocational Education is the provision allowing universities that meet certain conditions to offer associate degree-level programs in specific fields, pending government regulations.

Explaining the rationale behind this move, Minister Nguyen Kim Son said the planned restructuring aims to consolidate the system of teacher colleges and universities. Under this vision, teacher training programs - particularly for early childhood education at the associate degree level - will be housed within pedagogical universities.

“Universities should be permitted to provide associate-level training in specific, highly specialized or critical areas aligned with national labor demands,” Son proposed.

However, he stressed that clear criteria must be established to avoid a surge in universities offering associate-level programs, which could undermine the role and enrollment capacity of standalone colleges.

“The law should set a principle: universities may be allowed to offer associate-level education. But the specific conditions and entities permitted to do so should be defined by the government,” he added.

Debate over the future of regional universities

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Education Minister Nguyen Kim Son explains the government’s proposal on education restructuring. Photo: National Assembly

The draft Law on Higher Education defines four types of higher education institutions: universities, multi-disciplinary universities, national universities, and regional universities. The model of regional universities sparked significant debate among lawmakers.

National Assembly Standing Committee Vice Chairman Do Van Chien acknowledged that while the establishment of regional universities was initially a sound policy, they have not fully met expectations - particularly in terms of decentralization and administrative efficiency.

Drawing from her experience as former Party Secretary of Thai Nguyen province, Nguyen Thanh Hai, Chair of the Science, Technology, and Environment Committee, cited Thai Nguyen University as an example of success. She noted that it played a critical role in supplying skilled workers, including for Samsung’s regional operations in northern Vietnam.

“Thanks to the regional university model, we were able to attract major investors like Samsung due to our well-trained workforce,” Hai said.

She urged the government to carefully assess the strengths and weaknesses of regional universities, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between inherent flaws in the model and issues stemming from lack of support or investment.

“Is the model itself flawed, or have we simply failed to provide the necessary conditions for it to thrive?” Hai asked.

Minister Nguyen Kim Son noted that the Ministry of Education and Training’s report had addressed regional universities 18 times, mostly in connection with Thai Nguyen University. Vietnam currently has three regional universities: in Thai Nguyen, Hue, and Da Nang.

He acknowledged that while these institutions have made notable contributions, there are also limitations that need to be addressed.

The restructuring of regional universities was also discussed in Politburo Resolution 71, which calls for evaluating the role of intermediary levels in the education system. Minister Son emphasized that decisions about establishing or dissolving regional universities fall under the government’s jurisdiction, though authority may be delegated to the ministry.

“In practice, we can still make adjustments if problems arise,” he said, adding that comprehensive studies and cautious assessments will guide future actions.

Tran Thuong