Vietnam is considering a major reform that would allow universities to appoint professors and associate professors based on institutional needs and national standards.
Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is drafting new regulations that would give universities full responsibility for appointing professors and associate professors, while the ministry sets national standards, supervises procedures and handles complaints.
Speaking to VietNamNet, Vu Minh Duc, Director General of the Department of Teachers and Educational Administrators under MOET, said the ministry is studying a new framework covering the criteria, conditions, appointment procedures and dismissal of professors and associate professors. Universities would be responsible for the entire selection and appointment process.
Previously, candidates seeking recognition as professors or associate professors went through a three-tier review process. Universities first established institutional councils to assess candidates before forwarding qualified applicants to disciplinary or interdisciplinary councils for evaluation. Candidates who passed that stage were then submitted to the State Council for Professorship for final recognition.
Greater autonomy for universities
Vu Minh Duc, Director General of the Department of Teachers and Educational Administrators under Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training. Photo: Le Anh Dung.
According to Duc, the most significant reform is a shift towards a modern appointment model that grants universities greater autonomy while strengthening institutional accountability and the role of university leaders.
MOET will issue national standards based on three core areas of competence: teaching ability, academic reputation and the capacity to attract research funding.
Universities will then be allowed to establish more detailed appointment criteria suited to their academic disciplines, institutional conditions and strategic priorities, provided these standards are not lower than the ministry's baseline requirements.
Each university will establish its own appointment council, organise peer reviews and issue appointment decisions based on actual staffing needs.
"The ministry is not expected to intervene directly in academic evaluations or re-examine every application. Instead, it will supervise the appointment process to ensure transparency, legal compliance and proper procedures, while handling complaints and appeals when necessary," Duc said.
He said the proposed framework is built around several guiding principles.
First, appointments must be closely linked to institutional needs and specific academic positions. The reform aims to move away from lifetime honorary recognition towards appointments tied to professional responsibilities and performance.
Second, the system will promote equal competition and non-discrimination. Candidates will be assessed using publicly available quantitative criteria, ensuring equal treatment for both internal and external applicants.
Third, greater university autonomy will be accompanied by stronger oversight and digital transformation. Universities will be granted maximum autonomy while remaining fully accountable. The appointment process is expected to be digitised to improve transparency, strengthen institutional responsibility and enhance regulatory supervision.
Stronger international standards and academic integrity
Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training plans to transfer responsibility for appointing professors and associate professors to universities. Photo: Thanh Hung.
According to Duc, the new framework is intended to improve the international competitiveness of Vietnam's higher education system.
Candidates will be required to publish research in internationally recognised journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science (WoS).
Applicants are also expected to demonstrate professional English proficiency by presenting summaries of their academic achievements, teaching accomplishments and future research plans in English before the appointment council.
Evaluation will focus on three main areas: academic competence and scientific reputation; teaching ability, communication skills and presentation techniques; and scientific integrity demonstrated through critical thinking, responses to questions and the ability to defend academic work.
Duc said the proposed regulations will also introduce scientific integrity as a standalone requirement supported by strict sanctions.
Academic misconduct, plagiarism, the purchase or sale of research papers, abuse of international publication systems and false declarations would all be subject to severe penalties. Violators could have their appointments revoked and face bans on reapplying for three to five years, or permanently in serious cases.
University leaders and members of appointment councils would also bear both legal and personal responsibility for every vote and appointment decision they make.
"These proposed reforms are being carefully studied with the aim of creating a transparent, autonomous, rigorous and accountable legal framework. The ministry's ultimate goal is not simply to issue another legal document, but to strengthen public confidence in the scientific community and uphold the honour of Vietnam's intellectuals," Duc said.
Vietnamnet.vn
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