Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau on Sept. 18 signed Decision 1810/QD-TTg approving Vietnam’s Higher Education Development Strategy for 2026-2035, with a vision to 2045.

The strategy seeks to develop a modern higher education system on par with regional standards, capable of adapting effectively to the digital and artificial intelligence era. It also envisions higher education becoming part of Vietnam’s strategic national knowledge infrastructure and a pillar of its innovation system, supporting rapid and sustainable development.

By 2035, Vietnam aims to modernize higher education, strengthen teaching and research capacity, and improve the system’s ability to adapt to the impact of digital technologies and AI. The number of public higher education institutions is to fall by at least 20% from 2025 levels, while all higher education institutions are expected to meet national standards.

Another goal is to significantly increase enrollment in science, engineering and technology, particularly at the doctoral level. The strategy targets university enrollment for 45% of people aged 18-22, postgraduate enrollment at 15%, and STEM students accounting for 40% of enrollment at each level of higher education.

The quality of education is also expected to improve in line with international standards, meeting demand for highly skilled workers capable of adapting to, mastering and leading technological development, particularly in key and strategic sectors. The target is for 90% of graduates to find jobs relevant to their qualifications within 12 months of graduation.

The strategy also calls for attracting and developing talent from Vietnam and abroad, improving the quality and effectiveness of research and knowledge transfer, establishing regional-level centers of research excellence, and developing innovation ecosystems across the higher education network.

By 2035, 50% of university lecturers are expected to hold doctoral degrees, while Vietnam aims to have 20 research centers of excellence ranked among the region’s leading institutions.

The strategy also seeks to improve the operational efficiency of higher education institutions, ensure adequate state budget resources and attract greater investment from society. Revenue from science, technology, innovation and knowledge transfer is targeted to account for 15% of higher education institutions’ total revenue.

Vietnam also aims to strengthen the competitiveness, international standing and influence of its higher education system, gradually placing it among the leading systems in ASEAN. The targets include having 10 higher education institutions among Asia’s top 200 universities and two institutions among the world’s top 100 in specific fields of study.

Targets for 2030 and 2035:

By 2045, Vietnam aims for its higher education system to reach an advanced level within Asia, with several elite universities achieving world-class status and some fields of science and technology becoming internationally competitive.

Higher education is expected to serve as part of the country’s strategic national knowledge infrastructure and as a pillar supporting Vietnam’s ambition to become a developed, high-income country.

Thanh Hung