The London College for Design and Fashion has stated that it never intended to deceive students regarding the international degree issued through a partnership with Liverpool John Moores University in the UK - a degree that is not currently recognized by Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).

On December 15, Ha Thi Hang, Executive Director and Vice Rector of the college, spoke to the media, sharing the school’s perspective on the controversy. According to her, the initiative to introduce a transfer program with Liverpool John Moores University began in May 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At the time, we found the program appealing - it was affordable, aligned with our desire to help students earn high-ranking university degrees globally, and provided them with exposure to prominent designers,” Hang explained.

She noted that most instruction during the program was delivered online by lecturers from Liverpool John Moores University. Occasionally, school representatives visited in person to meet students and assess the college’s facilities.

Hang emphasized that out of concern for students, the Vietnamese side provided in-person support whenever students encountered challenges. Students also had access to campus resources such as the design studio to aid their learning.

“Both schools simply agreed to collaborate without registering with the appropriate authorities, which led to the degree being unrecognized now. Neither side fully anticipated the legal ramifications at the time. It’s a complicated situation,” Hang said.

She also stressed that the program was conducted professionally with full instruction, but no formal cooperation documents were signed and no registration was submitted to the MoET. “But we absolutely did not defraud the students,” she insisted.

After the issue came to light, the college reported the situation to the relevant authorities and provided accurate information about the program. “We’re willing to cooperate with the regulatory agencies and hope they will clarify any shortcomings so we can comply accordingly,” Hang said.

She revealed that by September 2024, when a student attempted to have their degree verified and found it was not recognized, the college immediately suspended its cooperation with Liverpool John Moores University.

In recent days, the school has worked with the British Embassy in Vietnam and submitted documents to the MoET in hopes of having the degrees of more than 40 students - who studied between 2020 and 2025 - officially recognized. “We want to protect students' rights,” Hang said.

Previously, VietNamNet received complaints from current and former students of the college, who were informed that their bachelor’s degrees - issued under a joint program with Liverpool John Moores University - did not meet the requirements for recognition under Vietnamese regulations.

This has caused deep frustration among students, some of whom say the unrecognized degrees have disrupted their career plans and prevented them from applying to public-sector jobs or graduate programs in Vietnam.

Upon learning that their degrees would not be acknowledged, many affected students filed official complaints with the authorities.

According to these complaints, the college had repeatedly offered final-year bachelor's courses and promoted them via its website, assuring prospective students that the international degrees were “globally recognized.” Relying on these assurances, many enrolled in the program. Each student paid approximately 289 million VND (around 11,800 USD) for the final year of study.

In response to the controversy, the Ministry of Education and Training announced it is considering forming a comprehensive inspection team to examine the college’s joint training activities and degree recognition process.

If any violations are found, the ministry will impose strict penalties.

Thuy Nga