Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training is drawing up a restructuring plan that would reduce the number of universities directly under its management by five, alongside 12 vocational education institutions, as part of a broader drive to streamline the public education system.

The proposal was outlined in a ministry report presented during a recent working session with the Ministry of Home Affairs on administrative reform.

A representative of the Ministry of Education and Training said it is continuing to review the functions, responsibilities, authority and organizational structures of units under its management, with adjustments aimed at creating a leaner, more effective and efficient system.

Specifically, the ministry is developing a plan to reorganize and merge a number of higher education and vocational education institutions.

Under the proposal, the number of higher education institutions directly managed by the ministry is expected to be reduced by five, while the number of vocational education institutions would fall by 12.

The plan is currently being consolidated and circulated among relevant stakeholders for feedback before being submitted to the competent authorities for consideration and approval.

The ministry has not provided further details, including which institutions could be affected.

Under Plan No. 06-KH/TW, the Politburo has called for the reorganization of public higher education institutions.

The plan calls for multidisciplinary universities to be transferred to the management of the Ministry of Education and Training or local authorities, while institutions located in the same area should be merged or consolidated, except those operating in specialized fields.

The Politburo has set a target of reducing the number of organizational units within the public higher education system by at least 20%, with the restructuring to be completed before April 1, 2027.

Thanh Hung