Currently, nearly 130 universities across Vietnam are offering training programs for medical doctors and law graduates. Over 30 institutions offer medical degrees, while more than 90 offer bachelor’s degrees in law. The question now is: how will Vietnam regulate these highly specialized fields?

More than 30 universities offer medical degrees, over 90 offer law degrees

On September 25, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh stated that a new resolution will prohibit non-specialized universities from offering certain critical programs. For example, only medical universities will be allowed to train doctors. In law, non-specialized schools will not be permitted to grant law degrees and may only offer law as a supplementary subject.

Statistics show that more than 30 institutions currently offer medical training programs. Among them are around 15 public universities such as Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi National University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Military Medical Academy, Thai Binh University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hai Phong University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, the Traditional Medicine Academy of Vietnam, Hai Duong University of Medical Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Health Sciences under VNU-HCMC, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Da Nang University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vinh Medical University, and Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy.

About 15 non-public institutions are also offering medical degrees, including Hanoi University of Business and Technology, Van Lang University, Hong Bang International University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Duy Tan University, Phenikaa University, VinUni, Tan Tao University, Yersin University of Da Lat, Thanh Dong University, Dai Nam University, Buon Ma Thuot University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Phan Chau Trinh University, and Vo Truong Toan University.

There are currently over 90 schools nationwide training and granting bachelor’s degrees in law. However, only a small number are dedicated law institutions, such as Hanoi University of Law, Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, University of Law under Hanoi National University, University of Economics and Law under HCMC National University, and University of Law under Hue University. These institutions also offer programs in various other disciplines.

In addition, dozens of other schools have law departments and offer law degrees, including Ho Chi Minh City University of Banking, Ton Duc Thang University, HCMC University of Industry and Trade, University of Economics of HCMC, Foreign Trade University, and National Economics University.

How will Vietnam tighten control?

Pham Thai Son, Director of Admissions at HCMC University of Industry and Trade, believes that requiring schools to immediately shut down law and medical programs that fail to meet standards is extremely difficult. If enforcement starts now, what happens to institutions that already offer such programs? Should they be forced to close, have their program codes revoked, be converted, or allowed to continue under restrictions? Each option leads to complex legal ramifications.

Legally, one cannot simply “shut down a program.” Vietnam’s Higher Education Law and existing regulations guarantee academic autonomy for universities. If a school opens a program under proper conditions and receives post-inspection approval from the Ministry, it essentially has a legally valid “birth certificate.” To revoke this right, transitional provisions must be established, such as mandatory re-evaluation, quality assurance, or proof of regulatory violations.

In reality, shutting down law or medical programs is even harder. These are fields closely tied to public safety and social well-being. Universities have invested heavily in infrastructure, recruited hundreds of staff, and built partnerships with hospitals, prosecutors' offices, and courts. Halting such programs would cause significant losses and break promises to students and institutional partners.

Therefore, the most feasible solution for tightening control in these specialized fields is a two-phase roadmap.

First, no new programs should be approved. However, existing programs may continue under stricter frameworks, similar to the way Vietnam stopped issuing new household registration books: those who already had them could keep using them, while newcomers follow updated standards. This is the least disruptive approach.

Second, authorities should raise training standards - requiring more hands-on hospital practice, full-time faculty, and stricter outcome benchmarks. Institutions failing to meet these standards would face suspension under accreditation protocols.

The most reasonable approach is to allow existing programs to continue, with the Ministry issuing new, more stringent, and specialized benchmarks. If a university cannot meet these benchmarks within 3–5 years, it would have to either transition, partner with qualified institutions, or face enrollment suspension. Starting a new law or medical program would become virtually impossible - except for specialized institutions.

In other words, the government will “tighten by quality.” Schools already offering law and medical programs will not be shut down if they meet higher standards and pass rigorous post-evaluation. However, they may be barred from expanding programs or increasing enrollment capacity.

Le Huyen