Foreign invested universities have slow growth in Vietnam

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has submitted a report o­n university education to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee outlining the state of higher education.

According to MPI, in 1998-2005, Vietnam established three new universities and eight junior colleges as well as upgrading 32 junior colleges into universities and 40 vocational schools into junior colleges.

Meanwhile, during that time, o­nly two foreign-invested universities were set up in Vietnam, including RMIT and Dresden Vietnam Polytechnic University.

MPI said that during that time, foreign-invested projects in education and training mostly focused o­n setting up short term foreign language and vocational training centers.

In the next period, 2006-2009, Vietnam established 22 new universities and 16 junior colleges as well as upgrading 28 junior colleges into universities and 78 vocational schools into junior colleges. Meanwhile, o­nly o­ne foreign invested university was set up during that time, the British University Vietnam.

MPI has pointed out that Vietnam has not attracted much foreign investment in university education because of the length of time it takes to verify projects and the complicated procedures involved.

Also according to MPI, some 20 percent of universities and junior colleges (12), established since 2005, have not fulfilled commitments relating to material facilities, teaching staff, curriculums and other issues. While universities have been mushrooming, the legal framework to control the education quality has been far from perfect.

MPI thinks that besides current capital sources for university education development, the State should allow capital to be raised from Government bonds for building up key universities. More ODA (official development assistance) capital should be allocated to build high quality universities, so that Vietnam can soon have universities of regional and world standards.

Tienphong