‘Sweeping’ university reforms planned as Vietnam plays ‘catch up’

Plans to grow Vietnam’s higher education sector and lean on universities to boost innovation will help the country compete internationally, but equity remains a challenge, according to analysts.

The Vietnamese government has approved a landmark plan for the country’s higher education sector that focuses on expanding access as well as developing competitive universities on the global stage by 2030.

Over the next five years, the country aims to expand higher education enrolment levels by 43 per cent, from the current level of about 2.1 million students to 3 million.

“These sweeping changes appear to be part of the government’s ambitious top-down reforms under the leadership of Tô Lâm,” said Mark Ashwill, managing director and co-founder of Vietnam-based education consultancy Capstone Education, referring to the country’s Communist Party general secretary, who was appointed in August 2024.

Vietnam has a large youth population and a rapidly growing economy and middle class, aiming to become a high-income country by 2045, according to the World Bank. A key challenge for higher education reforms, Ashwill said, will be anticipating and preparing for the forecasted end of the demographic dividend in 2039 – a key factor “driving economic growth”.

The target rate of university education among people aged 18 to 22 has been set at 33 per cent, with no province falling below 15 per cent. While the tertiary enrolment rate currently falls between 30 and 35 per cent, there are concerns about quality and equity of access.

“More attention needs to be paid to equity issues,” said Ly Tran, a professor at Deakin University’s School of Education, “especially enabling access to and ensuring equity in higher education for ethnic minorities and remote communities.

“While greater institutional autonomy has allowed universities to seek alternative financial resources, tuition fees have become a major source of income,” she continued. “However, the lack of regulations on tuition fees, including caps on fees, poses a barrier to access and equity for students from low socio-economic backgrounds.”

To address this, Tran said, a more effective funding system must be developed.

Under the new plans, Vietnam will also establish four “major higher education centres…associated with scientific research, technology development, and innovation” in key cities – Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho.

This is a response “to the evolving needs and demands of these four major economic hubs and the country in general,” Tran said. “Effectively harnessing the education, research and innovation functions of these new four higher education centres will not only drive national development but also enable Vietnam to catch up with the Indo-Pacific region and globally.”

While public institutions are expected to make up around 70 per cent of the country’s higher education sector, the government will “encourage” the establishment of private institutions.

It also plans to support “reputable” international higher education institutions in setting up branch campuses. Last year, policymakers revised the rules for these as part of attempts to attract foreign investment.

The government wants to develop Vietnam’s two national universities into “leading” institutions in Asia, and upgrade five “reputable” public institutions to top engineering and technology institutions.

There is also a specific focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, in line with Vietnam’s burgeoning technology industries. The country aims to have one million STEM learners, of whom one per cent are enrolled in doctoral degrees.

“The greatest challenge will be to continue to fulfil the multifaceted mission of higher education while also aligning the country’s higher education system, including vocational education and training, with the projected needs of the labour market,” said Ashwill.

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com