Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese university leaders have affirmed that the merger of institutions is a correct policy to drive breakthroughs in higher education, while also emphasising the need to manage staff and student perceptions carefully.
Experts have noted that the merger and restructuring of universities is a timely and necessary measure to help Vietnam’s higher education system overcome its current fragmentation, make breakthroughs, and reach international standards.
A timely and right reform
The Politburo’s Resolution 71 on breakthroughs in education and training development requests the consolidation and dissolution of underperforming universities, and the integration of research institutes with universities. It also demands transferring some universities to local authorities for management to better meet local human resources needs.
Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said the ministry had submitted a proposal to the Government for approval, describing it as “a major reorganisation of higher education institutions”. He noted that the restructuring would be mandatory rather than consultative.
Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong, Chairman of the Council of the University of Transport and Communications, called the policy both “timely and essential”. He said the mergers would enable universities to grow stronger and reach a new height, even the global level.
Likewise, Pham Thai Son, Director of the Admissions and Communications Centre at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, voiced support for dissolving weak institutions and merging them to form stronger universities.
Professor Nguyen Dinh Duc from the University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University - Hanoi, said the restructuring stems from the need to concentrate resources to enable Vietnam’s higher education to make breakthroughs in the new era with great ambitions.
The mergers are expected to reduce programme overlap, especially at smaller and less efficient institutions, while creating larger and multidisciplinary universities with stronger research and innovation ecosystems.
They are also seen as a way to enhance institutional autonomy, accountability, and interdisciplinary digital capacity, thus increasing chances to enter world rankings and attracting international scholars and students.
Ensuring no one is left behind
Experts acknowledge that university mergers and restructuring will inevitably affect staff and students. Associate Professor Chuong said that while changes might cause initial concern, adaptation would follow in time.
Professor Duc agreed, noting that apprehension about job security, income, new assessment standards, and cultural integration is understandable. He emphasised the importance of conducting the transition transparently and according to phases.
He stressed that mergers should protect staff and student interests and be treated as strategic restructuring rather than a simple combination, aiming to create strong, interdisciplinary, and highly accountable universities.
At the 2025 Higher Education Conference, Minister Son reiterated that the aim of the restructuring is not merely to reduce administrative units but to create new momentum for development. He urged public universities to “be ready for any scenario and remain devoted to the common good.”
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam currently has 11 national or regional universities, along with 240 universities and academies (excluding the national and regional systems), including 173 public, 62 private, and five foreign universities. There are also 40 research institutes providing PhD training and several other postgraduate institutions, along with 40 defence and security universities./.
