Vietnam needs a better integrated complex higher education system toimprove training quality, a foreign education expert has suggested.
At a workshop held on November 9 in Ho Chi Minh City, MartinHayden, deputy rector of Australia 's Southern Cross University, saidVietnam should establish a single coordinating body such as aMinistry of Higher Education and Research for its higher educationsystem.
A single coordinating body, he said, should takeresponsibility for implementing national priorities approved by theState for the higher education system.
The higher educationsector has been expanding rapidly. From 2001 to 2011, there were onaverage eight new universities and twelve new colleges founded eachyear, and the enrollment increased from 162 students per 10,000 personsin 2001 to 251 students per 10,000 persons in 2011.
The growth is expected to rise to more than 400 students per 10,000 persons by 2020.
Hayden noted that Vietnam's higher education system was complex,with national and regional universities, research institutes, academies,comprehensive schools, specialised schools, technical and vocationalcolleges, teacher-training colleges, community colleges and professionalsecondary schools.
Authority for decision-making inVietnam's higher education system is widely dispersed and as aconsequence, administration of the system is highly fragmented,according to Hayden.
The government has responsibility for the two national universities.
The Ministry of Training and Education has responsibility for another54 public universities and colleges, while 13 other ministries,together with many State agencies and provincial governments haveresponsibilities for another 250 public universities and colleges.
Hayden said the dispersal of authority within the system severelylimited its capacity to make progress in a coordinated manner, leadingto problems in implementing system-wide policies.
Newaccountability processes should also be deployed, he suggested, addingthat line-management control by ministries and other Stateinstrumentalities were significant impediments to accountability.
Organised by the Vietnam National University-HCM City's DevelopmentFund in co-operation with the International Education Institute, theworkshop was attended by many domestic and foreign educational experts.-VNA
At a workshop held on November 9 in Ho Chi Minh City, MartinHayden, deputy rector of Australia 's Southern Cross University, saidVietnam should establish a single coordinating body such as aMinistry of Higher Education and Research for its higher educationsystem.
A single coordinating body, he said, should takeresponsibility for implementing national priorities approved by theState for the higher education system.
The higher educationsector has been expanding rapidly. From 2001 to 2011, there were onaverage eight new universities and twelve new colleges founded eachyear, and the enrollment increased from 162 students per 10,000 personsin 2001 to 251 students per 10,000 persons in 2011.
The growth is expected to rise to more than 400 students per 10,000 persons by 2020.
Hayden noted that Vietnam's higher education system was complex,with national and regional universities, research institutes, academies,comprehensive schools, specialised schools, technical and vocationalcolleges, teacher-training colleges, community colleges and professionalsecondary schools.
Authority for decision-making inVietnam's higher education system is widely dispersed and as aconsequence, administration of the system is highly fragmented,according to Hayden.
The government has responsibility for the two national universities.
The Ministry of Training and Education has responsibility for another54 public universities and colleges, while 13 other ministries,together with many State agencies and provincial governments haveresponsibilities for another 250 public universities and colleges.
Hayden said the dispersal of authority within the system severelylimited its capacity to make progress in a coordinated manner, leadingto problems in implementing system-wide policies.
Newaccountability processes should also be deployed, he suggested, addingthat line-management control by ministries and other Stateinstrumentalities were significant impediments to accountability.
Organised by the Vietnam National University-HCM City's DevelopmentFund in co-operation with the International Education Institute, theworkshop was attended by many domestic and foreign educational experts.-VNA