Is a teaching assistant in Vietnam a university lecturer? What are the regulations on salary grading for teaching assistants at public universities?

Is a teaching assistant in Vietnam a university lecturer?

Under Article 54 of the Law on Higher Education 2012 amended by Clause 29 Article 1 of the Law on Amendments to Law on Higher Education 2018, the provisions for university lecturers are as follows:

Lecturers

1. Lecturers of higher education institutions shall have clear backgrounds; good qualities and professional ethics; be physically capable of performance of their duties; have qualifications conformable with this Law and the higher education institution’s internal rules and regulations.

2. Lecturers include assistant lecturers, lecturers, principal lecturers, associate professors and professors. Higher education institutions shall award lecturer titles in accordance with law, its internal rules and regulations; provide description of their positions and demand of the situation.

3. Lecturers of undergraduate programs shall have at least a master’s degree (except assistant lecturers); Lecturers of master’s programs and doctoral program shall have at least a doctoral degree. Holders of doctoral degrees shall be preferred when a higher education institution recruits lecturer; incentives shall be provided for leading professors.

4. The Minister of Education and Training shall specify standards and designation of lecturers within the scope of his/her competence; the minimum ratio of full-time lecturers of a higher education institution; standards of practice lecturers and lecturers of some special disciplines.

According to the regulations, the titles of university lecturers include teaching assistants, lecturers, senior lecturers, associate professors, and professors.

Thus, teaching assistants are also considered university lecturers.

Is a teaching assistant in Vietnam a university lecturer? What are the regulations on salary grading for teaching assistants at public universities in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

What are the duties of teaching assistants at public universities in Vietnam?

Under Clause 1, Article 4 of Circular 40/2020/TT-BGDDT, the duties of teaching assistants at public universities in Vietnam are as follows:

- Supporting lecturers (Grade III), principal lecturers (Grade II), and senior lecturers (Grade I) in teaching activities, including: preparing lectures, tutoring, guiding exercises, discussions, experiments, practice, internships, and marking.

- Engaging in study and training to improve political theory, professional skills, and teaching methods; participating in practical activities to enhance training quality and scientific research.

- Participating in management duties, CPV and mass organization work, and other duties as per the organizational and operational regulations of public higher education institutions and relevant legal provisions.

What are the standards for teaching assistants at public universities in Vietnam?

Under Article 4 of Circular 40/2020/TT-BGDDT, the standards for teaching assistants at public universities in Vietnam are as follows:

- Qualifications:

Possess a university degree or higher suitable to the job position or teaching major.

- Professional competence:

- Master the basic knowledge of the subject assigned to guide in practice, experiments, internships, and have a general knowledge of related subjects within the training major.

- Understand and properly implement the objectives, plans, content, and programs of the assigned subjects within the training major. Identify the practice and development trends of training and research in the specialization domestically and internationally.

- Effectively and safely use teaching aids and equipment.

- Possess the ability to apply information technology and use foreign languages in performing the duties of a teaching assistant (Grade III).

What are the regulations on salary grading for teaching assistants at public universities in Vietnam?

Article 10 of Circular 40/2020/TT-BGDDT stipulates as follows:

Salary grading

2. The professional titles for teaching public employees stipulated in this Circular shall be subject to the professional  payroll for officials and public employees in public service providers of the State (Table 3) issued together with Decree No. 204/2004/ND-CP dated December 14, 2004, of the Government of Vietnam on salary policies for officials and public employees and armed forces. To be specific:

a) The professional title of Senior Lecturer (Grade I) applies the salary coefficient for public employees category A3, group 1 (A3.1) from salary coefficient 6.20 to salary coefficient 8.00;

b) The professional title of Principal Lecturer (Grade II) applies the salary coefficient for public employees category A2, group 1 (A2.1) from salary coefficient 4.40 to salary coefficient 6.78;

c) The professional titles of Lecturer (Grade III) and Teaching Assistant (Grade III) applies the salary coefficient for public employees category A1, from salary coefficient 2.34 to salary coefficient 4.98.

2. The salary grading for professional titles is performed after being appointed by the competent authority to the professional titles stipulated in this Circular, as guided in Clause 1, Section II of Circular No. 02/2007/TT-BNV dated May 25, 2007, of the Ministry of Home Affairs on guiding salary grading when upgrading, transferring, or changing the rank of officials and category of public employees, and in accordance with the current legal provisions.

Thus, teaching assistants at public universities shall be subject to the professional payroll for officials and public employees in public service providers of the State with a salary coefficient of public employees category A1, ranging from salary coefficient 2.34 to salary coefficient 4.98.