Vietnam: Types of degrees and certificates in vocational education

What is vocational education?

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 3 of the 2014 Vocational Education Law of Vietnam:

Interpretation of terms

For the purposes of this Law, these terms below shall be construed as follow:

1. Vocational education means a level of national education system which provides workers with elementary-level, intermediate-level, college-level vocational training and other vocational training programs in order to meet the needs of direct human resources in production, businesses and services, including: formal training and continuing training.

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Thus, vocational education is a level of the national education system.

Vocational education trains primary level, intermediate level, college level, and other vocational training programs for workers in order to meet the needs of direct human resources in production, businesses and services, including: formal training and continuing training.

Types of degrees and certificates in vocational education (Image from the Internet)

Types of degrees and certificates in vocational education​

Pursuant to Article 38 of the 2014 Vocational Education Law, degrees and certificates in vocational education are prescribed as follows:

Degrees and certificates in vocational education

1. |Degrees and certificates in vocational education shall be granted to vocational training graduates (at all levels). The degrees and certificates in vocational education shall be granted as follows:

a) A student finishing the training program at elementary-level may take an end of course test, if he/she passes the test, he/she shall be granted the Certificate in elementary-level vocational training by the Head of vocational education institution or an enterprise providing vocational training;

b) A student finishing the year-based training program at intermediate-level passes an graduation exam or a student finishing the module-based or credit-based training program as prescribed, the Principal of the vocational training school or vocational college shall be recognition of graduation and granted a Degree of vocational secondary schools;

c) A student finishing the year-based training program at college-level passes an graduation exam or protection of graduation thesis or a student finishing the module-based or credit-based training program as prescribed, the Principal of the vocational training school or vocational college, or higher education institution providing college-level shall be recognized as graduation and granted a Degree of college-level and recognition of practice bachelor or practicing engineers.

2. The vocational education institution shall print blank degrees/certificates and grant them to students; and announce information about the degrees/certificates on its website.

3. The Heads of vocational training authorities in central government shall provide regulations on tests, examination, and recognition of graduation; in forms of degrees/certificates, the printing, management, dispense, revocation, and cancelation of them; on responsibility of the foreign-invested vocational education institution in the grant of degrees/certificates in Vietnam; on mutual recognition applied to overseas vocational training graduates; and on procedures for recognition of vocational training degrees/certificates granted by the foreign vocational education institution.

Thus, degrees and certificates in vocational education include:

- Certificate in elementary-level vocational training;

- Degree of vocational secondary schools;

- Degree of college-level.

How will vocational education institutions be penalized for issuing diplomas/certificates to learners without using the prescribed templates?

Pursuant to Point b, Clause 3, Article 22 of Decree 88/2022/ND-CP of Vietnam's Government:

Violations against regulations on management and issuance of vocational education and training diplomas/certificates; certificates of completion of pedagogical training programs or title standards-based training programs for public employees in vocational education and training field

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3. A fine ranging from VND 30.000.000 to VND 40.000.000 shall be imposed for commission of one of the following violations:

a) Performing fraudulent acts for obtaining diplomas/certificates or their duplicates, if not liable to criminal prosecution;

b) Issuing diplomas/certificates to learners without using the prescribed templates;

c) Issuing diplomas/certificates to learners ultra vires.

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8. Remedial measures:

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l) The entity committing the violation in Point b or c Clause 3 of this Article is compelled to revoke or destroy the issued diplomas/certificates and re-issue diplomas/certificates to learners according to regulations;

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And pursuant to Point b, Clause 3, Article 3 of Decree 88/2022/ND-CP:

Penalties, fines, power to impose penalties and rules for imposing penalties for repeated violations; responsibilities of Ministers, heads of ministerial agencies, Chairpersons of People’s Committees at all levels, heads of agencies/units competent to impose penalties for violations in vocational education and training field; suspension of vocational education and training activities as prescribed in Clause 1 Article 20 of the Law on vocational education and training and Decrees on vocational education and training

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3. Fines for violations in the vocational education and training field

a) The maximum fine for a violation in the vocational education and training field imposed upon an individual is VND 75.000.000; that imposed upon an organization is VND 150.000.000;

b) The fine for each of the administrative violations specified in Chapter II of this Decree shall be imposed upon the violating organization, except the fines specified in Clauses 4 and 5 Article 11, Clauses 1 and 2 Article 16, Clauses 1, 2 and 3 Article 21, Point a Clause 3 Article 22, Clause 1 Article 23, Clause 1 Article 27, Point b Clause 1 Article 30, Clause 1 Article 34, Clause 1 Article 35, and Clause 1 Article 36 of this Decree which shall be imposed upon the violating individuals;

c) The fine imposed upon an individual is half of that imposed upon an organization for committing the same administrative violation;

d) When committing violations as prescribed in this Decree, household businesses or family households providing vocational training classes shall incur the same fines as violating individuals.

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Thus, vocational education institutions issuing diplomas and certificates that do not comply with regulations will be fined from 30,000,000 VND to 40,000,000 VND and subjected to remedial measures, which include revocation, cancellation of issued diplomas, certificates and reissuing them to learners.