What is the current salary rate of teaching assistants at public higher education institutions in Vietnam?

What is the current salary rate of teaching assistants at public higher education institutions in Vietnam?

Based on Point c Clause 1 Article 10 Circular 40/2020/TT-BGDDT:

Salary Classification

1. The job titles of teaching public employees stipulated in this Circular apply the specialized salary table for officers and public employees in state public service providers (Table 3) promulgated with Decree No. 204/2004/ND-CP dated December 14, 2004, of the Government of Vietnam on salary policies for officials, public employees, and armed forces. Specifically:

a) Senior lecturer job title (grade I) applies the salary coefficients for public employee category A3, group 1 (A3.1), from a salary coefficient of 6.20 to 8.00;

b) Principal lecturer job title (grade II) applies the salary coefficients for public employee category A2, group 1 (A2.1), from a salary coefficient of 4.40 to 6.78;

c) Lecturer job title (grade III), teaching assistant (grade III) applies the salary coefficients for public employee category A1, from a salary coefficient of 2.34 to 4.98.

2. Salary classification for the job title is implemented after being appointed to the job title specified in this Circular, following the guidance in Clause 1 Section II of Circular No. 02/2007/TT-BNV dated May 25, 2007, of the Ministry of Home Affairs, guiding salary classification when upgrading, transitioning, changing the type of officials and public employees according to current law regulations.

Thus, the salary of a teaching assistant at a public higher education institution applies the salary coefficients for public employee category A1, from a salary coefficient of 2.34 to 4.98 in the specialized salary table for officers and public employees in state public service providers (Table 3) promulgated with Decree 204/2004/ND-CP.

According to Clause 2 Article 3 Decree 73/2024/ND-CP, the statutory pay rate is stipulated as follows:

Statutory Pay Rate

1. The statutory pay rate is used as the basis:

a) To calculate the salary in the salary tables, allowances, and implement other policies according to the law for the subjects specified in Article 2 of this Decree;

b) To calculate activity expenses, living expenses according to the law;

c) To calculate the deductions and policies enjoyed based on the statutory pay rate.

2. From July 1, 2024, the statutory pay rate is 2,340,000 VND/month.

...

From July 1, 2024, the statutory pay rate will be 2,340,000 VND/month.

According to Point a Clause 1 Article 3 Circular 07/2024/TT-BNV, the formula for calculating the salary of a public employee from July 1, 2024, is as follows:

Thus, the current salary of a teaching assistant at a public higher education institution is detailed as follows:

Note: The above salary does not include other allowances and subsidies.

Are teaching assistants at public higher education institutions in Vietnam considered lecturers?

Based on Clause 2 Article 54 Higher Education Law 2012 (amended by Clause 29 Article 1 Amendment Law on Higher Education 2018), the definition of a lecturer is as follows:

Lecturer

1. Lecturers in higher education institutions must have clear personal background; good qualities, ethics; sufficient health to perform tasks; qualifications meeting the requirements of this Law, and the organizational and operational regulations of higher education institutions.

2. The title of lecturer includes teaching assistant, lecturer, principal lecturer, associate professor, and professor. Higher education institutions appoint the lecturer’s title according to the law, organizational and operational regulations, job position requirements, and usage needs of higher education institutions.

3. The minimum qualification for the lecturer title teaching bachelor’s degree is a master's degree, except for the teaching assistant title; the qualification for teaching master’s and doctoral degrees is a doctoral degree. Higher education institutions prioritize recruiting PhD holders as lecturers; develop and preferentially treat leading professors to develop educational training programs.

4. The Minister of Education and Training establishes the standards and the appointment of lecturer titles within his/her authority; the minimum full-time lecturer ratio of higher education institutions; the qualification of practical lecturers, and lecturers of some specialized training sectors.

According to the regulation, the title of lecturer in higher education institutions includes teaching assistant, lecturer, principal lecturer, associate professor, and professor.

Thus, a teaching assistant at a public higher education institution is considered a lecturer.

What is the current salary rate of teaching assistants at public higher education institutions in Vietnam?​ (Image from the Internet)

What are the duties of a teaching assistant at a public higher education institution?

Based on Clause 1 Article 4 Circular 40/2020/TT-BGDDT, the duties of a teaching assistant at a public higher education institution include:

- Assisting Grade 3 lecturer, principal lecturer, and senior lecturer in teaching activities, including lecture preparation, tutoring, guiding exercises, discussions, experiments, practical sessions, internships, and grading;

- Studying and improving political theories, professional knowledge, teaching methods; participating in practical activities to enhance the quality of education and scientific research;

- Participating in management work, Communist Party work, and mass organization work, and performing other tasks according to the organizational regulations and operations of public higher education institutions and other legal regulations.