Joint training at bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate levels in Vietnam

Decree No. 86/2018/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government specifies joint training at bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate levels as follows:

Eligible institutions and forms of joint training

Institutions eligible for providing joint training programs at bachelor’s, master's and doctorate levels include:

- The higher educational institutions legally established and lawfully operating in Vietnam, of which the education quality has been accredited.

- The higher educational institutions legally established and lawfully operating in foreign countries; which have been recognized by foreign accreditation organizations or foreign competent agencies, and recognized by Vietnam's competent authorities.

The institutions or organizations allowed to jointly administer exams and issue certificates of foreign language proficiency include:

- Educational or training institutions or organizations that are legally established and operate in Vietnam.

- Agencies and organizations assessing language proficiency are legally established and operate in foreign countries.

Permitted forms of joint training include:

- Direct joint training program.

- Online joint training program.

- Combination of both direct and online joint training programs.

Range, scale and enrollment, and the language taught in the joint training programs

Range of joint training:

- The higher educational institutions stipulated in point a, clause 1, Article 15 of Decree No. 86/2018/NĐ-CP are only permitted to provide joint training programs within the range of training majors and levels allowed by Vietnam's competent authorities.

- The higher educational institutions stipulated in point b, clause 1, Article 15 hereof are only permitted to provide joint training programs within the disciplines and levels allowed by Vietnam’s competent authorities.

Joint training scale:

The joint training scale shall be determined based on the quality assurance conditions of the programs: facilities, equipment, laboratories, libraries, teaching staff and managers.

- The aforesaid conditions shall be different from the conditions used for calculating the enrollment quota of the educational institution. 

- In cases where both parties have the same quality assurance conditions, then the scale of joint training programs shall be included in the annual total enrollment scale of the educational institution.

The Vietnamese educational institutions and the foreign educational institutions shall specify the scale of joint training in the application for approval for joint training program, and submit the aforesaid application to the competent authorities for approval.

Enrollment conditions:

An enrollment candidate for joint training programs shall satisfy the following requirements:

- If the candidate is going to receive a Vietnamese higher education degree, he/she shall satisfy the enrollment conditions for bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate levels according to the laws of Vietnam.

- If the candidate is going to receive a foreign higher education degree, he/she shall satisfy the enrollment conditions for bachelor’s, master's and doctorate levels of the aforesaid institution corresponding to the enrollment conditions stipulated in the laws of the home country where the institution is established.

- If the candidate is going to receive both Vietnamese and foreign HEI degrees, he/she shall satisfy the requirements stipulated above.

Foreign language proficiency:

- If the candidate is going to receive a certificate from a Vietnamese higher educational institution, he/she shall reach level 3 in Vietnam's language proficiency framework or equivalent;

- If the aforesaid candidate is going to receive a certificate from a foreign higher educational institution, or if he/she receives certificates from both Vietnamese and foreign higher educational institutions, he/she shall reach at least level 4 in Vietnam's language proficiency framework or equivalent; if the candidate applies for the joint training program taught in a foreign language, he/she shall satisfy the language requirements of the foreign educational institution.

- The subjects in the joint training program that are designed to issue foreign certificates shall be taught in foreign languages, neither in Vietnamese nor through a translator. The subjects in the joint training program that are designed to issue Vietnamese certificates shall be taught in Vietnamese or through a translator.

Joint training program

- A joint training program may correspond to the foreign training program or may be developed by both parties; the aforesaid program may be either completely carried out in Vietnam or partially carried out both in Vietnam and in a foreign country; It may be designed to issue either foreign qualifications or both Vietnamese and foreign qualifications.

- A foreign training program carried out in Vietnam shall be accredited by the home country or recognized by the competent agency of the aforesaid country; the aforesaid program shall not damage the national security and public interests; shall not spread religion, distort history or negatively affect the cultures, ethics and traditional customs of Vietnam; and shall ensure the connection between the levels.

- The program outcome standards of the joint training programs with foreign countries shall not be lower than those stipulated in the regulations of Vietnam’s laws.

Teaching staff

According to Decree No. 86/2018/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government, teaching staff shall meet the following requirements:

Lecturers’ qualifications:

- As for the joint training program at bachelor’s level, the lecturer shall possess at least a master's degree or higher in the discipline group being taught.

- As for the joint training program at master’s level, the lecturer who teaches the subjects and modules, and guides master's theses shall possess at least a doctorate degree in the discipline group being taught; the lecturer who guides the practice and internship shall possess at least a master's degree in the major that they participate in to guide the practice and internship.

- As for the joint training program at doctorate level, the lecturer shall process at least a doctorate degree in a discipline group suitable for the assigned subject in the doctorate course. The person who guides researchers shall satisfy the requirements for guiding researchers who participate in a Vietnam’s doctorate training program.

Experience: The lecturer who teaches the subjects in the joint training program shall have experience in teaching higher education courses corresponding to his/her own majors, except the cases stipulated by law.

Language proficiency:

- A lecturer who teaches subjects in the joint training program in a foreign language shall satisfy the language proficiency requirements of the program, but his/her skills shall not be below level 5 of the Vietnam's language proficiency framework or equivalent.

- A native speaker who teaches language skills shall possess a bachelor’s degree or higher and a suitable foreign language teaching certificate.

View more at Decree No. 86/2018/NĐ-CP of Vietnam’s Government effective from August 01, 2018.

-Thao Uyen-

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