Investment - Education Policy Effective from Mid-July 2017

1. Exemption of land rent for 11 years for investment projects in industrial clusters

This is a notable content in Decree 68/2017/ND-CP of the Government of Vietnam on the management and development of industrial clusters.

Investment projects in industrial clusters enjoy the following land rent exemption policies:

- For production and business investment projects: Exempted from land rent for 7 years;- For technical infrastructure business investment projects: Exempted from land rent for 11 years;- Specifically, technical infrastructure business investment projects in industrial village clusters: Exempted from land rent for 15 years.

Besides, investment projects in industrial clusters are also considered for government investment credit loans of up to 70% of the total investment amount and are entitled to the highest incentives as prescribed by law.

Decree 68/2017/ND-CP is effective from July 15, 2017, and repeals Decision 105/2009/QD-TTg dated August 19, 2009.

1. Amendment of business conditions for reward-based electronic games

The Ministry of Finance issues Circular 57/2017/TT-BTC amending Circular 11/2014/TT-BTC guiding Decree 86/2013/ND-CP on business of reward-based electronic games for foreigners. Accordingly:

- Enterprises mentioned in Clause 16, Article 1 of Decree 175/2016/ND-CP currently organizing reward-based electronic games can continue to operate machines that comply with legal regulations over time until replacing with new ones;- If replacing with new machines, compliance with Decree 86, Decree 175, and Circular 11 is required.

At the same time, the following two provisions of Circular 11 are abolished:

- Manufacturers, suppliers of reward-based electronic game machines, and independent inspection organizations for such machines;- Technical conditions for reward-based electronic game machines.

See details in Circular 57/2017/TT-BTC which takes effect from July 17, 2017.

1. Regulations on qualifications for transitioning from college, intermediate level to university

Decision 18/2017/QD-TTg officially takes effect from July 15, 2017, defining the qualification conditions for transitioning from intermediate or college level to university level for applicants as follows:

- A graduation diploma from an intermediate level or college level issued by a domestic training institution. For intermediate level diplomas, it must ensure that the student meets the required volume of high school cultural knowledge as per regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training;- A graduation diploma from an intermediate level or college level issued by a foreign training institution must be recognized as per regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training or the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;- Specifically for the health sector, applicants must have an intermediate or college level diploma in the health sector. In which:- Holders of a Medical Assistant diploma can register for transition to university in General Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and Dentistry;- Holders of an intermediate or college level Pharmacy diploma can register for transition to university in Pharmacy.

1. Standards of members of the National Council for Appraisal of General Educational Programs

This is a newly added content in Circular 14/2017/TT-BGDDT on the standards, process of developing, revising general education programs (GEP); organization and operation of the National Council for Appraisal of General Educational Programs.

Members of the appraisal council must meet the following standards:

- Have good qualities, ethics, and ideology; possess adequate health and time to participate in program appraisal;- Hold at least a university degree; possess expertise and understanding of educational science and GEP;- Have participated in developing or appraising GEP or have related activities contributing to the development or appraisal of GEP; or have at least 3 years of direct teaching experience at general education institutions.

Notably, individuals involved in creating GEP are not allowed to participate in its appraisal.

Circular 14/2017/TT-BGDDT is effective from July 22, 2017, and replaces regulations on the organization and operation of the National Council for Appraisal of General Educational Programs in Decision 37/2001/QD-BGDDT dated August 10, 2001.

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