The forms of international cooperation of higher education institutions in Vietnam

The forms of international cooperation of higher education institutions in Vietnam

Pursuant to Article 44 of the Law on Higher Education 2012, the forms of international cooperation of higher education institutions include:

- Associate training.

- Establishing representative offices of foreign higher education institutions in Vietnam.

- Cooperating in scientific research and technology transfers, organizing science conventions and seminars.

- Counseling, sponsoring, investing in the development of facilities and equipment.

- Training, exchanging lecturers, researchers, management staff and students.

- Connecting libraries, exchanging information serving the training, science and technology activities; providing training programs; exchanging the documents and results of training, science and technology activities.

- Participating in regional and international science, education organizations and professional associations.

- Establishing representative offices of Vietnamese higher education institutions in other countries.

- Other forms of cooperation as prescribed by law provisions.

The forms of international cooperation of higher education institutions in Vietnam (Internet image) 

Regulations on international cooperation in education in Vietnam

Pursuant to Clause 25, Article 1 of the Law amending Law on Higher Education 2018, international cooperation in education means cooperation between a higher education institution established in Vietnam and a foreign higher education institution in order to run courses and issue degrees or diplomas without establishing a new legal entity. International cooperation in education shall comply with the Law on Education and relevant laws.

Cooperative program means a foreign program or a program developed by both parties. Such a program may be run entirely in Vietnam or partly in Vietnam and partly overseas.

The foreign higher education institution shall have good reputation and quality, is permitted in writing by a competent authority of its home country to provide training and issue degrees in relevant fields, or have an unexpired educational quality certification issued by a lawful training quality assessment organization. The parties shall ensure fulfillment of requirements of the program in terms of facilities and equipment and lecturers, and take responsibility for the quality of the program.

The Minister of Education and Training shall consider approving schemes for international educational cooperation in teacher training-related and health-related fields after comments are given by relevant ministries; schemes for educational cooperation with higher education institutions other than those mentioned in Clause 5 of Article 45 of the Law on Higher Education 2012 (amended in  2018).

A higher education institution that satisfies all of the conditions specified Article 45 of the Law on Higher Education 2012 (amended in  2018) and Clause 2 Article 32 of the Law on Higher Education 2012 is entitled to participate in cooperation in provision of undergraduate training; when the undergraduate program of such an institution passes the quality assessment, it may participate in cooperation in provision of master’s training; when the undergraduate program and master’s program of such an institution passes the quality assessment, it may participate in cooperation in provision of doctoral training.

In case a cooperative program that is suspended from enrolment or terminated as prescribed in Clause 3 of Article 45 of the Law on Higher Education 2012 (amended in  2018), the higher education institution shall protect legal interests of its lecturers, employers and students; refund tuition fees to students; pay salaries and other benefits to the lecturers and other employees under employment contracts or the collective bargaining agreement; pay tax debts and other debts (if any).

A higher education institution shall publish on its website and mass media information about its cooperative programs, legality of the foreign degrees in the issuing country and in Vietnam; assist students in recognition of degrees; carry out assessment of the cooperative programs offered n Vietnam after the student graduate and periodically.

A higher education institution that offers a cooperative program without satisfying all conditions or ensure training quality as specified in the cooperation scheme shall be suspended from international cooperation in education for 5 years from the day on which a conclusion is issued by a competent authority.

Mai Thanh Loi

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