Minister of Education and Training talks about the huge difference between college and university

The huge difference between college and university

On March 17, 2023, at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son announced the decision to convert Hanoi University of Science and Technology into Hanoi University of Science and Technology, and at the same time awarded the decisions to recognize the University Council, Chairman of the Council, and Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology for the 2020-2025 term.

At this event, Minister Nguyen Kim Son compared and clarified the differences between university and college.

Bộ trưởng GDĐT nói về sự khác biệt rất lớn giữa trường đại học và đại học - 1 — Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son speaks at the ceremony announcing the decision to convert Hanoi University of Science and Technology into Hanoi University of Science and Technology (Photo: TL).

The Minister said: "First of all, we are happy for the development of the school, the transformation of the model and organizational structure from a school to a university to continue developing, to have more favorable conditions for development, to have conditions to develop the internal organization, to have better governance according to world practices.

The important thing here is that it is a mark of development, when the old mold, shell, and coat have become narrow and need to be transformed to develop. The word "school" and the word "university", although just words, have a very big difference and show a choice of development model in accordance with the provisions of the law".

The Minister reiterated that this is also the first school to have its name changed from school to university by the Prime Minister's decision, demonstrating its pioneering nature.

Minister Nguyen Kim Son said that Hanoi University of Science and Technology still has a lot of work to do to perfect the multi-level university structure with a tight structure of modern governance. It is necessary to perfect the strategy and long-term development orientation, perfect the organization and operation regulations...

The university model is a suitable model for implementing a multidisciplinary structure. With a large and complex system, a large and diverse number of staff and students, this model both ensures the autonomy and unified management of the university's general command apparatus, and creates conditions for the lowest-level components to have relative academic autonomy, creating a common dynamism for the entire system.

This model has many advantages, it is suitable for a high level of management, abundant resources, dense academic activities and authoritative professional voices and the role of professors is highly promoted, especially at the professional executive levels.

"Administrative powers are concentrated at the university level, while professional powers and voices are the operating mechanisms of lower-level units. If not operated well, the risk of complexity and division, lack of unity from within is very likely to occur, or cause further cumbersomeness of the administrative apparatus.

Therefore, affiliated schools are likely to have a higher demand for autonomy, a desire for higher autonomy and independent operation within. This will also very easily change the original goal of the transformation that we are witnessing today," said the Minister.

The Ministry of Education and Training will monitor compliance with the mission of Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

Bộ trưởng GDĐT nói về sự khác biệt rất lớn giữa trường đại học và đại học - 2 — Ceremony to announce the decision to convert Hanoi University of Science and Technology into Hanoi University of Science and Technology and to award decisions to recognize the University Council, Chairman of the Council, and Director of Hanoi University of Science and Technology for the 2020-2025 term (Photo: TL).

"Changing a name is not quick and easy, in fact it took several years. But changing a model, an orientation, from choice to full and effective operation is a long way.

Polytechnic University needs to determine its path of innovation; the path of innovation of the entire university entity is just beginning.

A university operating under a new model, with an advanced management model, a digital university, that transformation needs to be carried out simultaneously and synchronously, and needs to see all the challenges that lie ahead.

The transformation of the model from university to university is not and should not be considered a "modern" trend but should be seen as a tool to liberate creativity from within, a solution for creative capacities through a new mechanism. Otherwise, the change will have very little meaning," the Minister emphasized.

In addition, the Minister of Education and Training also reminded: "This model transformation should be considered a better path to realize the development aspirations of universities. Universities need to define the ideology and viewpoint for staff, employees, all workers, students; need to answer correctly and fully the question: What are we converting universities into universities for and why is it necessary to do so?".

During the implementation process, the Ministry of Education and Training will monitor compliance with the mission declared by Hanoi University of Science and Technology and the proper implementation of the selected and recognized functions and tasks. This is necessary for the management of universities and universities in the era of high autonomy.

The Minister commented that Hanoi University of Science and Technology needs to take the lead in implementing autonomy. A university with full autonomy, deep autonomy, autonomy in a new stage, both following international practices and suitable to the political, social, economic, human and cultural characteristics of Vietnam.

"Today, we are sitting here, present here to discuss the issue of university autonomy. Converting a school into a university is also part of the system of activities to implement university autonomy, but one day it will become a natural thing in university organization and administration.

Autonomy is an attribute of a university. To produce new knowledge, develop intellectuals, and provide high-level training, its operating environment must be autonomous and free for creativity in the fullest sense," said the Minister.

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