National Assembly delegates worry that schools will weaken after mergers

National Assembly Delegate Nguyen Quang Huan. (Source: National Assembly)

This morning, the National Assembly discussed draft laws and draft resolutions on education and training, in which many delegates expressed their opinions on keeping or abolishing regional universities.

Delegate Nguyen Quang Huan (Ho Chi Minh City delegation) said that Resolution 71 of the Politburo on education development stated the urgent need to build a strategic framework for higher education development, merge and dissolve substandard higher education institutions, eliminate intermediate levels, ensure streamlined and effective governance and transfer some schools to local management...

He also stated that the draft Law on Higher Education reintroduces the concept of higher education institutions including universities, multidisciplinary universities, national universities, and regional universities.

Delegate Huan said that it is necessary to develop truly strong institutions, like Hanoi University of Science and Technology when it develops strongly into Hanoi University of Science and Technology, in which there are many "sub-schools", only then will there be internal strength.

“If we merge mechanically, developing facilities may not be able to develop because they receive little attention and are no longer financially independent,” Mr. Huan worries.

According to the delegate, some universities were very strong before the merger, but after the merger, they were not strong because their financial autonomy was limited, their attractiveness was no longer enough, and their admission standards were lowered. Mr. Huan suggested that the National Assembly consider whether to allow regional universities to exist or not.

Delegate Le Thi Thanh Lam. (Source: National Assembly)

Meanwhile, delegate Le Thi Thanh Lam (Can Tho delegation) proposed to continue researching the regional university model because there are still many different opinions.

Currently, there are 3 regional universities: Danang University, Thai Nguyen University and Hue University. Circular 10/2020 of the Ministry of Education and Training states that regional universities have a council and board of directors responsible for managing many member schools and affiliated units. Regional universities both perform the State management function assigned by the Ministry and directly organize training and research of faculties like higher education institutions.

Delegate Lam assessed: "This model becomes an intermediary level between the Ministry of Education and Training and member schools, acting as both the managing agency and the public service unit, causing the responsibility mechanism to be dispersed and the autonomy of member schools to be limited."

At the same time, Ms. Lam also acknowledged that this was not in line with the spirit of Resolution No. 71, which required reducing focal points, promoting decentralization, and eliminating intermediate levels. Ms. Lam proposed removing the regional university regulations or restructuring the regional university model into multi-disciplinary and multi-field universities.

Therefore, abolishing this model does not mean abandoning the important role universities play in regional development, but rather eliminating the intermediate level, streamlining the apparatus and increasing the substantive autonomy of higher education institutions.

Delegate Nguyen Van Thi. (Source: National Assembly)

On the same issue, delegate Nguyen Van Thi (Bac Ninh delegation) said that regional universities are becoming administrative intermediaries. Regional universities are not allocated regional budgets and do not have the authority to coordinate investment, human resources or science and technology. Instead of streamlining the apparatus, regional universities increase the management layer between the Ministry of Education and Training and the schools, creating sub-units that prolong procedures and disperse responsibilities, which goes against the spirit of Resolution 71 of the Politburo.

Regarding autonomy, Mr. Thi said that member universities of regional universities have legal status, have enough capacity and scale to operate independently, but are still bound by the "two-tier" mechanism, having to submit to the regional university and then to the Ministry in investment procedures, opening majors...

According to delegate Thi, it is necessary to consider the structure of the higher education system, including: universities, national universities, multidisciplinary universities and universities called academies. With the regional university model, it is necessary to carefully consider whether to continue this model. With member universities with a long history and brand, it is possible to reorganize them into schools under the Ministry to ensure comprehensive autonomy.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/dai-bieu-quoc-hoi-lo-ngai-cac-truong-yeu-di-sau-sap-nhap-335015.html