Draft circular on determining enrollment targets: Some schools benefit, some schools suffer

The draft circular on determining university enrollment quotas, released by the Ministry of Education and Training for public comment, contains many new points compared to the previous circular. There are both advantages and disadvantages.

Candidates seek information about admission to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology - Photo: Xuan Dung

This draft circular was issued to standardize the regulations for higher education institutions. According to many experts, most universities benefit from it, but there are also many drawbacks.

Enrollment quotas will skyrocket.

According to the draft, the student-to-faculty ratio for full-time faculty is set at 40. This regulation does not take into account the conversion based on academic titles and degrees as before: 25 for master's degrees, 50 for doctorates, 75 for associate professors, and 150 for professors. Also, according to the draft, only full-time faculty members at the university will be included in the quota calculation; visiting lecturers are not. This is a notable new point in the draft. Furthermore, the draft also stipulates a maximum over-enrollment limit of 20% of the quota set by the universities. This 20% limit is considered very favorable for universities in the enrollment process. Previously, universities were fined and had their quotas reduced for the following year if they exceeded the quota by just 3%. Commenting on the new quota calculation method, Mr. Vo Van Tuan, Vice Rector of Van Lang University, believes that universities will see a significant increase in their enrollment. "According to the new regulations, universities with more master's degree holders will benefit, with increased enrollment quotas. Meanwhile, universities with more doctoral degree holders may see a decrease in their quotas. Given the low percentage of lecturers with doctoral degrees in universities, most universities will benefit from the new regulations as their enrollment quotas increase. Furthermore, allowing universities to exceed their quotas by no more than 20% is also advantageous for them," Mr. Tuan said. Sharing this view, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Anh, Vice Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, stated that practical calculations show that the enrollment quotas of many universities could increase by 30-50% compared to 2024 if the new regulations are applied. Approximately 70% of lecturers in many universities hold master's degrees, so with an increase from 25 to 40 students per lecturer, the quota has increased 1.6 times. Along with being allowed to recruit up to 20% more than the set quota, the actual number of students admitted by many universities will be much higher than in 2024. This is also the view of representatives from many universities such as the Polytechnic University, the University of Economics and Law (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), and the University of Industry and Trade Ho Chi Minh City, who believe that the new regulation benefits universities in determining quotas. Mr. Thai Doan Thanh - Vice Rector of the University of Industry and Trade Ho Chi Minh City - said that basically, the new regulation benefits universities with many master's degree programs as the quota will increase.

"Professors, associate professors, PhDs, and master's degree holders will have their quotas determined according to the new regulations. Because the majority of lecturers hold master's degrees, the quotas will naturally increase. The regulation allowing for a 20% over-recruitment also reduces the anxiety of universities fearing over-recruitment," Mr. Thanh added.

Many worries

Besides the advantages, many universities are also worried about the shortcomings of the new regulations, which may hinder student recruitment and faculty development. Mr. Bui Hoai Thang, head of the training department at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), believes that the regulations in the draft will lead to anomalies in the system. Universities with a large number of lecturers holding master's degrees will see their enrollment quotas increase, while those with many lecturers holding doctoral degrees will see their quotas decrease. "Over 65% of lecturers at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology hold doctoral degrees. The university's enrollment quota will also be affected. In addition, some lecturers specializing in practical teaching are not included when determining the quota. These are highly skilled professionals who specialize in practical teaching in engineering and medical fields. In the medical field, there are regulations recognizing them as lecturers, while in other fields there are not. That is illogical," Mr. Thang said. Sharing this view, Mr. Dinh Duc Anh Vu, Vice Rector of the International University (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), stated that the percentage of lecturers with doctoral degrees at the university is currently around 70%. According to the new regulations in the draft, the university's enrollment quota will decrease. Similarly, Mr. Cu Xuan Tien, Head of Admissions and Student Affairs at the University of Economics and Law (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), said that the new regulations could affect the improvement of university lecturers' qualifications. Universities with more professors, associate professors, and doctors will face significant disadvantages when determining enrollment quotas. Furthermore, while the quota for joint programs is included in the total quota, visiting lecturers are not counted, creating difficulties for the university. "The program, lecturers, and degrees are coordinated and awarded by foreign partners. Lecturers are sent by partner universities to teach for a specific period. If they work full-time, they must stay in Vietnam and apply for a work permit. It's worth noting that obtaining work permits for foreign experts and lecturers is very difficult and time-consuming. Therefore, there should be a separate mechanism for lecturers in joint programs," Mr. Tien proposed. While acknowledging the new regulations have many advantages, representatives from several universities also expressed concern about the depletion of recruitment sources. Mr. Vo Van Tuan analyzed that with most universities increasing their enrollment quotas, plus the ability to recruit up to 20% more, the total number of students recruited by top-tier and mid-tier universities will be very large. Furthermore, Mr. Tuan suggested that researchers should be included when determining enrollment quotas. Currently, researchers both conduct research and teach, but they are not counted when determining quotas. According to Mr. Tuan, the coefficient might not be 40 like for lecturers, but it could be calculated at 20-30.

Quality needs to be ensured.

Regarding the correlation between enrollment quotas, facilities, and faculty, Mr. Thai Doan Thanh stated that if the new regulations are implemented, the school's enrollment quota will certainly increase. However, the school is calculating a suitable increase to ensure quality. "The capacity of the school's faculty is not a problem, but the school must consider the quality alongside classroom space, practical equipment, and laboratory facilities. Therefore, if the quota increases, it will be at a balanced level, ensuring quality and not reaching the maximum limit," Mr. Thanh said. Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-thao-thong-tu-xac-dinh-chi-tieu-tuyen-sinh-truong-duoc-loi-truong-thiet-thoi-20241205101009785.htm