University mergers are inevitable to end the consequences of "hot" development.

(Dan Tri) - Streamlining and streamlining the scale is not a temporary solution but a strategic boost for the development of the university education system, according to Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia - former Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City National University.

Witnessing the major changes in the Vietnamese education system in terms of breadth from the mid-90s to the present, Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia said that the policy of arranging and restructuring Vietnam's higher education system in the direction of streamlining in scale is an inevitable policy, stemming from the objective requirements of the domestic and international socio -economic development context.

The inevitable time for university mergers

How do you evaluate the policy of comprehensively arranging and restructuring universities in the current context?

- Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in education and training development, a document that experts consider an "important turning point" and a strategic "push" for Vietnam's higher education system. This resolution not only sets out general directions but also establishes an ambitious vision, turning education into a "central growth engine", which is both a necessary condition for supplying high-quality human resources and a sufficient condition for promoting innovation and deep international integration.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia - former Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City National University (Photo: Nguyen Huyen).

The focus of Resolution 71 is the requirement to "reorganize and restructure higher education institutions, merge and dissolve substandard institutions". However, the vision of Resolution 71 is not limited to merging and streamlining the apparatus. This document lays the foundation for a more profound reform, including many synchronous breakthrough policies.

One of the most important highlights is the policy of granting "full and comprehensive" autonomy to higher education institutions, regardless of the level of financial autonomy.

Resolution 71 also affirms the Party and State’s commitment to prioritizing strong investment in higher education. Specifically, the resolution sets the goal of building elite universities following the model of international-class research universities and assigns the task of implementing the National Target Program on modernization and improving the quality of education and training for the period 2026-2035.

One of the questions that the public is concerned about regarding the major university reorganization is the timing and duration of implementation. Is this policy sudden and urgent?

- I think that the strong restructuring policy of Resolution 71 is not a sudden policy, but an inevitable policy in the face of the consequences of the "hot" development process in breadth of Vietnam's higher education over the past three decades.

Analysis of historical data shows an explosion in scale, marking a fundamental shift of the system from an "elite education" model to a "mass education".

In the pre-Doi Moi period and the early 1990s, Vietnamese higher education was characterized by an elite education model, with a small number of schools, limited enrollment scale, mainly concentrated in large cities and serving a small segment of the population.

However, since the mid-1990s, the system has entered a period of unprecedented expansion. The period of the strongest increase in the number of schools was in the 5 years 2005-2010 (an increase of 76 colleges and 48 universities, an average of 2 new universities and colleges per month).

Many newly established universities during this period were “upgraded” from junior colleges. During the 2005-2010 period alone, the number of schools increased by 8.3% per year on average; the number of students increased by 9.7% and the number of lecturers increased by 10%.

Overall, over the 20 years from 2005 to 2025, the number of universities has nearly doubled, from 137 universities (public and non-public) to 264.

This process of “massification,” while successful in expanding access to higher education for millions of young people, has occurred relatively spontaneously and without a coherent overall plan.

Therefore, the policy of merging and restructuring the higher education system is not a temporary solution but an urgent requirement, stemming from the objective demands of the domestic and international socio-economic development context. Optimizing national resources, improving quality and international competitiveness is a command of the integration era, meeting the requirements of the labor market in the digital age.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife visited the University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) on May 27.

Streamlining universities is a breakthrough opportunity for the non-public university system.

This university reorganization is expected to affect about 140 public schools, not including security and defense schools. The question is, how will non-public schools be affected by the major reorganization?

- It sounds paradoxical, but in my personal opinion, streamlining and improving the quality of the public university system is the strongest push for the development of the non-public university system.

This process will reshape the entire map of Vietnamese higher education, creating a truly competitive playing field and promoting a more diverse educational ecosystem.

Currently, the non-public university system accounts for about 25% of the number of schools and less than 20% of the number of students, but is growing faster in terms of teaching staff than public schools.

As public schools merge, become more elite and research-focused, they are likely to reduce their applied, mass-market training programs. This creates a large “market gap” that private schools, with their flexibility and dynamism, can quickly fill.

Moreover, the fiercer competition for academic positions in the public sector after the merger will push a segment of good lecturers to move to the private sector, where there are better remunerations and a more open working environment for innovation.

In particular, private universities with strong potential, well-invested by large economic groups, will have a golden opportunity to break through. They can attract talent, invest in modern facilities, and develop high-quality training programs, becoming a real counterweight to leading public schools.

Thus, the public sector restructuring policy is not only an internal reform, but also indirectly creates momentum for the rise of the private sector, contributing to the formation of a healthy competitive higher education market, where the quality and choice of learners determine existence and development.

What should be noted when arranging, merging, and dissolving universities to avoid affecting the training efficiency and training quality of good schools before arranging and streamlining?

- For the merger policy to truly bring about the expected results, the implementation process needs to go beyond the mechanical unification mindset, that is, not simply merging units together with an administrative document.

Instead, it must be seen as a comprehensive change management process that requires a strategic, detailed, and people-centered roadmap, including restructuring the organization, human resources, and academic culture; and consolidating and optimizing resources, from finance, facilities, to training programs.

At the same time, there are some core principles that need to be followed so that the merger process does not go astray and achieves its set goals.

Firstly , build a clear and feasible roadmap. The Ministry of Education and Training's goal of implementing the merger within the next 3 months is a huge challenge, requiring an extremely detailed plan and high political determination. This roadmap needs to clearly define the stages, specific tasks, responsibilities of each unit and completion milestones.

Second , quality is the guiding principle. Every decision in the merger process, from the selection of leadership to the restructuring of training programs, must answer the question: "Will this help improve the quality of training and research?" The ultimate goal is not to reduce the number of institutions, but to create stronger universities.

Third , promote transparency and communication. A proactive, transparent and multi-dimensional communication plan to all stakeholders (staff, lecturers, students, parents, society) is vital to reduce rumors, resistance and build consensus.

Finally, establish a post-merger monitoring and evaluation mechanism. There should be a set of indicators to regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of the new units. This helps the management make timely adjustments, ensuring that the merger is on track and truly brings added value.

Thank you for this conversation!

Part 1: University arrangement is an order and strategy for breakthrough

Part 2: University arrangements must ensure no interruption in students' studies

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/sap-nhap-dai-hoc-la-tat-yeu-de-cham-dut-he-qua-phat-trien-nong-20250924223025793.htm