"Rolling out the red carpet" to welcome PhD lecturers.

To enhance their brand image and meet the criteria required by the Ministry of Education and Training , many schools have introduced attractive policies to attract students.

Starting in 2025, on June 30th each year, the Ministry of Education and Training will begin publishing the results of the implementation of higher education institution standards, including standards for lecturers with doctoral degrees.

Circular No. 01/2024/TT-BGDĐT on Standards for Higher Education Institutions takes effect from March 22, 2024, and will be applied to higher education institutions starting in 2025. Accordingly, the standards for higher education institutions comprise six criteria: Organization and governance, faculty, facilities, finance, enrollment and training, and research and innovation.

Despite the difficulty in recruiting, the proportion of PhD holders must still be increased.

Specifically, criterion 2.3 of standard 2 stipulates that the percentage of full-time lecturers with a doctoral degree must not be lower than 20%, and from 2030 not lower than 30%, for higher education institutions that do not offer doctoral programs; not lower than 5%, and from 2030 not lower than 10%, for specialized training institutions that do not offer doctoral programs; not lower than 40%, and from 2030 not lower than 50%, for higher education institutions that do offer doctoral programs; and not lower than 10%, and from 2030 not lower than 15%, for specialized training institutions that do offer doctoral programs.

Ensuring the required number of PhDs in accordance with Circular No. 01 is a challenge for many higher education institutions today, especially in finding lecturers with PhDs in language-related fields or newly established programs. The rector of a university in Hanoi stated that improving the quality of the teaching staff is essential to enhancing the quality of education. The university leadership pays special attention to faculty development, but it faces many difficulties due to a significant shortage of qualified candidates. Even though the university has implemented policies to attract PhDs from abroad, the related administrative procedures are quite complex and time-consuming, making recruitment difficult. Furthermore, some PhDs come to the university for economic reasons, and when other institutions offer more attractive policies, they are willing to leave.

To ensure sufficient faculty in the future, in 2025, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) announced the recruitment of 43 young, talented candidates to be trained to obtain a PhD and become lecturers at HUST. Eligibility requirements include: university graduates with excellent/outstanding grades, under 30 years old, majoring in a field relevant to each position; and master's degree holders with good or excellent grades, under 35 years old. Priority will be given to graduates with outstanding grades from prestigious universities in Vietnam and abroad, who are the primary authors of publications in ISI/Scopus databases; and who possess research capabilities, experience, and practical skills related to their field. Applicants must commit to long-term employment at HUST.

Universities are launching various incentive programs to attract PhD-level lecturers to work at their institutions. Photo: HUY LÂN

In 2025, the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) will continue to recruit PhDs under the VNU350 Project (VNU350 Program) to serve scientific research and other tasks of its member universities. Accordingly, in the first phase of 2025, the VNU350 Program will recruit 101 positions to work at its member and affiliated units. A representative from VNU-HCM stated that candidates working under the VNU350 Project will receive special preferential policies.

At other universities, efforts are being intensified to increase the proportion of lecturers with doctoral degrees. At the University of Finance and Marketing, as of November 20, 2024, the percentage of lecturers with doctoral degrees was 30%, with a target of 55% by 2027. To achieve this goal, the university has mandated that lecturers with master's degrees under the age of 45 must pursue doctoral degrees within the next three years.

In addition, the university is also increasing its recruitment of lecturers with doctoral degrees from outside the university. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry has 38% of its lecturers holding doctoral degrees, with a target of 40% by 2025, through improving the qualifications of both its existing faculty and those recruited from outside.

At the University of Banking Ho Chi Minh City, the university adds 20 to 35 lecturers with PhD, Associate Professor, and Professor qualifications each year, both from its own faculty and from external sources. Currently, the percentage of lecturers with PhDs is 55.5%, and the university aims to increase this percentage to 80% by 2026.

Spending billions to attract talent.

To enhance their brand image and ensure compliance with the criteria required by the Ministry of Education and Training, many universities have recently implemented attractive policies to attract talent. Professor Le Ngoc Thanh, Rector of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, stated that the university has successfully attracted a highly qualified workforce for both full-time and part-time teaching positions. Notably, in recent times, many leading experts from major hospitals in Hanoi have taken on professional roles such as heads of departments, deans, or deputy deans at the university.

Hanoi National University (VNU) has implemented a policy to attract outstanding scientists, both domestically and internationally, including Vietnamese citizens residing abroad and foreigners, who wish to participate in scientific research and assume leadership positions in strong research groups in the science and technology fields prioritized by VNU. Benefits include preferential treatment as stipulated by the state and VNU, priority access to shared facilities and equipment, guaranteed employment conditions, equipment, and the implementation of policies and mechanisms as agreed upon to promote Vietnam's cutting-edge science and technology fields. In particular, scientists receive funding of 3 billion VND over 3 years to carry out their science and technology projects and are eligible for proposals to enhance their capacity to develop strong research groups.

In 2024, Hanoi University of Industry also recruited 41 staff members under the project "Policy to attract lecturers and experts with the titles of Professor, Associate Professor, and PhD." The university selected lecturers with PhDs through a series of rounds including application review, lecturer examination, interviews, and recruitment for lecturers and experts with the titles of Professor and Associate Professor. Applicants were required to commit to working at the university for a minimum of 5 years. In addition to receiving benefits according to regulations, lecturers and experts recruited to work at Hanoi University of Industry will receive a monetary incentive after being recruited and accepted.

At the Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, to facilitate lecturers pursuing doctoral degrees, the university reduces teaching hours by 50% and waives 100% of tuition fees for doctoral programs. The university has also implemented incentive policies to attract PhD holders to work at the institution. Accordingly, each PhD holder receives 100 million VND, associate professors receive 150 million VND, and professors receive 200 million VND… These policies have proven effective. To increase the proportion of lecturers with PhDs, the university has implemented incentive policies to increase the income of faculty members. In addition to their salaries, faculty members receive monthly allowances and benefits based on their job position and academic rank. In 2023, 21 PhD holders and 2 associate professors joined the university.

Associate Professor Pham Tien Dat, Rector of the University of Finance and Marketing, stated that for lecturers with a Master's degree pursuing a PhD, the university covers all tuition fees and travel expenses (if studying outside Ho Chi Minh City). They only teach 1-2 classes per semester and receive their full salary and other income. Upon obtaining their PhD, lecturers receive an additional 60 million VND if trained domestically, and 100 million VND if trained abroad. Lecturers with the rank of Associate Professor receive a bonus of 300 million VND, while those with the rank of Professor receive 400 million VND (under 50 years old)...

The work environment must be professional.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duc Trung, Rector of the University of Banking Ho Chi Minh City, to retain and attract lecturers with doctoral degrees, the university is committed to providing a professional, dynamic, and well-equipped working environment. Besides competitive salaries, the university also offers many attractive incentives. The university always creates conditions for lecturers to maximize their creativity and contribute to the overall development of the institution.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duc Trung stated that maintaining and developing a highly qualified teaching staff necessitates strong financial resources for the university. Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hoan, Rector of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, also noted that as the percentage of lecturers with PhDs and professorships increases, so does the salary budget. While this is very challenging, the university must find ways to ensure increasingly better incomes for lecturers and researchers.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/trai-tham-don-giang-vien-tien-si-196250304205115033.htm