Graduation Rankings: A Reversal of the Picture

GD&TĐ - If in the past, average graduates accounted for a significant proportion, now the picture has reversed as the number of students with good and excellent grades is increasing.

“Performance inflation”?

At the 2025 Graduation Ceremony of the Vietnam Women's Academy, more than 500 new bachelors and masters officially received their degrees. Of which, over 55% of students graduated on time; over 90% achieved good grades or higher and made their mark with many outstanding achievements in scientific research. Only a small percentage of students graduated at an average level.

At the end of August 2025, the National Economics University (Hanoi) held a graduation ceremony for students of the 2021-2025 course. The rate of students graduating with honors or higher reached nearly 90%. Of the total of more than 4,600 students graduating this year, about half achieved excellent results, an increase of about 12% compared to last year, among the highest in the country. Notably, the school had 6 valedictorians graduating with a perfect score of 4.0 - a record number to date.

Dr. Le Anh Duc - Head of Training Management Department, National Economics University said that the quality of admission is constantly improving, the number of candidates with international certificates increases every year. During the study process, students with IELTS certificates of 6.5 or higher will be exempted from three English courses and converted to maximum scores, contributing to improving learning outcomes.

These impressive figures show that the rate of excellent and excellent graduates is increasing rapidly at higher education institutions. This reflects the results of the innovation of training programs, teaching methods and student support policies.

However, many experts question: Does the increasing rate of students graduating with honors or distinctions truly reflect their abilities, or is there a situation of "achievement inflation"?

Dr. Le Viet Khuyen - Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese Universities and Colleges said that this is an issue that needs to be further studied and carefully evaluated. The goal is to both encourage students to strive to study and ensure the actual quality of human resources.

Photo illustration INT.

Real quality is more important than "fame"

According to Dr. Le Viet Khuyen, the fact that the number of students with excellent and good grades is higher than before does not mean that the quality of training has been improved accordingly. In schools with high benchmark scores and selective admission, this result can be explained as reasonable. But for institutions with average input levels but the rate of students graduating with excellent and good grades has increased dramatically, it is necessary to reconsider the assessment method, scoring and graduation classification criteria.

He emphasized that while in the past, average and good graduates accounted for the majority, now the picture has "reversed". "If the criteria and classification ratio are not adjusted appropriately, the learning results will no longer reflect the quality of training. High achievements do not necessarily bring glory to the school. A high rate of excellent students does not mean that the school will attract more candidates. If graduation recognition is lenient, the students themselves will have to bear the consequences," warned Dr. Le Viet Khuyen.

According to the Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese Universities and Colleges, some higher education institutions tend to “inflate” results to create a competitive advantage. This leads to the paradox of many bachelors and engineers with excellent degrees but not meeting the job requirements of businesses.

This reality makes Dr. Le Viet Khuyen concerned. If the actual capacity of students does not match the classification in the degree, not only will the individual learner be undervalued in the labor market, but the reputation and brand of the school will also be questioned by employers, and more broadly, society will doubt the capacity of the training institution.

Regarding the issue of whether the rate of excellent and excellent graduates should be used as a measure of the training quality of a university, Associate Professor, Dr. Le Dinh Tung - Vice Principal of Hanoi Medical University said that this is a reference criterion that can be used.

However, according to him, we should not rely solely on scores or the percentage of good or excellent grades. Evaluation and assessment should include feedback from stakeholders such as students, alumni, and lecturers, while focusing on meeting the output standards of the training program and the goals that the school commits to society.

The Vice Rector of Hanoi Medical University emphasized that recruitment agencies, in addition to qualifications and academic results, need to add criteria to evaluate the ability to meet job requirements. Therefore, observing and evaluating students during the probationary period is necessary to have accurate and objective comments.

This approach also creates positive pressure, forcing training institutions – especially in the fields of Medicine, Nursing, and Dentistry – to focus on training practical skills and vocational skills, instead of just stopping at studying to get points or for exams.

Regarding the training facility, Associate Professor Dr. Le Dinh Tung said that Hanoi Medical University has consulted many parties, including local health departments, hospitals and practice facilities to form the basis for building and organizing the training program. The school aims to train competent students who can meet specific career requirements.

He affirmed that graduates must first of all “be able to do the job”. In addition, they need to have basic scientific knowledge and a solid professional foundation to develop themselves, work independently and make the right decisions. At the same time, students must be fully equipped with knowledge in their major and expanded understanding in other fields to adapt to the constant development of society.

According to Dr. Le Viet Khuyen, real quality must be placed higher than achievement numbers. Scores or excellent rates are only meaningful when they truly reflect abilities, helping students prepare for real careers. Otherwise, high achievements will "accidentally" damage the reputation of the training institution, causing disadvantages for the students themselves and society.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/xep-loai-sinh-vien-tot-nghiep-buc-tranh-dao-chieu-post751928.html