At a training conference on international cooperation and external communications in education and training held in Hanoi on September 11, Director General of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, Nguyen Thu Thuy, said that since 2023, the ministry has signed 47 international documents, including 18 international treaties and 29 cooperation agreements.
Notably, eight mutual recognition agreements on academic degrees have been signed with countries such as France, Russia, China, and Austria, contributing significantly to the mobility of high-quality human resources.
Foreign investment in Vietnam’s education sector continues to expand, with activity concentrated primarily in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. Key partners include institutions and investors from the United States, Singapore, and South Korea.
Currently, there are nearly 500 joint training programs in operation, most of which focus on economics and management. These programs are now gradually expanding into the science and technology fields.
In terms of human resource development, 244 Vietnamese lecturers have been sent abroad for doctoral training in 22 countries. Scholarship programs are becoming increasingly attractive; notably, the Russian Federation’s scholarship program for 2025 received as many as 1,700 applications.
Vietnamese universities are also drawing growing interest from international students and scholars. On average, each institution currently receives around 39 international students for long-term study each year. Meanwhile, academic experts and lecturers from countries such as South Korea, the United States, Japan, and France are actively involved in teaching and research at many of Vietnam’s leading universities.
Looking ahead, the Director General of the Department of International Cooperation emphasized that the Ministry of Education and Training will vigorously implement key directives under Politburo Resolution No. 59 on international integration and Resolution No. 71 on breakthrough development in education and training, identifying international cooperation as a strategic pillar.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to ensure that over 20 percent of its joint training programs are affiliated with universities ranked among the world’s top 500. The country also plans to establish at least two branch campuses of internationally renowned universities, expand its participation in UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities, and enhance the international integration capacity of education leaders, lecturers, and staff.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc stressed that international cooperation in education and training is an inevitable trend and an urgent requirement in the process of reforming and improving the quality of human resource development.
The Ministry of Education and Training has established a fundamental legal framework to ensure that educational institutions can effectively implement international cooperation initiatives.
Currently, many Vietnamese universities have secured a place in the international education landscape, offering nearly 400 joint training programs with around 140,000 students. These programs play a vital role in supplying high-quality human resources for businesses and the economy.
The Deputy Minister also called on universities and Departments of Education and Training of provinces and cities nationwide to promote their strengths by developing more high-quality joint training programs aligned with the needs of businesses and society.
At the same time, he urged local authorities and educational institutions to strengthen the management of foreign language, IT, life skills, and overseas study consultancy centers in accordance with regulations. He emphasized the need for enhanced inspection and supervision to ensure quality and protect the rights of learners.
