Vietnam Education Dialogue Suggests 5 Ideas to Improve University Education

The Vietnam Education Dialogue (VED) led by famous Mathematician Ngo Bao Chau has proposed five ideas to improve the local university education, state media reported on June 12. The proposal was based on a study on university education reforms that was conducted in the past three years. The first idea is that universities have to establish school boards that act the same as board of directors for enterprises. According to VED, over 330 universities and colleges in Vietnam do not have effective school boards to operate the institutions. The second idea is that universities have to become more financially independent. VED pointed out that the university system has three fundamental financial problems including lack of funding, inefficient fund allocation, and financially dependent. VED proposed the government let universities decide the number of students, tuitions, teaching programs, and spending. The third idea is that the government should establish independent education agencies to check on the quality of education. The fourth idea is that students should be able to take fewer classes in order to have more time to practice and intern. The fifth idea is that schools should hold conferences for students and teachers to discuss more than just academic subjects. The Vietnam Educational Dialogue group was established in the Fall of 2013 based on the ideas of Professor Ngo Bao Chau about supporting collaborative educational reforms, which take into account the expertise and experience of a variety of actors. Members of the group include professors and researchers from Vietnam and various universities in the United States and Europe. (vietnamnet.vn June 12)