Universities under microscope

Published: 25/10/2009 05:00

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LookAtVietnam – The Standing Committee of the National Assembly will propose that the assembly keep a closer watch over universities.

Students at the University of Pharmacy attend a lecture. The National Assembly’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children said universities should be closely monitored to improve standards of education.

The proposal was made in response to growing public concern over the quality of education at universities and colleges, said Thi.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, there are 376 universities and colleges across the nation. Many of the institutions have been established during the past several years.

Between 1998 and 2008, there were more than 200 new universities and colleges established. This figure includes 78 new institutions, while the rest are colleges upgraded into universities.

The peak of the booming university sector was in 2006 and 2007, when more than 40 new universities were established.

Despite the establishment of many new universities, the country only has 330 lecturers who are professors or associate professors.

Professor Vu Duong Ninh from the National University in Ha Noi said there were great risks to allowing new universities to be established without adequate supervision.

“This trend can lead to universities becoming diploma factories, and a generation of low-quality students who can be a burden for society,” he said.

Ninh said there had been several cases where the managers of universities had claimed falsely to be professors to add prestige to their universities. In other cases, names of famous professors, who were not associated with the institution, were used as false advertisement for the university.

“Many did not even know about the universities,” said Ninh.

“That happened to me several times.”

Chairman Thi said unclear and lax regulations over the establishment of universities had led to many universities lacking facilities, financial capacity and quality lecturers.

In addition, the offices in charge of examining the quality of new universities had not fulfilled their responsibilities, Thi said.

Former deputy minister of Education and Training Pham Minh Hac said establishing new universities to meet demand for education was rational, but should be carried out carefully to ensure teaching quality.

“Research on international experiences in setting up universities and assuring quality should be carried out more effectively,” said Hac.

Professor Tran Dinh Long from the Ha Noi University of Technology said the Ministry of Education and Training needed to issue detailed conditions that must be met by new universities.

“Only when they meet these conditions, such as ensuring enough qualified lecturers, should they be allowed to operate,” said Long.

The draft amended law on education suggests that responsibility to supervise the establishment of universities should be carried out by the Minister of Education and Training, instead of the Prime Minister as is the case now.

However, many professors disagree with the proposal.

“Establishing a university is not only a matter related to the Ministry of Education and Training, but also to other ministries and sectors,” said professor Vu Minh Giang, deputy director of the National University in Ha Noi. “The Prime Minister should be the one deciding this.”

Pham Do Nhat Tien, an expert from the education ministry, said laws on education in countries such as France, the United States, Japan and China all regulated that the national assemblies or the Government approve the establishment of a university.

The draft amended law on education is scheduled to be submitted to the National Assembly for approval in November.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Provide by Vietnam Travel

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