LookAtVietnam – VGU has advertised for experienced candidate to fill the post of Deputy President. Should Vietnam follow the model?

Mai Trong Nhuan, Director of the Hanoi National University

In principle, we can assess university presidents every year and we can dismiss incompetent leaders. However, I think that we have dismissed only one or two over the last 10 years. The only formality that is strictly obeyed is that presidents cannot hold a post for more than two terms.

It is necessary to consider improving the procedures of staff appointments, but we still need to carry out thorough consideration before making a decision.

We must do a lot of things to change the process: we have to change the current regulations on personnel appointments to state agencies; we have to describe in detail the requirements for candidates; and we have to set up a recruitment council to make judgments. Presently, our criteria remains vague and lacks details.

I also think that requirements for university presidents must be different from requirements set for other university positions. There are 89 criteria, for example, for Hanoi National University presidents.

Nguyen Ke Hao, President of the Huu Nghi Private University of Technology and Management:

Nguyen Ke Hao, President of the Huu Nghi Private University of Technology and Management

It is impossible to say which way is the best. The issue is requirements.

Currently, analysts and educators spend a lot of time arguing who should have power to control the establishment of universities, the Prime Minister or Minister of Education and Training.

If only Prime Minister has the power, he will still have to make a decision based on consultations with the Ministry of Education and Training.

We should also raise the question: who will employ them and who will take responsibility for their employment?

Making changes is good. But we should not erase a long-established system and replace it with another that we don’t understand well. If so, we may pay a heavy price for our hastiness.

VietNamNet/TP