The number of universities in Vietnam have been increasing rapidly, while the number of university lecturers have not been increasing accordingly. As a result, universities, especially newly established ones, are seriously thirsty for lecturers.

After two phases of recruitment, the HCM City Economics University still cannot find enough lecturers. Candidates must meet the high requirements set up by the university: they must have the bachelor degree at an excellent level at least, and they must also have English and informatics skills. After being shortlisted, the candidates have to go through four tests to become the official lecturers of the school.

According to Dr Huynh Thanh Hung, Deputy President of the HCM City University for Agriculture and Forestry, the school has to recruit new lecturers every year to replace retired lecturers. Especially, the school has to regularly look for lecturers for some faculties, such as husbandry and veterinary, engineering technology, agronomy, forestry, fisheries, economics, foreign languages​​, biotechnology, cooking technology, land management and real estate.

The University for Finance and Marketing has also been known as the school which has high demand for lecturers. It now needs 65 lecturers for different faculties, but it has found 10 only.

The Central Region Civil Engineering University is now offering a lot of preferences to lecturers, while setting easy requirements. Those, who graduate universities at a good level, can apply for becoming the school’s lecturers. The school has promised to prop up money to help the lecturers to study to get master degree. Meanwhile, those, who have doctorate, will enjoy high allowances and get accommodations if they come from other provinces.

In April, the Nguyen Tat Thanh University was established which was upgraded from a junior college. The school has placed an ad piece on recruitment websites that it needs recruit 10 permanent lecturers and candidates must submit their CVs prior to June 21, 2011.

Meanwhile, another ad piece can be read on other websites that the Nguyen Tat Thanh University is recruiting seven permanent lecturers who have at least a master’s degree. The candidates must submit their CVs in May 2011.

The facts show that the school looks puzzled in organizing its staff and shows that it is very difficult to find university lecturers at this moment.

The information published on the school’s official website shows that of the 73 lecturers of the pharmacy faculty, only one is a permanent lecturer of the school, while the other lecturers are now working for the HCM City Healthcare Department, Gia Dinh Hospital, the HCM City Medical, Techlimex Company and Pharmaceutical University.

Non-state schools attracting lecturers

Non-state universities prove to have a high attractiveness in the eyes of lecturers, which explains why many lecturers of state owned schools, now also work as visiting lecturers for non-state schools. The attractiveness lies in the fact that non-state schools have good financial capability and offer high pay to lecturers. Especially, non-state schools promise good working environment, where lecturers can easily get promotion.

According to Dr Nguyen Dang Liem, President of the Gia Dinh Information Technology University, the school’s lecturers now have master degrees at minimum. The lecturers now can enjoy relatively high wages which will increase by 15 percent in the time to come. The lecturers have been encouraged to write lesson plans for students for which they can get deserved awards .

The FPT University not only offers high wages, but it also provides computers to every lecturer. The Thu Dau Mot University offers high allowances to lecturers, pay travel fees and props up accommodation rents.

TP