On December 18, 2023, the “Panel Discussion of domestic and international experts on transition from vocational training programs to college and university: International experiences and lessons for Vietnam” took place at Ton Duc Thang University.
The Panel Discussion, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, aims to gather opinions for the drafting of a Decree on the transition between educational levels and qualifications within the national education system. This draft decree is intended for submission to the Government for review in 2024, replacing Decision No. 18/2017/QĐ-TTg issued by the Prime Minister on the transition from vocational training programs to college and university.
Attending and chairing the Panel Discussion on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Training were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thu Thuy, Director of the Higher Education Department; Dr. Pham Nhu Nghe, Deputy Director of the Higher Education Department; and specialists from the Higher Education Department. On behalf of Ton Duc Thang University, the host institution, were Dr. Tran Trong Dao, President; Dr. Vo Hoang Duy, Vice President; and Dr. Dong Si Thien Chau, Vice President, along with the leaders of various departments, faculties, institutes, and centers of the University attending the event.
Especially noteworthy was the participation of over 200 distinguished guests, including experts and administrators from more than 130 universities and colleges invited by the Ministry of Education and Training.
In her opening speech, Ms. Nguyen Thu Thuy, Director of the Higher Education Department, Ministry of Education and Training, expressed gratitude to the distinguished guests and lecturers from various institutions who attended the Panel Discussion to discuss and propose solutions for the new draft of the Decree on the transition between educational levels. Additionally, Ms. Nguyen Thu Thuy extended her appreciation to Ton Duc Thang University for organizing the Panel Discussion, providing a warm and well-prepared space, and welcoming everyone that day so that the Panel Discussion could take place successfully.
The representative from the Higher Education Department also reported an overview of the current situation of the transition programs from vocational training programs to college and university according to Decision No. 18/2017/QĐ-TTg, as well as the challenges faced by educational institutions in the implementation.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the total number of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Vietnam is currently 234, not including the institutions under the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of National Defense. Among them, 134 universities offer transition programs, accounting for 49% of educational institutions. This indicates a relatively high demand for teaching and learning transition programs.
However, during the implementation, there are still some obstacles, one of which is the enrollment quota for transition programs restricted by the provisions in Clause 1, Article 5 of Decision 18: “The enrollment quota for transition programs is part of the total quota for the entire university and should not exceed 20% of the formal enrollment quota corresponding to the training field.”
The Panel Discussion also introduced experiences in transition education from some countries worldwide, such as Australia, Thailand, India, and South Korea.
During the Panel Discussion, there were many opinions from educational institutions, especially those in the northern mountainous region, central region, central highlands, etc., aiming to provide feedback and propose recommendations to implement transition education in a more feasible timeframe and meet the trends and needs of lifelong learners.
