VIETNAM: Universities boom leads to staff shortage

The rapid increase in numbers of institutions of higher learning in Vietnam cities over the last few years has sparked concerns about the quality of education and training, according to local educators, reports Vietnam News. Speaking at a conference in Hanoi for newly-established private universities and colleges, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan said there was a severe shortage in teaching staff at these schools even as new institutes were being established.

In the last 10 years, out of 198 new universities and colleges that have been built and upgraded, the number of private tertiary institutions has quadrupled from 16 to 64. A recent inspection of some universities and colleges by the Ministry of Education and Training revealed that tertiary institutions are riddled with problems - the most daunting of which is a severe shortage of lecturers and professors.

In an effort to meet human resources demand for rapid economic growth, Vietnam needs to increase the number of tertiary institutes to 386 in 2010, 410 in 2015 and 600 in 2020, including 225 universities and 375 colleges, according to the ministry. As of August this year, the country has 369 tertiary institutes including 160 universities and 209 colleges. The number of tertiary institutes is estimated to triple in the next 15 years to accommodate 4.5 million students, compared with the current 1.6 million students.
Full report on the Vietnam News site