VIETNAM

Universities struggle to find qualified academic staff

Despite a raft of applications for nine lecturer vacancies announced in July, Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport has been unable to fill any of the positions owing to a lack of candidates with PhDs, reports Viet Nam News.

“Recruiting enough lecturers is not an issue. The question is the academic quality of applicants,” said Nguyen Van Thu, rector of the university. “Candidates holding masters degrees from domestic universities form the majority of applicants. While the number of PhDs is limited, there is competition among universities in hiring them,” Thu told the Tuoi Tre (youth) newspaper.

Similarly, Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment is in need of academic staff. According to rector Phan Dinh Tuan, despite a policy encouraging lecturers to get their PhDs, the university is struggling to recruit enough lecturers. The university offers each of its current lecturers financial support of VND20 million (US$880) to study for PhDs to increase academic quality.
Full report on the Viet Nam News site