Enrolment in basic science majors declines in universities

VietnamNet 06 May 2023

Enrolment in basic science majors at Vietnamese universities has dwindled in recent years, with many students opting for more lucrative fields upon graduation, reports VietnamNet. This trend has raised concerns over a potential imbalance in the job market, leaving basic sciences with a shortage of qualified professionals.

At the University of Science under the Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, the enrolment of majors in natural sciences and life sciences has been behind those in the majors of computer, information technology and engineering between 2019 and 2022. The oceanography major recorded the lowest number of candidates between 2019 and 2022. It enrolled only 21 candidates in 2019, eight candidates in 2020, 25 candidates in 2021 and 20 candidates in 2022. All are lower than the target of 50 candidates.

Phùng Quán, an admissions official at the University of Science under the Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, said that candidates have been ignoring basic science majors such as natural science, life science or agriculture in recent years because the majors are believed to provide fewer opportunities of job and career development than other majors now.
Full report on the VietnamNet site

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