Key Takeaways
- Vietnam Higher Education targets 35,000 international students by 2031.
- English-medium education is expanding nationwide.
- STEM and research investments are accelerating.
Vietnam is accelerating efforts to become an international higher education destination, with government-backed reforms, expanding English-language programs, and growing partnerships with foreign universities aimed at increasing international student enrollment from 20,000 to 35,000 within five years.
The shift marks a significant change for a country long known as one of Asia’s largest sources of outbound students. Vietnamese families have traditionally sent students to countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, France and the United States, but policymakers are now seeking to strengthen Vietnam’s position in the global education market.
According to Scott Thompson-Whiteside, pro vice-chancellor and general director of RMIT University Vietnam, recent policy changes signal a stronger commitment to internationalization and foreign investment in higher education.
Vietnam currently hosts about 200 transnational education programs operated through partnerships with overseas institutions, particularly from Australia, the UK and Germany. Thompson-Whiteside said Vietnam Higher Education is entering a growth phase similar to Malaysia’s expansion of international education partnerships during the late 1990s.
“They are competing with all these other countries, competing with Malaysia and India to attract the best universities to set up foreign branch campuses,” Thompson-Whiteside said.
Universities Align Programs With Economic Growth
Vietnam’s rapidly growing economy is influencing higher education priorities as institutions focus on preparing graduates for emerging industries and multinational employers.
RMIT Vietnam, the country’s only fully foreign-owned branch campus, enrolls approximately 12,000 students, with about 95% coming from Vietnam. The university delivers all programs in English and emphasizes industry partnerships, internships and workplace learning opportunities.
“We work very closely with local industry on internships, placements, industry-embedded learning,” Thompson-Whiteside said. “We’ve got more placements than we have students to fill them.”
Vietnam recorded gross domestic product growth of about 8% last year, and government leaders have set a target of at least 10% annual growth over the next five years. That economic expansion has increased demand for graduates with science, technology, and innovation skills.
Thompson-Whiteside said universities within the Vietnam Higher Education system are expected to expand STEM offerings to support national development goals. RMIT Vietnam is also increasing research activity and postgraduate education, with more than 100 doctoral students currently studying through joint supervision arrangements with faculty in Melbourne, Australia.
English-Language Education Supports Global Engagement
Vietnam Higher Education internationalization strategy also includes efforts to strengthen English-language education across the country.
The University of Science and Technology of Hanoi, known as Vietnam-France University, represents one of several internationally focused public institutions created through foreign partnerships to modernize the higher education system.
Vice Rector Tran Dinh Phong said the initiative began in the early 2000s as Vietnam sought to improve education quality and research capacity through international cooperation.
“When we talk about a new university model, we try to learn from developed countries with excellent higher education and to quickly catch up to the level of higher education and research to support our country’s development,” Phong said.
The university enrolls about 4,000 students in science and technology fields and maintains academic partnerships with French institutions. Although founded through French cooperation, instruction is conducted in English to support international collaboration.
“Our interaction language is English, so that facilitates a lot of international collaboration,” Phong said.
The university hosted about 200 international students for exchanges and internships last year, while a similar number of Vietnamese students participated in overseas programs.
Despite growing momentum, challenges remain. Thompson-Whiteside said Vietnam’s visa system could create uncertainty for prospective international students because of short initial visa periods and repeated renewal requirements.
Still, education leaders say the country’s long-term strategy for Vietnam Higher Education remains focused on supporting an innovation-driven economy through stronger research capabilities, international partnerships, and global student mobility.
“We need to have innovation, we need to have technological transfer,” Phong said.
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