Vietnam Ministry of Education announces major school restructuring plan

educational restructuring vocational education higher education reform school mergers public service units

Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training has issued Decision No. 3013/QD-BGDDT, outlining a plan to reorganize its public service units. Under the plan signed by Minister Hoang Minh Son, the Ministry will lead the development of proposals for higher education institutions to be submitted to the Prime Minister, with reorganization decisions to be finalized before April 1, 2027.

For vocational education institutions, reorganization is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. Key mergers include the Central Pedagogical College into the Hanoi National University of Education, the Central Pedagogical College - Nha Trang into Nha Trang University, and the Central Pedagogical College in Ho Chi Minh City into the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education. Additionally, a branch of the Hanoi University of Civil Engineering will be established in Quang Ninh.

The Ministry also plans to transfer several vocational institutions to local management or to the Ministry of Public Security. The stated goals of this restructuring are to streamline operations, enhance autonomy, improve governance, and increase competitiveness while ensuring that mergers do not mechanically reduce educational quality or disrupt the rights of students and staff.