Start shortening university training time

From the 2017-2018 school year, some universities began to shorten the university training time for new students. Along with that, there were many changes in the curriculum compared to before.

3 and a half years left in college

At the end of 2016, the Prime Minister approved the new national education system framework. Compared to before, the university training time will be shortened from 4-6 years to 3-5 years. The college training time, instead of being set at 3 years, is now 2-3 years. Implementing this policy, some universities have begun to shorten the training time to 3.5-4 years right in this new school year.

Accordingly, new students entering the Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry will begin studying a shortened program of 3.5 years (undergraduate level) and 2.5 years (college level). Compared to before, the study time has been shortened by half a year.

Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities also applies a uniform training period of 3.5 years for all majors. Previously, from 2016, students majoring in economics, languages ​​and social sciences at Ho Chi Minh City Open University also only studied 11 semesters, equivalent to 3.5 years (half a year less than before).

Similarly, Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport also shortened the training time of the majors to 4 - 4.5 years. Notably, the traffic construction engineering major, which used to be trained for 5 years, has now been reduced to 4.5 years. 70% of other majors have had their training time shortened from 4.5 to 4 years. Only the economic majors remain at 4 years.

Previously, some technical training schools such as Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Ho Chi Minh City University of Technical Education also proactively reduced the program from 5 to 4 years on the basis of integrating the training program.

Students have to work more

To shorten the training time, schools must reorganize and reorganize the curriculum in a more appropriate direction. Dr. Tran Thien Luu, Head of Training Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport, said that the school has restructured the subjects in the basic curriculum to be more appropriate. For example, previously, basic mathematics consisted of 10 compulsory credits, now there are only 5 compulsory credits and 5 credits of elective subjects...

Meanwhile, Master Pham Thai Son, Deputy Director of the Admissions and Business Relations Center of Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, said: “Although the time is shortened, the school still maintains 120 credits, so there will be changes in the arrangement of subjects. For example, instead of being arranged in the main curriculum as before, physical education is now converted into extracurricular activities and clubs. Students can proactively use their free time to participate in training and accumulate credits.”

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Minh Ha, Head of Training Department of Ho Chi Minh City Open University, said that the school must review and adjust the entire training program. From this school year, students will participate in internships and practical reports in each specific subject. Therefore, students have to work more than before to be able to meet the requirements of their studies.

Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities also follows a similar approach. Dr. Pham Tan Ha, Vice Principal of the school, informed that although the program is shortened by half a year compared to before, it still has to ensure a minimum of 120 credits for the entire program. Therefore, the school's approach is to increase the number of credits each semester, and students have to work harder to ensure that their knowledge remains unchanged.

Dr. Pham Tan Ha acknowledged that shortening the training program will create opportunities for students to find better jobs and start working sooner. However, this shortening needs to go hand in hand with redesigning the program and arranging appropriate subjects to ensure training effectiveness.