Đạt mục tiêu Nghị quyết số 71: Cần quyết tâm, nguồn lực, cách làm đột phá

The goal is to reach world-class rankings.

Resolution 71 sets a target that by 2035, at least two higher education institutions will be among the top 100 universities in the world in certain fields according to prestigious international rankings; and by 2045, at least five higher education institutions will be among the top 100 universities in the world in certain fields according to prestigious international rankings. According to Mr. Bui Khanh Nguyen - an independent education expert in Ho Chi Minh City - these goals are entirely achievable.

Furthermore, several organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have made optimistic forecasts regarding Vietnam's prospects of becoming one of the top 20 economies in the world in terms of GDP size by 2045, based on current factors. Therefore, Mr. Bui Khanh Nguyen believes that the goal of "Vietnam having a modern, equitable, and high-quality national education system, ranking among the top 20 countries in the world" by 2045 is also reasonable.

"With a developed economy reaching a GDP of approximately US$2 trillion - US$2.5 trillion (4-5 times the current size) and per capita income of approximately US$20,000 per year (higher than Malaysia's current income) by 2045, Vietnam will certainly have enormous resources to invest in educational development, especially in building research universities that rank among the top 100 in the world on rankings such as THE, ARWU, and QS," Mr. Bui Khanh Nguyen further analyzed.

From a more cautious perspective, Mr. Nguyen Vinh San - a member of the VNUR university ranking research team - commented that the above goals are not impossible, but they are also very challenging to achieve.

Mr. Nguyen Vinh San explained that currently, Vietnam has a number of universities ranked in the top 500 in the world and top 200 in Asia according to QS and THE (2 National Universities, Duy Tan University, Ton Duc Thang University). However, the number is still small, the rankings are not stable, and most are still in the 801-1000 group in the world or 301-500 in Asia. To rise from the current ranking to the top 200 in Asia and top 100 in the world requires comprehensive, synchronized changes and significant investment from the universities themselves and the State.

Vietnamese universities have advantages in terms of rapid development, new support policies from the Party and State, and the trend of increasingly deep international integration; however, our starting point is still low.

Sharing specific difficulties that Vietnamese higher education faces in achieving its goal of reaching world rankings, Mr. Nguyen Vinh San outlined four groups: finance and infrastructure; human resources; university governance; and academic culture and integration.

Regarding finances and infrastructure: Reputable international rankings (QS, THE, ARWU) highly value criteria such as international publications, citations, research, and investment in R&D. Meanwhile, Vietnam's budget allocation for higher education and scientific research remains limited, at only about 0.4-0.5% of GDP, significantly lower than countries with universities in the top 100 worldwide. Laboratory infrastructure, electronic libraries, and research data are also lacking and not yet standardized.

Regarding human resources: The proportion of lecturers with doctoral degrees is still low compared to international standards; income and remuneration mechanisms are not attractive enough to attract talent from both within and outside the country; foreign language proficiency and the ability to publish internationally are limited, leading to a lack of sufficient quantity and quality of international publications.

Regarding university governance: University autonomy is still in its initial stages, with many constraints on finance, organization, and personnel; governance mechanisms have not yet caught up with international standards (university councils operate formally, lacking real self-determination); there is no clear long-term strategy for participating in international rankings, and many universities are not yet ready to publicly disclose data.

Regarding academic culture and integration: The culture of international publication and the spirit of scientific research have not yet spread widely; international cooperation, although developing, is not sustainable, lacking deep linkages in research, co-supervision, and co-publication; internationally standardized training programs, dual degrees, and student exchange programs are not yet competitive enough.

It requires strong political will, specific resources, and a groundbreaking approach.

Mr. Nguyen Vinh San believes that the goal is only achievable with strong political will, coupled with specific resources and a breakthrough approach. Specifically, to realize the goals of Resolution 71, the education sector needs to implement a comprehensive set of solutions:

Firstly, prioritize investment and stratify the system. Select approximately 10 key national universities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City; Hanoi University of Technology; Da Nang University; Hue University; Can Tho University; Ton Duc Thang University; Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics; National Economics University; and several strong private universities…) to focus investment on, create mechanisms, and avoid scattered investment; establish specific mechanisms regarding finance, personnel, and organization for this group of universities.

Secondly, we need to improve the quality of our faculty. We need to rapidly increase the proportion of lecturers with doctoral degrees (prioritizing those sent for training at top universities worldwide); expand programs to attract international scholars to teach and conduct long-term research in Vietnam; and improve salaries and working environments to attract and retain talent.

Thirdly, promote international research and publications. This includes establishing a national research fund to support publications in ISI/Scopus journals; developing interdisciplinary laboratories and centers of excellence; building mechanisms to link research with businesses and practical applications; and reducing/exempting taxes for businesses investing in research and collaborating with universities and research institutes.

Fourth, innovate governance and autonomy by removing administrative barriers to university autonomy, scientific research, and business cooperation; increase transparency of operational data, prepare for participation in international rankings; and apply digital technology in university governance.

Fifth, strong internationalization is being pursued through expanding joint training programs with top 200 universities worldwide; encouraging long-term faculty and student exchanges; and attracting international students to key universities.

According to Mr. Bui Khanh Nguyen, objectives should be accompanied by specific action plans to clearly indicate how they will be implemented and demonstrate a commitment to realizing those objectives.

For example, to strive for a higher education institution ranking among the top 100 in the world, we need to commit corresponding resources to building excellent research universities. The strategic questions to answer are: Will we invest in existing universities, restructure some of the leading universities, or build entirely new ones? Many successful and unsuccessful models from the US, the Middle East, South Korea, Singapore, China, etc., can be used as references to choose the right path for ourselves.

Cũng cần lưu ý, khi chúng ta nỗ lực vươn lên để lọt top 100, cơ sở giáo dục đại học của các quốc gia khác cũng sẽ liên tục cải tiến để nâng cao xếp hạng. Tức trong cuộc đua này, chúng ta phải nỗ lực gấp đôi: vừa vượt lên chính mình, vừa tránh bị tụt hậu so với các đại học và quốc gia khác.

Để cơ sở giáo dục đại học tiến nhanh trên các bảng xếp hạng quốc tế, chắc chắn phải đầu tư nguồn lực lớn. Tuy nhiên, việc đầu tư cần dựa trên năng lực và thành tích đơn vị chứng minh được qua các con số cụ thể. Nhấn mạnh điều này, ông Bùi Khánh Nguyên cho rằng, không nên chỉ định sẵn đại học nào được đầu tư để lọt top 100, mà nên đưa tiêu chí rõ ràng để một số đại học lớn đăng ký tham gia. Khi nhận ngân sách hỗ trợ, các trường phải cam kết hoàn thành chỉ tiêu (KPI) cụ thể theo từng giai đoạn.

“Một nền kinh tế thuộc top 20 thế giới cũng đòi hỏi nguồn lao động và chất xám tương xứng cả về số lượng, chất lượng. Do vậy, đầu tư xây dựng các cơ sở giáo dục đại học hàng đầu trong nước, bên cạnh việc tăng số lượng du học sinh, là một hành động rất đáng hoan nghênh”, ông Bùi Khánh Nguyên nhấn mạnh thêm.

Ngoài ra, chuyên gia này cũng đề xuất thành lập “Quỹ giáo dục quốc gia” để mọi người dân, nhà hảo tâm có thể cùng đóng góp, góp phần hiện thực hóa các mục tiêu giáo dục. Hoặc xây dựng cơ chế để cơ sở giáo dục đại học có thể nhận các khoản tài trợ lớn, giúp phát triển các khoa, ngành quan trọng; cho phép các nhà hảo tâm tài trợ xây dựng giảng đường, phòng thí nghiệm, ký túc xá hiện đại… Những việc làm trên có thể giúp nâng cấp nhanh chóng cơ sở giáo dục đại học trong nước, tăng sức cạnh tranh trên toàn cầu.