Students stuck while studying for a second degree at Dong Do University

According to students' feedback, in mid-2017, Hai Phong Continuing Education Center announced enrollment for the regular 2nd degree class in Economic Law opened by Dong Do University in Hai Phong. The school did not organize an exam but reviewed the records and transcripts of the 1st degree. By October 2017, the 2nd degree class opened, including 51 students, who were working people, some of whom were civil servants.

Students study for two years, on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays, at the Hai Phong Continuing Education Center, 33 Nguyen Duc Canh, Le Chan District, Hai Phong City. Lecturers are sent from Hanoi by Dong Do University. By early July 2019, students will have completed their graduation exams.

When hearing the news that the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency initiated a case related to the training of second degrees, students in Hai Phong were confused. "We study for real, take real exams, and the tuition fee for each semester is nearly 7 million VND. Now the Ministry of Education and Training says Dong Do University illegally trains second degrees, we are worried, not knowing whether we will receive a diploma or not," said a student working at an administrative agency in Hai Phong.

Some students representing the Economic Law class went to Hanoi to ask the leaders of Dong Do University to answer questions about whether the school was licensed by the Ministry of Education and Training to provide regular training for the second degree of the Faculty of Economic Law in other localities, but received no response.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thien, Director of Hai Phong Continuing Education Center, said that during the study period, everything went on normally, until the end of July when he received feedback related to the diploma and legality of the second diploma class. The Center sent many official dispatches requesting Dong Do University to respond, but has not received any response.

"Training and granting diplomas are the responsibility of Dong Do University. The center only signs a room rental contract. The center's staff in charge of recruiting students, collecting tuition fees... are also hired by Dong Do University," said Mr. Thien.

On August 25, representatives of Dong Do University and Hai Phong Continuing Education Center had a dialogue with students of the 2nd degree class in Economic Law. Ms. Nguyen Hai Yen, Deputy Head of Training Department, Dong Do University, only received students' opinions but did not respond. Ms. Yen said that the school had sent a document to the Ministry of Education and Training requesting permission to open a 2nd degree, but "is still waiting".

Meanwhile, responding to the press on August 17, the Ministry of Education and Training affirmed that there has been no document allowing Dong Do University to train for a second degree. According to regulations, training institutions must have a written request to the Ministry for permission to train for a second degree, but the Ministry has not received any request from Dong Do University.

From 2016 to 2018, Dong Do University reported information on regular university and college enrollment according to the regulations of the Enrollment Regulations, but did not provide information on second degree training. "Because the school did not submit an application for permission to train this type of degree, the Ministry did not require the school to report," the Ministry of Education and Training's response to the press stated.

Dong Do is a private university, headquartered at km25, National Highway 6, Phu Nghia Commune, Chuong My, Hanoi. The Board of Directors for the 2017-2022 term consists of 6 members, of which Mr. Tran Khac Hung is the Chairman and Mr. Duong Van Hoa is a member. The Board of Directors includes Principal Duong Van Hoa and three Vice Principals.

In early August, after investigating violations at Dong Do University, the Ministry of Public Security's Security Investigation Agency prosecuted Mr. Tran Khac Hung, Duong Van Hoa, Tran Ngoc Quang (Deputy Head of the Department of Training and Student Management) and two Dong Do University officials, Pham Van Thuy and Le Thi Luong, for the crime.Forgery at workAccording to Article 359 of the 2015 Penal Code. On August 20, 2019, the Investigation Agency signed a decision to search for Mr. Tran Khac Hung.

According to the investigation, from late 2018 to early 2019, Dong Do University granted 600-700 "express" second degrees in 2-3 weeks or 2-3 months with fees ranging from 28 to 35 million VND per degree.