Universities that do not meet standards are being merged into branches or dissolved.
Universities that do not meet the standards are expected to be merged to become a training unit or branch of a reputable university, or have their training activities suspended before 2028 and be dissolved before 2030.
According to the draft plan for the network of higher education and teacher training institutions for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry will reorganize universities in a way that maintains stability in both quantity and structure, focusing on strengthening capacity, improving quality, and expanding the scale of the institutions. The country will have approximately 250 universities and colleges; 50 branches belonging to 200 key institutions oriented according to regions.
The country has 30 key national universities, including 5 National Universities and 5 regional universities. There are 18-20 key national universities, with 1 to 2 universities in each field or sector. The Ministry of Education and Training has currently outlined 18 key national universities in key sectors for the period up to 2030, including:
| NATIONAL KEY SCHOOL FOR SPECIALIZED FIELDS | FIELD |
| Hanoi University of Education | Education and Pedagogy |
| Ho Chi Minh City University of Education | Education and Pedagogy |
| Hanoi Medical University | Medicine and Pharmacy |
| Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy | Medicine and Pharmacy |
| Hanoi Law University | Law |
| Ho Chi Minh City University of Law | Law |
| National Economics University | Economics and Finance |
| University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City | Economics and Finance |
| Vietnam Maritime University | Transportation - Maritime Economy |
| University of Transport and Communications | Transportation |
| Hanoi University of Civil Engineering | Construction - Architecture |
| Vietnam Academy of Agriculture | Agriculture |
| Academy of Journalism and Communication | Press - Media |
| Posts and Telecommunications Institute | Information - Communication |
| National Academy of Public Administration | Public administration |
| Academy of Finance | Finance |
| Vietnam National Academy of Music | Art |
| Hanoi University of Theatre and Film | Art |
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, there will also be approximately 100 other leading universities under the direct management of ministries, central and local agencies. At least 70 private universities will be included, comprising both non-profit and foreign-invested institutions.
From now until 2030, universities that do not meet standards will be consolidated and restructured according to the following options: Restructuring and focusing investment to meet standards within a 3 to 5-year timeframe; merging to become a training unit or a branch of a reputable university; suspending training activities before 2028 and dissolving before 2030.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, basically no new public universities will be established, except in necessary cases in some regions with low access to universities, specifically Northwest Vietnam (1), Northeast Vietnam (1), Central Highlands (1), and Mekong Delta (1). Some training and refresher schools under central agencies that have been allowed to train university-level students or have had their establishment plans approved by competent authorities will be reorganized until the effective date of this Plan.
For branch campuses of universities in the period up to 2030, the training activities of branch campuses and training facilities that do not meet standards or have not completed the establishment of their legal status before 2028 will be suspended; substandard branch campuses will be merged or dissolved before 2030.
The Ministry will allow the establishment of branch campuses in cases such as establishment from existing training facilities or transfer of a branch campus from another existing university, or on the basis of merging teacher training colleges.
According to the draft, the Ministry of Education and Training will expand the development space of universities in neighboring localities or in localities that do not yet offer training in fields and disciplines suitable to the development orientation of the locality and the region; and establish branches of reputable private and foreign universities in localities and regions without restrictions on development.
