Attracting foreign experts and lecturers to work at Vietnamese educational institutions

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, in recent years, the number of foreign experts, lecturers and scientists coming to work at educational institutions in Vietnam has been increasing, contributing significantly to improving the quality of training, promoting scientific research, knowledge and technology transfer.

However, the current system of legal documents only provides general regulations on foreign labor management in Vietnam, without specific and unified regulations for the fields of education, scientific research and academic exchange. This leads to a lack of uniformity in application, causing difficulties for educational institutions, and has not yet created a favorable mechanism to attract and effectively use international experts.

Promoting international integration in education and training

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the issuance of a Decree regulating foreigners entering to work as managers, teachers, scientific researchers and academic exchangers at educational institutions in Vietnam is extremely necessary to concretize the Party and State's policies and guidelines on developing high-quality human resources, contributing to promoting the process of international integration in education and training, science and technology.

Help attract foreigners, foreign experts and lecturers to work in Vietnam; promote investment and socialization of education. Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management of foreigners entering to work as managers, teachers, scientific researchers and academic exchangers at educational institutions.

At the same time, build a complete, synchronous and transparent legal corridor to effectively manage and use the team of foreign experts, lecturers and scientists working at educational institutions in Vietnam, while creating a basis for agencies and organizations to implement smoothly and consistently, avoiding overlap with other legal regulations.

Overcome limitations and promote advantages; resolve difficult problems arising in practice, create favorable conditions for Vietnamese educational institutions to attract highly qualified international intellectuals, educational managers, lecturers and scientists, contributing to improving the quality of training, scientific research, knowledge and technology transfer to meet the requirements of industrialization and modernization of the country.

Ensure that the invitation, reception and management of foreigners in the field of education are carried out in accordance with the law, in accordance with the requirements of protecting national security, social order and safety while preserving and promoting national cultural identity.

Requirements on professional qualifications for foreigners working in management positions at educational institutions

The draft proposes requirements on professional qualifications for foreigners working in management positions at educational institutions:

1. For foreigners working in management positions at preschools, general education institutions, and continuing education institutions

a) Have a bachelor's degree in management, educational administration, or related to management, educational administration, and at least 02 years of experience in managing preschools, general education institutions, and continuing education institutions;

b) No experience is required for those with a doctorate degree or the title of professor, associate professor, or academician;

c) Have foreign language skills for communication and management at educational institutions, with priority given to proficiency in English.

2. For foreigners working as managers at vocational education institutions

a) Have a master's degree appropriate to the field of management, corresponding to the position held, or have a doctorate degree or the title of professor, associate professor, or academician;

b) Have at least 02 years of experience in managing educational institutions and organizations that provide vocational education training, or have experience in educational management for those with a doctorate degree in educational management or related fields;

c) Have foreign language skills for communication and management at educational institutions, with priority given to proficiency in English.

3. For foreigners working as managers at higher education institutions

a) Have a master's degree or higher appropriate to the field of management, corresponding to the position held, or have a doctorate degree or the title of professor, associate professor, or academician;

b) Have at least 02 years of experience in managing higher education institutions or have experience in educational management for those with a doctorate in educational management or related fields.

c) Have foreign language skills for communication and management at educational institutions, with priority given to proficiency in English.

Requirements on professional qualifications for foreigners teaching, conducting scientific research, and conducting academic exchanges at educational institutions

In addition, the draft clearly states the requirements on professional qualifications for foreigners teaching, conducting scientific research, and conducting academic exchanges at educational institutions:

1. For foreigners teaching and educating at preschools

a) Have a college degree or higher in preschool education or a diploma equivalent to a college degree or higher in a field related to the subject taught if teaching a specific subject in a preschool; have at least 02 years of experience teaching and educating in preschools, general education institutions, and continuing education institutions;

b) No experience is required for those with a PhD or the title of professor, associate professor, or academician;

c) Be proficient in the language of teaching and education in the curriculum.

2. For foreigners teaching and educating in general education institutions and continuing education institutions

a) Have a bachelor's degree or higher in a field of training appropriate to the subject of teaching and education; have at least 02 years of experience teaching and educating in general education institutions and continuing education institutions;

b) No experience is required for those with a PhD or the title of professor, associate professor, or academician;

c) Be proficient in the language of teaching and education in the curriculum.

3. For foreigners teaching and educating at vocational education institutions

a) Have a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher, majoring in a field appropriate to the assigned teaching field for foreigners teaching theory; have an engineering degree or bachelor's degree in engineering, bachelor's degree in science and technology or equivalent or higher, majoring in a field appropriate to the assigned teaching field or have a bachelor's degree or equivalent or higher, majoring in a field appropriate to the assigned teaching field and have at least 5 years of direct practice in production, business, services or practical teaching for foreigners teaching practical and integrated teaching;

b) Have a pedagogical certificate for teachers teaching elementary, intermediate and college levels according to the provisions of the Law on Vocational Education or have at least 02 years of teaching experience at vocational education institutions or prestigious universities or research institutes abroad or people with a doctorate degree or the title of professor, associate professor or academician;

c) Proficiency in the language of teaching and education in the curriculum;

d) In special cases, consideration may be given to individuals who do not fully meet the conditions specified in points a, b, c, clause 3 above but have special professional capacity, have patents or scientific awards, have proven practical contributions, are nominated by prestigious international educational organizations or in government-level cooperation programs, and are confirmed by competent authorities.

4. For foreigners teaching, conducting scientific research, and conducting academic exchanges at higher education institutions

a) Have a master's degree in a major relevant to the assigned teaching, research or academic exchange field and have at least 03 years of teaching and research experience at prestigious universities or research institutes abroad; or have a TESOL teaching certificate for foreigners without a master's degree teaching a foreign language program as their mother tongue;

b) Have a doctorate or have research published in a prestigious international journal or in the WoS/Scopus list approved for teaching and research and do not require 03 years of teaching and research experience;

c) Be proficient in the language of teaching and education in the curriculum;

d) Have scientific research published in peer-reviewed international scientific journals, have published books or book chapters or have participated in research topics, projects and programs with practical professional value;

d) In special cases, approval may be considered for individuals who do not fully meet the conditions specified in Points a, b, c, and d, Clause 4 above, but have special professional capacity, have patents or scientific awards, have proven practical contributions nominated by prestigious international educational organizations or in government-level cooperation programs, and have been confirmed by competent authorities.

The Ministry of Education and Training is soliciting comments on this draft on the Ministry's Information Portal.

Source: Government newspaper