Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyễn Văn Phúc visits a booth at a forum on investment in education held by the ministry in HCM City on October 16. — Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Education and Training

HCM CITY — The international integration of Việt Nam’s education and training has helped improve its quality as well as ranking on the global map, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyễn Văn Phúc told a forum held on October 16 in HCM City.

The country has three out of the top 1,000 higher education institutions in the world and eight in the top 500 in Asia, he said.

Its high school education quality is ranked highly by the Programme for International Student Assessment, which measures 15-year-olds’ reading, mathematics and science literacy every three years, he said.

But investment in education remains small including foreign investment, he said.

The ministry organised the forum on Investment and Co-operation in Education to assess experiences from other countries and give local investors in education the opportunity to spell out their problems and what they need from the Government.

Phúc assured the Government is committed to encouraging and creating favourable conditions for investors in the education sector.

More and more local- and foreign-invested private educational establishments would be set up in the country, he added.

“Educational internationalisation is the global trend. Việt Nam always seeks to strengthen international co-operation in education. Việt Nam has relationships in education with more than 100 countries and territories. Moreover, Việt Nam is a member of many international education organisations.”

As of last December the country had 525 foreign-invested educational projects, 321 more than five years earlier.

They included five higher education institutions and nearly 100 kindergartens and high schools, and more than 450 international training programmes are taught at 70 universities.

The country has nearly 3,000 private schools, many of which have training programmes that integrate Việt Nam’s and other countries’.

Assoc Prof Dr Thái Bá Cần, deputy general director of Nguyễn Hoàng Group, said his company wanted to work with domestic and foreign investors who are keen to invest in education.

Authorities should create favourable conditions such as providing land and infrastructure for schools, he said.

They should provide professional and legal assistance for bringing in new educational models and world-class educational products, he added.

Dr Nguyễn Cao Trí, chairman of Văn Lang University, said the Government should provide all possible conditions for universities to adopt technologies.

They should be allowed flexibility with their training time frames, he said.

Văn Lang is increasing its use of technology in training and calling for investment in the Center for Innovation, he said.

At the forum, 10 agreements on investment and co-operation in education were signed between local and foreign investors.

A portal to provide information, including about how to study in Việt Nam, was launched for the benefit of foreign students. — VNS