Seminar to Gather Feedback on the Draft Decree Regulating Foreign Cooperation and Investment in Education

27 May, 2026

On the morning of May 25, 2026, in Hall A.103, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), in coordination with the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Education and Training, organized a seminar to gather feedback on the drafting of a Decree regulating foreign cooperation and investment in the field of education. The program attracted over 200 delegates, including experts, managers, and lecturers from early childhood, general, and higher education institutions, short-term training schools, and international educational organizations in Ho Chi Minh City.

Attending the seminar were: Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department (ICD); Mr. Dang Van Huan - Deputy Director of the Department of Higher Education; Representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training (DOET); Ms. Quach Thi Ngoc Minh - Deputy Head of the Investment Cooperation Division, International Cooperation Department, along with specialists from the ICD.

On behalf of UEH, attendees included: Dr. Dinh Cong Khai - Vice President of UEH; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Khanh Nam - Head of the Department of Research - Development and Global Engagement (RDGE); and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Duong Phuong Thao - Deputy Head of RDGE.

Overview of the seminar with the participation of over 200 delegates from universities and educational institutions in Ho Chi Minh City

In his opening speech, Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department emphasized that gathering feedback from educational institutions and related organizations is a crucial basis for finalizing the Decree. According to him, international joint training activities need to continue removing legal, technical, and administrative procedure bottlenecks; at the same time, they should promote cooperation with quality foreign partners, in conjunction with decentralization, autonomy, and improving training quality.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung - Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department delivered the opening speech at the seminar

Speaking at the program, Dr. Dinh Cong Khai - Vice President of UEH affirmed that international cooperation and attracting foreign investment are important drivers for improving the quality of Vietnamese education. With its internationalization orientation, UEH is ready to accompany the Ministry of Education and Training in connecting educational institutions, promoting practical dialogue, and contributing to policy completion.

Dr. Dinh Cong Khai - Vice President of UEH delivered an opening address

At the seminar, a representative of the International Cooperation Department presented an overview of the Draft Decree, clarifying the orientation for innovation and key contents requiring feedback. A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training also shared the current situation of foreign cooperation and investment in the education sector at the local level, providing a practical perspective from one of the nation's most dynamic educational hubs.

Ms. Quach Thi Ngoc Minh - Deputy Head of the Investment Cooperation Division, International Cooperation Department, shares an overview of the Draft

The reports at the seminar emphasized the orientation for building a new Decree in the spirit of promoting decentralization, delegating authority, streamlining administrative procedures, and shifting from "pre-audit" to "post-audit" based on a digital platform linked to the HEMIS national database system. This approach is expected to increase the proactiveness of educational institutions, while enhancing accountability, ensuring training quality, and protecting learners' rights.

Report on the international cooperation situation presented by the Ho Chi Minh City DOET

During the discussion session, delegates focused on exchanging various practical issues regarding foreign cooperation and investment across different educational levels and types of institutions.

For higher education and vocational education, opinions expressed interest in expanding autonomy in approving joint training programs, except for certain specific disciplines. They also discussed new cooperation models such as research centers, science and technology enterprises linked with foreign partners within universities, "shared campus" models, and more flexible mechanisms for selecting partners based on specialized disciplinary rankings.

For general and early childhood education, delegates focused on providing feedback regarding mechanisms for implementing integrated curricula, international programs, recognition of equivalent diplomas, and a guiding framework for compulsory subjects under the 2018 General Education Program, aiming to meet diverse learning needs in the context of integration.

Delegates participating in contributing opinions during the Discussion session

The seminar created a space for frank and responsible dialogue between management agencies and educational institutions, contributing additional practical basis for finalizing the legal framework on foreign cooperation and investment in education. Through organizing this program, UEH continues to demonstrate its role in connecting policy, academia, and educational governance practice, accompanying the education sector in the process of internationalization, governance innovation, and improving training quality.