The Implementation of Human Resource Policies Linked to the 17 SDGs in terms of Intellectual Contribution to Sustainable Development

27 Jan, 2025

In 2024, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) reaffirmed their many outstanding strengths in recruitment policies, emphasizing a diverse and equitable working environment free from discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for staff and employees to demonstrate their value and achieve personal growth.

UEH’s Recruitment policy for talented individuals and the gender equality welfare system

UEH promotes a culture of inclusion and values diversity through various supportive policies that encourage and recognize the contributions of all marginalized groups in society. The school implements recruitment, planning, and appointment policies based on individual achievements, regardless of gender, age, skin color, marital status, ethnic origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, culture, beliefs, or social status. To be illustrated as follows:

UEH complies with Law No. 73/2006/QH11 on Gender Equality of the Government, in which males and females are treated equally in the workplace regarding employment, wages, bonuses, social insurance, working conditions, and other working circumstances. The school is committed to being a workplace free from sexual harassment and discrimination in any form.
Article 7, Sections 3 and 6 of the Code of Conduct of UEH stipulates "Respect the principle of non-discrimination based on race, gender, class, belief, religion, and disability," "Do not harass others in any case."

In addition, UEH strictly adheres to all regulations of the State regarding prohibited acts in the labor sector as stipulated in Article 8 of Labor Code No. 45/2019/QH 14. Accordingly, officials and employees at UEH are ensured:

No discrimination in labor.
No mistreatment of workers or forced labor.
No sexual harassment in the workplace.
No exploitation or coercion of trainees in vocational training under the guise of teaching skills, nor luring, enticing, or forcing trainees into illegal activities.
No employment of individuals who have not received training or do not possess a national vocational skills certificate for sectors and jobs that require trained labor or a national vocational skills certificate.
No recruitment through coercion, false promises, misleading advertisements, or other deceptive means to defraud officials and employees, for the purposes of human trafficking, exploitation, forced labor, or misusing employment services, in activities sending workers abroad under contract to carry out illegal actions.
No employment of minors in violation of legal regulations.

UEH continuously implements various attractive policies to attract talent from both domestic and international sources - experts, scientists, lecturers, and others who have the ability to contribute to a multi-sector and sustainable UEH as well as to the comprehensive education system of Vietnam. The income that UEH offers to lecturers, officials, and employees are significantly higher than the regional minimum wage and are adjusted fairly in accordance with qualifications, work experience, positions, and more. There is no discrimination against gender or sexual orientation. At UEH, salaries are aggregated, monitored, and measured regularly to ensure that no injustice or irregularity occurs. UEH is committed to paying their lecturers, officials, and employees, at least, the regional minimum wage. In addition to income from salaries according to the state's wage scale, officials and employees receive additional income from UEH, ensuring that total income exceeds the regional minimum wage and the living standards in Ho Chi Minh City.

In 2024, UEH will continue to review their wage and benefit policies, in compliance with the state’s guidelines and policies while ensuring income benefits for officials and employees in accordance with the principles of fairness, openness, and transparency.

Implementing Feedback on the Draft Salary Policy

Legal foundation: i) Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW dated May 21, 2018, of the Central Committee on reforming salary policies for officials, public employees, armed forces, and workers in enterprises; ii) Plan No. 1083/KH-ĐHKT-QTNNL dated December 20, 2023, on reforming salary policies at the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City (UEH). On May 17, 2024, UEH launched Notification No. 1112/TB-ĐHKT-QTNNL to all officials and employees regarding the feedback on the draft new salary policy. This activity ensures democracy in the implementation of policies directly related to the income of officials and employees directly contracted with UEH; guarantees compliance with the regulations on the reform of salary policies of the State while ensuring the salaries of officials and employees are not lower than the current salary level.

- Motivating the development of the faculty team at UEH, increasing the ratio of graduate students and doctors, contributing to the improvement of Faculty quality in both quantity and quality at UEH;

- Creating conditions to enhance internationalization at UEH. Faculty members are encouraged and provided with suitable conditions to participate in training at prestigious higher education institutions abroad, contributing to increased international connectivity as well as strengthening the internationalization of the faculty quality;

- Fostering a competitive learning environment at UEH. Since the implementation of Project 89, Faculty members actively participate in training classes, focusing on research to meet the requirements of training institutions, creating a competitive environment for learning and research among the faculty;

- Establishing a quality faculty source to serve training and research. Although the selection of faculty candidates for admission remains limited in quantity, efforts to seek, discover, and nurture potential candidates are always a priority, ensuring a quality source of faculty to participate in Project 89 while supplementing the number of Faculty teaching at UEH.

Honoring outstanding individuals and collectives of the year

In addition, UEH implements various support policies regarding accommodation to ensure that staff and workers can focus on their work. Specifically, UEH Hotel is a "knowledge hotel" equipped with numerous facilities to support experts, scientists, and lecturers during their business trips. To facilitate the work of scientists, researchers, lecturers, and students, UEH Hotel has launched diverse preferential policies for these groups: (i) Covering 100% of accommodation costs for staff, lecturers, and working groups from UEH Branches when on duty in Ho Chi Minh City; (ii) Supporting 20% of accommodation costs for staff, civil servants, workers, and students at UEH when staying for study and scientific research. UEH Branch in Vinh Long Province also has accommodation support policies for their staff and workers by providing dormitories for lecturers and staff working at the branch. Here, adequate facilities are provided for lecturers and staff to work, to rest, to study, and to conduct researches. Furthermore, the dormitory is in close proximity to teaching and working facilities of the branch, which helps lecturers and staff save on transportation costs while minimizing personal vehicle usage, contributing to an environmental protection message. For lecturers and staff who need to stay at other locations outside the dormitory, UEH Vinh Long Branch supports accommodation costs of 1,500,000 VND per month for each lecturer and staff member to encourage and to assure them in their work.

Empowering Females Towards Contributing Intellectually to Sustainable Development

As one of the leading Universities in Vietnam and gradually asserting a strong reputation on global rankings, the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) has long cultivated a positive mindset regarding gender equality and implemented many important strategies to enhance female empowerment. Since 2023, the Female's Advancement Committee has consistently carried out their mission to advise the UEH leadership on specific solutions to enhance training, development, and the role of female staff and employees at UEH. Recognizing that sustainable development within the institution and society must first promote equality, especially gender equality, UEH particularly emphasizes the role of each female staff member, who significantly contributes to the development of the institution.

UEH officials and employees actively participate in connection and integration activities at UEH

In accordance with the survey results regarding the progress of females and gender equality according to the objectives outlined in Decision No. 383/QD-BGDĐT, data from 2024 shows that UEH has exceeded targets in various criteria, including:

(i) The percentage of female officials and employees in leadership and managerial positions in training and capacity-building units continues to increase and is higher by nearly 20% (compared to the target set by the Ministry of Education and Training, which is 75%). UEH ensures and encourages the full and effective female participation and equal opportunities in leadership roles.

(ii) The target for the percentage of female Master's degree holders among all staff with Master's degrees has reached 52.6% (compared to the target set by the Ministry of Education and Training, which is 50%).

(iii) The percentage of female Ph.D. holders among all Ph.D. researchers working at UEH has increased from 38.3% to 38.5%. Additionally, UEH encourages and supports female lecturers and researchers to lead scientific and technological tasks managed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Continuing the restructuring plan of the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, in 2024 UEH has implemented the reorganization of their departmental units, transforming those at the Department level into administrative units according to the model of a university as stipulated in the amended Higher Education Law of 2018. Specifically, 17 functional administrative Units at the Department level have been restructured into 10 Units at the management level and 2 units remain at the department level within the university. Among the 31 interim department heads appointed, 11 are female management officials, achieving a rate of 35.48%. UEH consistently creates more conditions and opportunities for female officials and employees to demonstrate and to enhance their capabilities. Concurrently, UEH university places an emphasis on training and developing female staff to improve their qualifications, skills, and competencies according to job requirements. Gender equality at UEH is reflected in not only research, training, and academic activities but also cultural, sports, and artistic activities.

UEH officials participate in the thematic report "Nutrition - Enhancing health, improving the quality of life"

Regarding reproductive health, in addition to the prescribed support care for females, staff and female workers at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) receive 100% of their salary and additional income during the maternity leave period as regulated. Furthermore, females are entitled to take an hour off per day during the first 12 months of child-rearing.

For the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), gender equality is not only applied in research, teaching, and working activities. Gender equality is understood in the context of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). In the fields of culture, sports, and the arts, gender equality breaks down barriers, eliminates prejudices, and honors the female capabilities, recognizing their contributions across all areas of activity at UEH.

New, photos: Department of Human Resource and Organization Development