University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City: Long-Term Upgrading to International Standards

04 Feb, 2026

[Tuoi Tre Newspaper] - The University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) is one of the three universities assigned by the Ministry of Education and Training to implement the project on developing several major universities in the Southeast region.

The university ranking governance process and tools at UEH - Photo: UEH

Behind this trust lies UEH’s long-term goal of university internationalization in line with global standards, together with modern university governance strategies and tools. Assoc. Prof. Bui Quang Hung - Interim President of UEH - spoke with us on this topic.

Assoc. Prof. Bui Quang Hung, what does it mean for the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) to be oriented toward achieving an advanced level in Asia?

Assoc. Prof. Bui Quang Hung: UEH is one of the three universities assigned by the Ministry of Education and Training to implement the project on developing several major universities in the Southeast region toward reaching the advanced level of leading universities in Asia.

This orientation is grounded in Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW (2013) on fundamental and comprehensive renovation of education and training, and further specified in the Vietnam Higher Education Development Strategy for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2045, issued together with Prime Minister’s Decision No. 89/QD-TTg (2023).

For UEH, this trust means a responsibility to lead and pioneer innovation in training models, research, university governance, and contributions to sustainable development, rather than aiming to promote its name, serve short-term admissions goals, or assert rankings to anyone.

How does UEH view the necessity of international university rankings in the current context and development strategy of Vietnam’s higher education system?

Assoc. Prof. Bui Quang Hung: In the context of Vietnam’s higher education shifting from broad expansion to quality enhancement and international standards, UEH views international university rankings consistently as a guiding and reference tool, not the ultimate destination.

First, rankings help shift university evaluation from qualitative judgments such as reputation, historical background, or training scale to data-based quantitative measures, thereby reflecting more clearly the actual capacity for teaching, research, and academic reputation

Second, rankings provide an important reference point for learners and society, while also serving as an initial foundation for international cooperation. In practice, when a university implements articulation programs and training partnerships with leading universities worldwide, its ranking position remains a starting criterion for establishing win-win relationships, requiring continuous improvement in both quality and academic standing

Third, rankings create momentum for reform and innovation in university governance in line with international standards, from teaching and scientific research to transparency and accountability; as a result, learners, the labor market, and society are the direct and long-term beneficiaries

UEH holds the highest position among Vietnamese universities in THE 2026 (Top 501+) and QS Asia 2026 (Top 301+). What strategic solutions has UEH implemented to achieve this result?

To manage rankings sustainably, the University implements a 7-step governance process:

Để quản trị xếp hạng một cách bền vững, trường triển khai quy trình quản trị với 7 bước:

(1) Identifying four priority rankings: QS, THE, QS Sustainability, and THE Impact Rankings;

(2) Benchmarking the criteria of these rankings against the national standards under Circular No. 01/2024 of the Ministry of Education and Training;

(3) Developing an Integrated Internationalization Criteria Set with 5 groups of standards and 26 specific criteria;

(4) Assessing the current status of the entire UEH;

(5) Setting targets for each criterion, linked to the OKRs system based on 5 strategic pillars: Training, Research, Governance, Operations, and Community;

(6) Applying technology in ranking data governance;

(7) Evaluating annual results to adjust targets and action strategies.

A key highlight is that the University’s overall development strategy is built on 5 pillars, which also form the internal structure nurturing ranking indicators.

Smart ranking management - Photo: UE

OKRs evaluation system - Photo: UE

UEH’s choice of rankings is not random or trend-driven, but closely tied to the University’s mission and development model.

Specifically:

QS and THE reflect quite comprehensively the core capabilities of an advanced university, focusing on four major pillars: teaching quality, scientific research, internationalization, and cooperation with enterprises and the labor market.
THE Impact Rankings and QS Sustainability measure a university’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligning with the “university acting for sustainability” orientation that UEH pursues.

In other words, the University does not participate in every ranking, but only chooses those that accurately reflect the core capacities UEH is investing in for the long term.

What led the University to choose a systematic ranking implementation strategy rather than a result-oriented approach to rankings?

Assoc. Prof. Bui Quang Hung: The essence of reputable rankings is to assess outcomes accumulated over the long term. A rapid “ranking jump,” if not accompanied by a solid academic foundation, will be very difficult to sustain and will not truly reflect actual capacity. As I shared earlier, maintaining a ranking is difficult, and improving it is even more difficult.

UEH chose a systematic ranking path because it believes that teaching quality and research quality cannot be formed overnight; academic reputation takes time to be recognized by the international community; and sustainable development must be based on internal strength, not ranking techniques. Actual ranking position is merely a number published each year.

In this approach, ranking is a long-term tool for upgrading to international standards, forming the foundation of the strategy for internationalization and quality standardization in higher education. If a ranking comes, it will come as a natural consequence.

Source: Tuoi Tre Newspaper