DECISION

ON THE GUIDELINE AND MAJOR ORIENTATIONS FOR BUILDING AN INTERNATIONAL-LEVEL UNIVERSITY IN VIETNAM

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;
Pursuant to the Government's Resolution No. 14/2005/NQ-CP of November 2, 2005, on fundamental and comprehensive renewal of Vietnam's higher education in the 2006-2020 period;
Having considered the Report of the head of the Working Group for elaboration of the scheme on establishing an international-level university in Vietnam (the Working Group),

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To build in Vietnam an international-level university of high national training and research standard and international competitiveness, serving as a new university model, a motive force and an experience for promoting renewal of the national higher education system.

Article 2.- Criteria of the international-level university in Vietnam

1. Being a higher education institution to provide university degree, master degree and doctorate degree training and conduct scientific and technological research of top quality in Vietnam, reaching the advanced level in the region and the world.

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3. Serving as a pilot model of new university where modern ideas, methodologies and modes in education and research activities as well as in organization, management and personnel work shall be applied on the principle of competition for development based on the society's assessment and the not-for-profit principle. The university shall have high autonomy and responsibility in its management, training, scientific research, personnel organization and finance.

4. The university shall have close links with and exploit the combined strength in material foundations and leading scientific, technical and managing personnel of other higher education institutions, research institutes, key laboratories and enterprises nationwide. The university shall be an attractive place for overseas Vietnamese as well as foreign professors and researchers to work.

5. The university shall cooperate in training and research with leading higher education institutions around the world, have educational programs transferable with those of international-level universities; participate, together with international-level universities, in the system of academic assessment and recognition of equivalent diplomas and degrees.

Article 3.- Mode of building the university

1. The Government shall ensure initial, concentrated and definite investment in building the university. The state budget shall provide a major part of the university's regular expenditures, especially in the first 10 years of operation. The university may apply a particular financial mechanism on a pilot basis.

2. The mode of building the university shall be selected from two options: establishing a totally new university or establishing the university based on one or several existing universities on the basis of full analysis of advantages and disadvantages of each option, reference to the experience of countries in the region and the world as well as Vietnam's specific conditions; an optimal plan shall be selected in order to realize soon the criteria specified in Article 2 of this Decision.

Article 4.- Organization of implementation and assignment of responsibilities

1. The Working Group shall elaborate a feasible scheme and submit it to the Prime Minister for approval in the first quarter of 2007. In the process of elaboration, it should consult domestic and foreign experts; survey, analyze and design the university's model which is advanced and suitable to the country's conditions and requirements.

2. The Prime Minister shall approve the feasible scheme; decide on the organization and operation of the university; set up a project management unit for building the university, composed of the country's prestigious scientists and managers (including overseas Vietnamese) and foreign scientists experienced in building and managing international-level universities.

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4. The Government's Steering Board for Higher Education Renewal shall assist the Prime Minister in directing the building of the international-level university from the elaboration to the completion of the scheme.

5. The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Investment shall project budget expenditures for the elaboration of the scheme and the building of the university as well as its regular expenditures in the first 10 years and subsequent years; and mobilize domestic and foreign capital sources for investment in the building of the university.

6. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Construction shall prepare a site where the university will be built; work out a master plan and detailed design; and organize the construction of the university.

7. The Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Science and Technology shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Vietnam National Institute for Science and Technology and Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences in, formulating and implementing a scheme on mobilizing key national research institutes and laboratories to participate in the building of the university.

Article 5.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in "CONG BAO."

Article 6.- Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, presidents of provincial/municipal People's Committees, the Government's Steering Board for Higher Education Renewal, and the Working Group shall have to implement this Decision.

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