Vietnam to Reduce Public Universities by 20% Through Consolidation

The Communist Party of Vietnam's Politburo has instructed a reduction of at least 20% in the number of public higher education institutions, with the target completion date set for April 1, 2027. This directive specifically calls for the consolidation of universities located in the same geographical areas, excluding those specializing in unique fields. This measure is part of Plan 06, issued by the Politburo on July 28, aimed at implementing the conclusions from the third plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee regarding the continued refinement and efficient operation of the overall organizational model of the political system and the two-tier local government model. Specifically, the Politburo mandates the Government Party Committee to direct the restructuring and reorganization of public higher education institutions, with a focus on transferring multi-disciplinary and multi-field universities to the management of the Ministry of Education and Training or local authorities. The plan also involves merging or consolidating universities within the same locality, except for those in specialized sectors. The reorganization is designed to ensure a minimum 20% reduction in public higher education institutions. For vocational and continuing education institutions, the Government Party Committee is also directed to transfer public institutions under ministries and sectors to local management, with certain exceptions for specialized fields. The goal is to reduce the number of these institutions by at least 30% by October 1, 2027. According to the latest report from the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam currently has 291 higher education institutions, of which 228 are public (accounting for 78.35%). By managing authority, 200 institutions are under ministries and sectors. Politburo Resolution 71, issued in August 2025, urged ministries, sectors, and localities to promptly reorganize and restructure the higher education system, merge or dissolve underperforming universities, eliminate intermediate levels, and consider merging research institutes with universities and transferring some universities to local management. The Minister of Education and Training at the time indicated that approximately 140 public universities were subject to this reorganization.