Decision No. 1363/QD-TTg dated October 11, 2019 approving modification of the scheme for development of high-quality colleges by 2025

DECISION

APPROVING MODIFICATION OF THE SCHEME FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH-QUALITY COLLEGES BY 2025

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Law on Vocational Education dated November 27, 2014;

Pursuant to the Government’s Resolution No. 08/NQ-CP dated January 24, 2018 on the Government’s action plan for implementation of the Resolution No. 19-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 by the 6th Conference of the 12th Central Steering Committee on renovation of the system for organization, management and improvement of public service providers;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 899/QD-TTg dated June 20, 2017 approving the 2016 - 2020 Target Program for Vocational Education, Employment and Occupational Safety;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 761/QD-TTg dated May 23, 2014 approving “The high-quality vocational school development project by 2020”;

At the request of the Minister of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affair,

HEREBY DECIDES:

Article 1. The modification of the scheme for development of high-quality colleges by 2025 (hereinafter referred to as “the Scheme”), with the following main contents, is approved;

I. ORIENTATION

1. To develop high-quality colleges (excluding pedagogical colleges) that provide training for the workforce of the manufacture, trade and service sectors, ensuring that these workers are equipped with knowledge and skills, possess professional responsibilities, innovative spirit and are capable of adapting to the workplace in the era of international integration.

2. To develop high-quality colleges by inheriting and selectively incorporating vocational training experience of the world; ensuring systematic and long-term quality with appropriate road maps and steps and synchronized and feasible solutions.

3. To develop high-quality colleges in the “open” direction. The State shall provide specific mechanisms, policies, and investment support for the selected colleges to assist them with meeting the criteria of high-quality colleges; and facilitate privatization to enable other colleges to undergo assessment and be recognized as high-quality colleges.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

By 2020, there will have been approximately 40 high-quality colleges and, by 2025, the number will have risen to 70. These colleges are capable of providing training in a number of vocational disciplines recognized by advanced countries in ASEAN or the international community, meeting the need for a high-quality workforce for integration and socio-economic development of the country, contributing to the fundamental and comprehensive reform of vocational education in Vietnam.

2. Specific objectives

a) By 2020

Pilot training in 34 vocational disciplines according to training programs transferred from abroad under the schemes approved by the Prime Minister will have been carried out. Support for centralized and synchronized investment shall be prioritized for the selected colleges with good training capacity so that, by 2020, about 40 colleges will have been assessed and recognized as high-quality colleges.

b) 2021 - 2025 period

Vocational disciplines that have undergone pilot implementation, produced graduating classes and had their diplomas and certificates accredited by reputable international education and training organizations are gradually introduced on a wider scale. By 2025, approximately 70 colleges will have been assessed and recognized as high-quality colleges, among which 03 colleges will have reached the standards of the developed countries of the G20 and 40 colleges will have reached that of the ASEAN-4.  

III. TASKS AND SOLUTIONS

1. Formulating and promulgating the criteria of high-quality colleges in terms of training scale; teacher qualifications; connection with enterprises during training and post-training employment; college management and graduate outcomes. A college shall be recognized as a high-quality college when it satisfies all standards for accreditation of vocational education institutions and criteria of high-quality colleges.

2. Selecting a number of colleges that possess good training capacity and meet all criteria of high-quality colleges to prepare the plans and roadmaps for investment support, training capacity improvement, and high-quality college assessment and recognition according to the objectives of the Scheme.

3. Strengthening quality assurance conditions, and renovating management and teaching operations according to the standards of advanced countries around the world for the selected colleges, namely:

a) Regarding the vocational disciplines whose training follows programs transferred from abroad: Deploying the “Curriculum transfer; training for teachers and managers of vocational education; pilot training in vocational disciplines that meet ASEAN and international standards” scheme approved by the Prime Minister; supporting synchronized investment in training facilities, equipment, teachers and managers to meet the requirements of the transferred training programs;

b) Regarding other vocational disciplines: Developing and promulgating training programs on the basis of minimum knowledge requirements and graduating outcomes of each vocational discipline; providing training and refresher courses to teachers and managers of vocational education; supporting synchronized investment in training facilities, equipment, software and school supplies as required by the training programs;

c) Providing training in foreign languages and computer science to teachers, managers and students of key vocational disciplines to improve their management, teaching, learning and researching capabilities and qualifications according to the criteria of high-quality colleges;

d) Focusing on consolidating professional ethics and awareness of compliance with legal regulations and labor discipline, and enhancing proactivity and innovative spirit of teachers, managers and students of high-quality colleges.

4. Developing and  applying a quality assurance system to the selected colleges; digitalizing training management, quality management, official and teacher management operations; incorporating simulation into training programs, beginning with those of key vocational disciplines.  

5. Regarding mechanisms and policies for high-quality college development

a) Formulating mechanisms and policies for facilitating privatization, encouraging colleges (public and private) to strengthen quality assurance conditions and improve training capacity in accordance with the criteria of the high-quality colleges, including:

- Credit incentives for investment in training facilities and equipment as prescribed by law;

- Tax incentives for manufacturing, business and service operations connected to training activities as prescribed by law;

- Support for training for vocational education managers and teachers; and deployment of training programs and materials for key vocational disciplines;

- Pilot placement of orders for and assignment of tasks of training in key vocational disciplines with funds from the state budget.

b) Prioritizing and encouraging enterprises to directly cooperate with colleges in organizing training in some key vocational disciplines in connection with the manufacturing or business operations of such enterprises.

c) The colleges recognized as high-quality colleges shall be prioritized by the State in receiving assignment of tasks of or placement of orders for vocational education service provision with funds from the state budget.

6. Proactively and urgently deploying international integration for vocational education according to programs and schemes approved by the Prime Minister and competent authorities.

7. The assessment and recognition of qualifications of graduates of vocational disciplines whose training follows transferred programs must be carried out by internationally prestigious education and training organizations that are qualified for diploma assessment and recognition. The assessment and recognition of foreign language and computer science qualifications of teachers and students shall be carried out by licensed education and training organizations.

IV. FUNDING

1. Funding for the Scheme includes:

a) Funding from the central government budget via the Vocational education – Employment and Occupational Safety Target Program approved in the Government’s Resolution No. 73/NQ-CP dated August 26, 2016 and the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 899/QD-TTg dated May 23, 2014 for the 2016 - 2020 period.

Targeted funding from the amount of the central government budget that is annually distributed to key programs and projects for the 2021 - 2025 period;

b) Current expenses, investment capital for fundamental construction, and service revenues of colleges;

c) Funding mobilized from or provided by domestic and overseas programs, schemes and projects approved by competent authorities; sponsorship of domestic and foreign organizations and individuals and other legal funding sources.

2. The funding shall be used for:

a) Development of information, digitalization and simulation systems for management activities and training programs of key vocational disciplines;

b) Development of training program and materials;

c) Provision of training and refresher courses to teachers and managers of vocational education;

d) Support for investment in training facilities, equipment, software and school supplies;

dd) Training in key vocational disciplines according to order placement and task assignment from the State.

e) Development of assessment and recognition activities.

V. IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

Take charge and cooperate with other ministries, regulatory bodies and People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities in directing and organizing the implementation of the Scheme. To be specific:

a) Stipulating the criteria and procedures for assessment and recognition of high-quality colleges. Providing guidelines to units on implementation of such criteria and procedures and on recognition of high-quality colleges as prescribed by law;

b) Approving list of colleges with good training capacity that are close to meeting the criteria of high-quality colleges in a transparent and fair manner to provide plans and roadmaps for investment support, training capacity improvement, and high-quality college assessment and recognition according to the objectives of the Scheme. During the implementation of the Scheme, the list may be modified based on actual circumstances to ensure fulfillment of the objectives;

c) Providing guidelines to colleges on formulation of plans and roadmaps for investment support and training capacity improvement in a manner that suits the ability to balance the state budget from time to time;

d) Providing guidelines to other ministries, regulatory bodies and local governments on preparing plans and cost estimates, compiling requests for funding for high-quality college development, and sending such plans, cost estimates and requests to the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning and Investment for incorporation into the 5-year and annual budget plans and estimates.

dd) Inspecting, supervising and reporting the implementation of the Scheme; submitting preliminary and summary reports on such implementation to the Prime Minister.

2. The Ministry of Finance shall:

a) Take charge and cooperate with the Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs and relevant ministries, regulatory bodies and local governments in allocating service funding according to the currently permitted amount and the ability to balance the state budget from time to time;

b) Take charge and cooperate with the Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs in providing guidance on mechanisms and policies for high-quality college development; and inspecting and supervising their implementation.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall:

Take charge and cooperate with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs and relevant ministries, regulatory bodies and local governments in allocating capital for investment in development, capital for target programs, national target programs, capital from government bonds (if any), ODA loans and funding for key national programs, schemes and projects so as to implement the Scheme with the currently permitted amount, which is appropriate to the socio-economic development strategies, workforce development strategies and the ability to balance the state budget from time to time;

4. The ministries, central bodies of socio-political organizations, People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities being supervisory authorities of the colleges selected to participate in the Scheme shall:

a) Direct and provide guidance to the colleges on formulating high-quality investment projects with detailed plans and roadmaps for investment support and training capacity improvement that aim towards satisfying the criteria of high-quality college assessment and recognition;

b) Approve investment projects for high-quality colleges as prescribed by law (after consulting the Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs on specialized criteria and objectives) and sending to the Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs for compilation, supervision and preparation of annual plans and cost estimates;

c) Mobilize financial resources from domestic and foreign programs and projects, service revenues of colleges and other legal funding sources to invest in a synchronized manner in the selected colleges together with the supporting funding from the central government budget, with an aim to satisfying the criteria of high-quality colleges; ensuring sufficient capital for implementing the approved projects;

d) Annually evaluate the performance of the assigned tasks, and report to the Ministry of Labor - War Invalids and Social Affairs for summarizing and reporting to the Prime Minister.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect from the date on which it is signed.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of Governmental agencies, Chairpersons of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities and heads of relevant bodies shall implement this Decision./