Prime Minister appraises comprehensive university model

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung praised Ton Duc Thang University's comprehensive autonomy model in which the university makes its own decisions over internal matters.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung visits Ton Duc Thang University on February 8.(Photo: dantri)

Independent decisions are made on spending, organizational structure, recruitment practices, curricula and international co-operation for training.

Visiting the university last Sunday (February 8), Prime Minister said the model should be expanded to other universities in the country. It would help improve training quality, which is still below many other countries.

Ton Duc Thang University pays high salaries for its lecturers and managers, which are important elements for high training quality, Dung said.

The university has also created an environment for learning with new facilities, he added.

Many other universities in the country lack professional teachers and management as well as good facilities, he added.

Ton Duc Thang University is one of two universities in the country piloting the comprehensive autonomy model between 2015 and 2017, which was ordered by the Prime Minister.

In the 2014-2015 academic year, the university was recognized as a three-star university internationally by the British Quacquarelli Symonds Stars University Ranking.

The rating system allows students to have a wider picture of an institution's qualities, examining everything from the employability of graduates to sports facilities and community engagement.

Last Sunday, the US Patent and Trade Office granted two patents for new and useful innovation on convertible patient beds to the university.

Established in 1997, the university has five establishments, including two main campuses in the city, one in the south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, one in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau, and one in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

With 1,000 staff including lecturers and managers, it has 30 undergraduate and graduate programs with many interdisciplinary research opportunities.

Professor and Dr Le Vinh Danh, rector of the university, said the university aims to be one of top 60 universities in Asia by 2037.

The university needs more land to expand its facilities, including a centre for national defence education and a factory to make products based on its scientific research.

The Prime Minister promised that he would work with HCM City People's Committee to provide more land and loans for its development.

(Source: Vietnamnews/SGGP)