- National Economics University (NEU) in Hanoi aims to make English its second language by 2030, a first among Vietnamese universities.
- Plans include raising graduation requirements to IELTS 6.0, offering 30% of courses in English by 2028, and increasing English use across campus.
- With growing international admissions and over a third of current programs taught in English, NEU believes it is well-positioned to lead this linguistic shift.
National Economics University (NEU) in Hanoi has started an ambitious and historic project to make English its second language by the end of this decade, a milestone for Vietnamese higher education. With this change, NEU will significantly raise the percentage of English usage in academic and administrative realms, setting itself as a top advocate for internationalizing education in Vietnam.
By the year 2028, the institution will have at least 30% of all courses taught in English, a dramatic departure from its present format, in which English language instruction is mostly confined to advanced or international cooperative programs. The move indicates a broader intent to incorporate English throughout the entire range of academic offerings, rather than the selective offerings. Aiming towards 2030, NEU will make a stipulation for all graduating students to reach a minimum level of English proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0, or B2 on the Common European Framework. This represents a significant jump from the current graduation benchmark of IELTS 5.5 for Vietnamese-language programs.
NEU's strategy goes beyond the classroom door. It involves projects to integrate English into campus life in all areas. Administrative reports and documents will be translated into both languages, while 'English zones' will be designated in student spaces to encourage casual use of the language. Academic conferences, events, and professor-student encounters will increasingly be carried out in English, with specific times when English-speaking is promoted campus-wide.
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The university believes that it has the facilities and the human resource to aid this drastic change. NEU has, since 2017, welcomed international English language qualifications for admissions, and as of 2020, started taking SAT and ACT into consideration as well, bringing its standards on par with the rest of the world. Consequently, the intake of students coming in through international qualifications has increased from mere 50 in 2017 to 25,000 in 2025.
Now, over one-third of NEU's 25 study programs are delivered in English. This will grow to 35 programs within five years, and the proportion of English-taught courses will grow from 50% to 65%. With this revolutionary vision, NEU is establishing a new standard for Vietnamese universities, taking advantage of globalization while preparing its graduates to thrive in a more integrated world.