- VNU-HCMC sets ambitious 2026-2030 targets, aiming to strengthen research output, HR development, and regional academic leadership
- Plans include recruiting 1,500 PhD holders, publishing 41,200 international papers, securing 100 international patents, and establishing 1-2 hospitals for applied research
- VNU350 programme launched to nurture 350+ top-tier scientists, fast-track PhD training, and provide structured research support and lab investments
At its recent annual conference, the Board of Directors of Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCMC) outlined ambitious draft strategic targets for the 2026-2030 period, signalling a strong push to create breakthroughs in both human resource development and scientific research. University leaders said the next five years would be critical in strengthening academic capacity and elevating VNU-HCMC’s standing as a leading research-oriented university system in the region.
Under the proposed roadmap, VNU-HCMC plans to recruit an additional 1,500 PhD holders, with around half expected to hold the academic titles of professor or associate professor. On average, the university system aims to add about 300 PhD-qualified staff each year. Alongside this, the university has set aggressive research goals, including publishing 41,200 international scientific papers and securing 100 international patents across the system during the five-year period.
The leadership also announced plans to establish one to two hospitals that will support education, research, and medical examination and treatment, strengthening the integration of training and applied research. Average employee income is projected to rise by 10-12 percent, while the university aims to improve academic outcomes, with a target of 70 percent on-time graduation for students.
To support these goals, VNU-HCMC said it is implementing several initiatives to attract and retain high-quality academic talent, most notably the VNU350 programme. The initiative is designed to recruit, nurture and develop outstanding young scientists and leading experts, with a target of approximately 350 PhD-level or higher researchers during the 2024-2030 period.
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Under the programme, young scientists will receive structured research support over five years, beginning with a category C research project worth VND200 million in the first two years. This will be followed by a category B project of up to VND1 billion in the third year, laboratory investment support of up to VND10 billion in the fourth year, and guidance for consideration for the national associate professor title in the fifth year. Leading scientists will receive even higher levels of support, including research projects worth up to VND1 billion in the initial phase and laboratory investments of up to VND30 billion in later years, along with assistance in building strong research groups.
The university is also piloting PhD training under international standards, allowing candidates with strong research output to complete their doctoral programmes in as little as two years. According to VNU-HCMC, candidates who are lead authors of at least three publications indexed in Web of Science or Scopus, including at least one Q2-ranked article, may be exempt from independent external reviews and allowed to defend their dissertations early.
At the same time, VNU-HCMC emphasised academic integrity and accountability, stating that member universities are responsible for verifying the relevance and quality of scientific publications. As of October 2024, VNU-HCMC had 6,406 staff members, but only 1,255 PhD holders. By 2030, the university aims to ensure that 75 percent of its teaching staff hold PhD degrees or higher, underscoring its long-term commitment to academic excellence.
