Circular No. 07/2025/TT-BGDDT dated March 27, 2025 on joint training programs for bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees between Vietnamese higher education institutions and foreign higher

CIRCULAR

ON JOINT TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR BACHELOR’S, MASTER’S AND DOCTORATE DEGREES BETWEEN VIETNAMESE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND FOREIGN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Pursuant to the Law on Higher Education dated June 18, 2012; the Law on amendments to the Law on Higher Education dated November 19, 2018;

Pursuant to Decree No. 37/2025/ND-CP dated February 26, 2025 of the Government on functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam;

Pursuant to Decree No. 99/2019/ND-CP dated December 30, 2019 of the Government elaborating and providing guidelines for a number of Articles of the Law on amendments to the Law on Higher Education;

Pursuant to Decree No. 86/2018/ND-CP dated June 06, 2018 of the Government on foreign cooperation and investment in education; Decree No. 124/2024/ND-CP dated October 05, 2024 of the Government on amendments to Decree No. 86/2018/ND-CP dated June 6, 2018 on foreign cooperation and investment in the field of education;

At the request of the Director General of the Department of Higher Education;

The Minister of Education and Training promulgates Circular on joint training programs for bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees between Vietnamese higher education institutions and foreign higher education institutions.

Article 1. Scope and regulated entities

1. This Circular regulates joint training programs for bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees approved by competent authorities in accordance with Government’s regulations on foreign cooperation and investment in education between Vietnamese higher education institutions and foreign higher education institutions.

2. This Circular applies to Vietnamese higher education institutions, foreign higher education institutions conducting joint training programs with Vietnamese higher education institutions, relevant organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Methods for joint training

1. In-person learning method is allowed to conduct a maximum of 30% of the total classes of the joint training program through the online training system.

2. Online learning method shall ensure over 50% of the total classes of the joint training program delivered through the online training system and only apply to bachelor’s degree.

3. Blended training method shall ensure more than 30% to 50% of the total classes of the joint training program delivered through the online training system, and only apply to bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Article 3. Admission

1. The admission slots of the joint training program shall be included in the total annual admission slots of the Vietnamese institution and determined in accordance with current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. The following foreign language certificates and degrees are required for proofs of foreign language proficiency for admission to the joint training program:

a) Foreign language certificates issued by units that are allowed to organize a foreign language proficiency assessment test. The levels of which are equivalent to the levels of the Vietnam’s language proficiency framework as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training;

a) Foreign language certificates issued by foreign entities, that are allowed to organize examinations in Vietnam and overseas and these examinations are recognized by the Ministry of Education and Training as equivalent to the levels of the Vietnam’s language proficiency framework;

c) Bachelor’s degrees or higher in foreign language majors issued by Vietnamese higher education institutions with assessment of foreign language proficiency of learners in accordance with of the Vietnam’s language proficiency framework;

d) Bachelor’s degrees or higher issued by foreign higher education institutions for graduates of overseas full-time training programs;

3. Vietnamese higher education institutions shall cooperate with foreign higher education institutions to promulgate regulations on the admission plan, admission notification, admission method, admission organization and recognition; training courses for foreign languages for learners to satisfy foreign language entrance requirements before the main courses; storage, responsibilities and disciplinary actions for collectives, units, individuals related to admission and admission recognition of each joint training program.

Article 4. Teaching and learning organization

1. Learners shall participate in full-time study at Vietnamese higher education institutions or foreign higher education institutions in accordance with the learning plan issued before the course starts. The organization of online classes shall comply with regulations on application of information technology in online training of the Ministry of Education and Training and foreign higher education institutions.

2. The organization of training courses for foreign languages for learners to satisfy foreign language entrance requirements before the main courses shall be carried out within 12 months from the time the learners are conditionally admitted when they have not satisfied the foreign language entrance requirements of the joint training program.

3. Vietnamese higher education institutions shall organize or cooperate with other higher education institutions to teach compulsory subjects for learners who are Vietnamese citizens in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

4. The following regulations shall be in accordance with current regulations of degree-issuing entities and agreements between both parties including regulations on teaching plan; assignment of lecturers, instructors for thesis and dissertation defense, officials for learning support, managing officials; enrollment; organization of examination, assessment for recognition of completion of subjects or units of study; instruction and assessment of thesis and dissertation defense; retention of learning results; temporary leave, reduction or increase of learning time, forced leave from school; admission recognition, issuance of degrees; settlement of violations and relevant regulations during the implementation of training programs.

5. The lecturer teaching the corresponding training program in the foreign higher education institution shall take charge and responsibilities for delivering at least 25% of the total classes of the joint training program.

Article 5. Transfer to another program and training institution

1. Conditions for transfer to another joint training program, another domestic training program of the same level or same major include:

a) Learners are learning joint training programs under in-person learning method;

b) Learners are not under a warning or a more severe disciplinary action;

c) Learners are eligible for enrollment in programs or majors of the academic year that they plan to transfer; shall ensure compliance with the study schedule and other regulations of degree-issuing entities; are accepted by the Vietnamese higher education institution or the cooperating parties if they still have the training capacity.

2. The achieved credits of learners shall be considered and recognized, but it shall not exceed 50% of the total classes of the programs that learners transfer to (or another ratio prescribed by the foreign higher education institutions issuing the degrees).

Article 6. Degrees and graduation certificates

1. Holders of degrees of joint training programs shall enjoy all rights as graduates of the corresponding training programs in the home country.

2. Vietnamese higher education institutions shall issue graduation certificates to graduates (for use with the degree if required) including following information: the name of the joint training program, the method of joint training, the duration of training in Vietnam and abroad, the learner's language proficiency level based on the Vietnam’s language proficiency framework, the language used during the learning process, the reference educational level according to Vietnam's Qualifications Framework or the level system, and the corresponding degree from the foreign higher education institutions in the home country.

Article 7. Implementation

1. Vietnamese higher education institutions shall

a) Formulate and issue regulations on organization and management of joint training programs in accordance with Law on Higher Education, Government’s Decree on foreign cooperation and investment in education, this Circular and relevant laws; ensure transparency, consistency, and integration with the overall management system of the institution.

b) Provide and popularize regulations on joint training programs of institutions to learners, foreign higher education institutions, relevant organizations and individuals.

c) Conduct the plan for supervision, review, internal inspection on joint training programs of institutions; report and update information on joint training programs on the Higher Education Management Information System (HEM-IS) in accordance with the law.

d) Support the recognition of degrees for learners at their requests, implement measures to protect rights of learners and relevant parties.

2. National universities and regional universities shall

a) Direct educational institutions who are their members and affiliates to carry out tasks prescribed in clause 1 of this Article; organization supervision and inspection on joint training programs of their members and affiliates within jurisdiction.

b) Consolidate information on joint training programs of their members and affiliates to conduct periodic or unexpected report at the request of the Ministry of Education and Training and competent authorities in accordance with the law.

Article 8. Implementation clause

1. This Circular takes effect from May 05, 2025 and replaces Circular No. 38/2020/TT-BGDDT dated October 06, 2020 of the Minister of Education and Training on joint training programs for bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees delivered by online and blended learning methods.

2. Joint training programs approved before the effective date of this Circular shall be carried on until the expiration date prescribed in the decision. Joint training programs approved or extended by competent authorities after the effective date of this Circular shall be carried out in accordance with the Law on Higher Education, Government’s Decree on foreign cooperation and investment in education, this Circular and relevant laws

3. The Chief of Office, Director General of Department of Higher Education, heads of units related to the Ministry of Education and Training; directors of parent universities and academies; principals of universities, relevant organizations and individuals are responsible to implement this Circular./.