Circular No. 26/2008/TT-BGDĐT guiding on the procedures and formalities for conferring the honorary doctorate title

CIRCULAR

Guidelines on the procedures and formalities for conferring the honorary doctorate title

Pursuant to Decree No. 32/2008/NĐ-CP dated March 19, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training; pursuant to Article 32 of Decree No. 75/2006/NĐ-CP dated August 2, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law, the Ministry of Education and Training hereby issues guidelines on the procedures and formalities for conferring the honorary doctorate title as follows:

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Scope of regulation and subjects of application

These Circulars provide guidelines on the procedures and formalities for conferring the honorary doctorate title to political and social activists with international prestige, teachers, and scientists who are overseas Vietnamese citizens, and foreigners who have made significant contributions to Vietnam's education and science endeavors (hereinafter referred to collectively as the proposed recipients).

2. Purpose of conferring the honorary doctorate title

The purpose of conferring the honorary doctorate title is to honor and recognize the achievements of political and social activists with international prestige, teachers, and scientists who are overseas Vietnamese citizens, and foreigners who have contributed to Vietnam's education and science endeavors; to strengthen friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and other countries.

3. Conditions for conferring the honorary doctorate title

a) For teachers and scientists: They must be overseas Vietnamese citizens or foreigners who have made many achievements contributing to Vietnam's education and science endeavors, recognized and agreed upon by a Vietnamese doctoral training institution (hereinafter referred to as a doctoral training institution) to confer the honorary doctorate title;

b) For political and social activists: They must have international prestige, many achievements, and contributions to Vietnam's friendly relations and socio-economic development, recommended by the embassy of their country in Vietnam through a diplomatic note, and approved by a doctoral training institution.

4. Authority to confer the honorary doctorate title

The head of the doctoral training institution shall issue a decision to confer the honorary doctorate title to the proposed recipient.

5. Model of the honorary doctorate certificate

The honorary doctorate certificate is designed by the doctoral training institution according to the current regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training regarding the model of the honorary doctorate certificate. The model of the honorary doctorate certificate of the doctoral training institution is approved by the Minister of Education and Training, printed and distributed by the doctoral training institution in accordance with current regulations.

II. PROCEDURES AND FORMALITIES FOR CONFERRING

1. Application dossier for conferring the honorary doctorate title

The unit responsible for international cooperation within the doctoral training institution prepares the application dossier for conferring the honorary doctorate title and submits it to the head of the doctoral training institution. The dossier includes:

a) A document from the unit responsible for international cooperation within the doctoral training institution proposing and introducing the achievements and contributions to Vietnam's education and science endeavors of the proposed recipient;

b) An academic biography of the proposed recipient confirmed by the competent authority of the home country;

c) A diplomatic note from the embassy of the country of the proposed recipient in Vietnam (if the proposed recipient is a foreign political or social activist);

d) In cases where necessary, the head of the doctoral training institution may issue a document requesting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security to provide opinions on the proposed recipient to ensure that the proposed recipient does not violate Vietnamese laws, laws of their country, and international conventions.

2. Procedures and formalities for conferring

a) After receiving all the dossiers as stipulated in Clause 1, Section II of this Circular within 15 working days, the doctoral training institution organizes a scientific council meeting to examine the authenticity of the achievements and contributions to Vietnam's education and science endeavors of the proposed recipient; approves the minutes and resolutions of the scientific council regarding agreement or disagreement with the proposal to confer the honorary doctorate title on the proposed recipient;

b) Based on the resolution of the scientific council, within no more than 10 working days after the scientific council meeting, the head of the doctoral training institution issues a decision to confer the honorary doctorate title, and organizes a ceremony to present the honorary doctorate certificate to the proposed recipient in accordance with regulations.

III. IMPLEMENTATION

This Circular takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette. All previous regulations and guidelines that conflict with the regulations and guidelines set forth in this Circular are abolished.

After issuing the decision to confer the honorary doctorate title to the proposed recipient, the head of the doctoral training institution is responsible for reporting to the Ministry of Education and Training (with a copy of the decision to confer the title and a copy of the honorary doctorate certificate) for monitoring and archiving.

During the implementation of this Circular, if there are any difficulties, doctoral training institutions are requested to report to the Ministry of Education and Training for prompt resolution.