Chapter 35/2004/CT-TTg on Strengthening Management of Vietnamese Students Studying Abroad

DIRECTIVE

On strengthening the management of Vietnamese students studying abroad

In recent years, the number of Vietnamese students studying abroad (overseas students) has increased significantly. These students are an important human resource for contributing to the construction and development of the country in the future. The majority of overseas students have good political awareness, strive to study diligently, unite and help each other in healthy learning and living activities; actively respond to propaganda activities on the guidelines and policies of the Party and State and activities guided by our representative agencies abroad. Their academic performance and training results are highly evaluated by foreign educational institutions.

Along with these positive aspects, there are still some overseas students who perform poorly academically, violate the laws of the host countries and regulations of educational institutions, causing negative public opinion about the community of overseas students; some students have not returned to Vietnam after completing their studies; some have been lured by bad organizations and individuals to participate in activities distorting the guidelines and policies of the Vietnamese Party and State.

The reasons are due to inadequacies in the management of overseas students; the guidance and coordination among relevant ministries and sectors are not tight enough. In some places, the role of the Party organization and the Youth Union in managing overseas students is still vague. There are not yet sufficient mechanisms and policies to effectively utilize the human resources trained abroad.

To further strengthen the management of overseas students, the Prime Minister instructs:

1. Ministry of Education and Training:

a) Regularly update information and provide it promptly to Vietnamese representative agencies abroad regarding the situation of students studying abroad for coordinated management; enhance cooperation with relevant agencies of the host countries, monitor and grasp the situation of overseas students to take appropriate management measures.

b) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to amend and supplement legal documents on the management of overseas students, their rights and obligations to be consistent with new circumstances; at the same time promulgate regulations on overseas education services.

c) Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs and Finance to submit to the Prime Minister an overall plan for training and managing overseas students.

2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

a) Direct Vietnamese representative agencies abroad:

- Promote and widely disseminate to overseas students about the benefits and obligations of registering as citizens

- Implement citizen registration and protection according to the provisions of the law. Guide overseas students in citizen registration

- Expand relations with educational institutions and local authorities of the host countries to understand the situation of overseas students; strengthen information and advise relevant domestic agencies on reputable fields and educational institutions of the host countries.

- Depending on specific situations abroad, establish representative organizations of overseas students by city, region, school, etc.; encourage and motivate overseas students to maintain regular and close relations with representative organizations of overseas students and Vietnamese representative agencies abroad.

- Organize and ensure the activities of overseas student associations according to the guidance of the Communist Youth Central Committee Ho Chi Minh and the Overseas Party Branch.

- Report regularly every six months to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Training on the situation and management of Vietnamese overseas students in the host country.

b) Reward collectives and individuals of overseas students who have outstanding achievements in managing overseas students

c) Handle violations of overseas students according to the provisions of the law.

3. Ministry of Public Security:

Provide regularly every six months to the Ministry of Education and Training information about people exiting the country with the purpose of studying abroad.

4. The Ministry of Finance:

Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant agencies to submit to the Government on the mechanism for granting scholarships and living expenses for overseas students funded by state budget.

5. Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in managing those going abroad for vocational training and teaching.

6. People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall strengthen state management over organizations providing overseas education services within their jurisdiction in accordance with the law.

7. Ministries, sectors, localities and organizations (including companies, consulting and intermediary agencies for overseas education) sending people to study abroad have the responsibility to fully inform about the rights and obligations of overseas students before departure; strictly implement the State's regulations on managing overseas students; report regularly every six months to the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the situation of overseas students.

8. The Ministry of Education and Training is responsible for guiding, monitoring, urging and inspecting the implementation of this Directive and reporting annually to the Prime Minister on the results of its implementation.