Decree 91/2026/NĐ-CP REGULATING SPECIFIC PROVISIONS AND MEASURES FOR ORGANIZING AND GUIDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN ARTICLES OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT

 

2. Organizational measures and guidance for implementing the Higher Education Law include: renaming domestic and foreign higher education institutions in Vietnam; converting private higher education institutions into non-profit private higher education institutions; and the organization and operation of higher education institutions established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a foreign government.

Article 2. Applicability

This Decree applies to higher education institutions, lecturers, students, and other organizations or individuals related to higher education.

Article 3. Naming and Renaming Higher Education Institutions and Their Branches in Domestic and Foreign Countries

1. Principles for naming higher education institutions

a) The name must ensure stability and longevity;

b) The use of terms "university," "university college," or "academy" must be consistent with the conditions for establishment, organizational structure, and operations;

c) It should not cause confusion regarding the type of institution, scope of activities, regulatory body, quality of education, or status of the higher education institution;

d) It should not use titles or phrases indicating honors or rankings; it should avoid using terms in the name that are identical or similar to those used by state organs, military units, political-social organizations, or other educational institutions both domestically and internationally;

e) It must not infringe on intellectual property rights; it should not use names, trademarks, or trade descriptions protected by others unless authorized by the lawful owner under intellectual property law;

f) It should not use terms or phrases with "national" connotations or indicating a special status ("international," "national," "Vietnam"), foreign country names, and similar terms if such usage could lead to misunderstandings about legal status, scope of activities, or state support, except as provided in points g and h below;

g) The term "national" may be used when recognizing national universities; the term "international" may be used when a higher education institution offers all levels of higher education programs taught in foreign languages or has 100% foreign investment or is established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a foreign government;

h) The term "Vietnam" may be used when a higher education institution has 100% foreign investment in Vietnam or is established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a foreign government.

2. Regulations for naming higher education institutions

a) A higher education institution must have a Vietnamese name unless it is a higher education institution with 100% foreign investment or one established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a foreign government.

The Vietnamese name includes: terms defining the type of higher education institution (university, university college, academy); terms defining fields of study if necessary; proper names as place names in Vietnam or names of cultural or historical figures or meaningful Vietnamese words;

b) Words used in the name of a higher education institution must have clear and standard meanings in Vietnamese; foreign words should not be combined with Vietnamese words in the Vietnamese name unless it is a higher education institution with 100% foreign investment, a foreign higher education institution operating in Vietnam, or one established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a foreign government;

c) The foreign language or international trade name must be translated equivalently from the Vietnamese name and ensure consistency; use terms that conform to international practice; it should not increase the status or change the type compared to the Vietnamese name;

d) Internet domain names, business names, and abbreviations used in transactions must consistently match the Vietnamese or foreign language name; when using abbreviated characters, they must avoid causing confusion with other domestic higher education institutions or foreign educational institutions;

e) Higher education institutions are responsible for registering and publicly disclosing their domain names to support training activities, ensuring unified and transparent management.

d) Shall not use language or phrases denoting titles or ranks; shall not use in the name any words or symbols that are identical or similar to those of state organs, military units, political-social organizations, or other educational institutions within the country and abroad;

đ) Shall not infringe on intellectual property rights; shall not use names, trademarks, or trade names protected by another organization or individual, except where permitted by the lawful subject in accordance with intellectual property law provisions;

e) Shall not use in the name any terms or phrases denoting "national" status or special position ("international", "national", "Vietnam"), names of other countries, and similar terms if such usage may cause confusion regarding legal status, scope of operations, or state support, except as provided in points g and h of this clause;

g) The term "nation" shall be used when recognizing a national university; the term "international" shall be used when an educational institution is training all disciplines at higher education levels taught in foreign languages, has 100% foreign capital investment, or was established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the government of another country;

h) The term "Vietnam" shall be used when an educational institution has 100% foreign capital investment in Vietnam or is established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the government of another country.

2. Provisions on Naming Educational Institutions

a) An educational institution must have a Vietnamese name, except for institutions with 100% foreign capital investment or those established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the government of another country.

The Vietnamese name includes: terms defining the type of higher education institution (university, college, academy); terms defining fields or disciplines of study (if necessary); proper names referring to places within the country, cultural or historical figures, or meaningful Vietnamese words;

b) Words used in the name of an educational institution must have a clear and standard meaning in Vietnamese; foreign and Vietnamese languages shall not be combined in the Vietnamese name of an educational institution except for institutions with 100% foreign capital investment, foreign educational institutions operating in Vietnam, or those established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the government of another country;

c) Foreign names or international trading names must be translated into equivalent Vietnamese terms and ensure consistency; use appropriate terminology in line with international practices; shall not increase the level or status or change the type compared to the Vietnamese name;

d) Internet domain names, trade names, or abbreviations used in transactions must be consistent with the Vietnamese or foreign language name; when using abbreviated characters, they must ensure that there is no risk of confusion with other domestic educational institutions or foreign educational institutions;

đ) The educational institution shall be responsible for registering and publicly disclosing domain names for training activities, ensuring unified and transparent management.

3. Provisions on Naming Branches of Domestic Higher Education Institutions

a) The branch office shall consist of the following elements: the name of the higher education institution; the phrase "branch office"; and the name of the provincial administrative region where the branch office is located. In cases where multiple branch offices are established within the same provincial administrative region, they may be named in sequence after the name of the provincial administrative region or the corresponding commune name;

b) The name of the branch office shall accurately reflect the scope of authority and functions as prescribed by the competent authority; it shall not indicate a higher level of authority or type than the higher education institution;

c) The foreign language name of the branch office must correspond to the Vietnamese name, including the corresponding foreign language phrase for "branch office";

d) Names of eminent persons or other geographical names outside the administrative region where the branch office is located shall not be used as the sole name of the branch office except in accordance with the provisions at point a of this clause; terms that may cause confusion regarding the legal status of the branch office as an educational institution, public higher education institution, national higher education institution, or state-subsidized higher education institution shall not be used.

4. Provisions on Naming Branch Offices of Foreign Higher Education Institutions in Vietnam

a) The name of the branch office shall consist of: the name of the foreign higher education institution in Vietnamese and its foreign language proper name (if applicable); the name of the country where the higher education institution is established (if necessary); the phrase "branch office" followed by the name of the administrative region where the branch office's headquarters are located;

b) The foreign language name of the branch office shall include: the name of the foreign higher education institution; the name of the country where the higher education institution is established (if necessary); the corresponding foreign language phrase for "branch office" followed by the name of the administrative region where the branch office's headquarters are located;

c) The branch office shall not use names or terms that may cause confusion regarding its legal status as a public higher education institution, national higher education institution, or state-subsidized higher education institution, including equivalent terms such as "nation," "government," "international," "Vietnam," or similar terms according to international practice, except in cases specified at points d and đ of this clause;

d) The phrase "international" may be used where the name of the branch office of a higher education institution refers to all programs offered at all levels of higher education taught in foreign languages, or where the higher education institution has 100% foreign investment, or where it is an overseas higher education institution licensed to operate in Vietnam, or where it is established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a foreign government;

đ) The term "Vietnam" may be used where the name of the branch office of a higher education institution with 100% foreign investment established in Vietnam or where the branch office is established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and a foreign government.

5. Principles for Changing the Name of Higher Education Institutions

a) Compliance with provisions at paragraph 1 and paragraph 2 of this Article;

b) The name of the higher education institution shall ensure stability, continuity, and long-term recognizability;

c) A change in the name of the higher education institution may be considered only under the following circumstances: a change in legal form as determined by the competent authority (excluding cases where a university becomes a university); a change in the main field or discipline of study as determined by the competent authority rendering the current name no longer appropriate; implementation of merger, division, or restructuring affecting the rights and interests of students; the current name violates naming regulations or is found to cause confusion;

d) A change in the investor, ownership ratio, shareholders, or investment structure shall not be a basis for changing the name of the higher education institution;

đ) The foreign language name, international business name, abbreviated name, and domain name used in educational activities must correspond to the approved Vietnamese name; they shall not use foreign language terms that indicate a higher level of authority or ownership different from the Vietnamese name;

e) Changes in the name of the higher education institution should be at least ten years apart unless the current name violates naming regulations;

g) Where necessary to ensure there is no confusion or dispute regarding the legal status, history of development, or brand of the higher education institution, the Ministry of Education and Training may require the higher education institution to seek the consent of relevant parties for the proposed new name.

6. Change Name Application Includes:

a) A proposal for changing the name of the higher education institution (in accordance with Form No. 1 attached to this Decree), detailing the reasons and necessity of the name change;

b) An explanation demonstrating compliance with provisions at points c, d, and đ of paragraph 5 of this Article;

c) A document approving the proposal for changing the name from the direct regulatory authority for public higher education institutions and from the investor representing at least 75% of total capital contribution for private higher education institutions.

7. Change Name Procedure

a) The higher education institution shall submit one copy of the application to the Ministry of Education and Training via registered mail, in person, or online;

b) Within thirty working days from the date of receipt of the complete application as specified at paragraph 6 of this Article, the Minister of Education and Training shall review the application and decide on the name change (in accordance with Form No. 2 attached to this Decree). In cases where no decision is made, a written response and reasons will be provided;

c) If the application does not meet all requirements as specified, within five working days from the date of receipt of the application, the Ministry of Education and Training shall notify non-receipt and provide reasons.

8. A branch office of a higher education institution may change its name when the name of the higher education institution changes or when there is a direct impact on the branch office due to administrative region boundary changes; no change in the name of the branch office shall occur if there are no such impacts affecting the title of the branch office.

Article 4. Conditions for Recognition as a University

A higher education institution shall be recognized as a university if it meets all of the following conditions:

1. Legal and Ownership Conditions

a) For public higher education institutions, direct management authority approval is required;

b) For private higher education institutions, the consent of investors representing at least 75% of total capital contribution must be obtained.

2. Faculty Team

a) The ratio of international faculty members, including Vietnamese faculty abroad and foreign nationals, teaching regular programs in each level of higher education, as determined over a period of twelve months to December 31st of the current year, shall be at least 5.0% of the total number of permanent faculty members of the institution;

b) The proportion of doctoral-level permanent faculty members is at least 60%.

3. Organizational Structure, Scale, and Training Program Structure

a) At least three schools are included in the organizational structure, meeting the criteria specified in Article 5 of this Decree;

b) At least twenty-five majors are offered at each level of higher education currently operating under current regulations;

c) The scale of regular training reaches at least 15,000 students or more;

d) The ratio of postgraduate students to the total scale of regular training is at least 20%;

e) The ratio of international students enrolled in regular programs leading to a degree is at least 3.0%.

4. Scientific Research and Innovation

a) The average number of scientific, technological, and innovation products per permanent faculty member over one year is at least one article published in the Web of Science or Scopus database, a book, or an invention patent;

b) The proportion of revenue from scientific, technological, and innovation activities reaches at least 20% of the total income of the institution's business operations.

The proportion of revenue from scientific, technological, and innovation activities is the total annual income from regular activities (including state budget funding and investor support) and non-regular tasks, excluding investment funds provided by the State or investors.

5. Financial Conditions

a) Stable legal sources of income to ensure regular recurrent expenditure autonomy for public higher education institutions as per regulations;

b) Financial transparency and disclosure; annual financial reports are prepared and audited in accordance with established procedures.

6. The conditions regarding faculty team under Clause 2, organizational structure, scale, and training program structure under Clause 3, and scientific research and innovation under Clause 4 of this Article must be maintained continuously for at least three years up to December 31st of the year immediately preceding the submission of the application.

Article 5. Conditions for Schools within Higher Education Institutions when Applying for University Recognition

1. The conditions for schools within higher education institutions when applying for university recognition are as follows:

a) At least five majors in each field at each level of higher education;

b) A regular training scale of at least 3,000 students or more;

c) The ability to conduct scientific research, develop technology, and innovate, meeting the requirements specified under Clause 2 of this Article.

2. The ability to conduct scientific research, develop technology, and innovate is as follows:

a) At least one unit employee has been continuously responsible for national or departmental-level scientific, technological, and innovation tasks for three consecutive years;

b) The average number of scientific, technological, and innovation products per permanent faculty member over one year is at least one article published in the Web of Science or Scopus database, a book, or an invention patent;

c) At least one strong research group has been established and recognized according to the regulations on scientific, technological, and innovation activities within higher education institutions as stipulated by the Government.

3. The conditions for schools within higher education institutions under Clause 1 of this Article and the ability to conduct scientific research, develop technology, and innovate under Clause 2 of this Article must be maintained continuously over a period of at least three years up to December 31st of the year immediately preceding the submission of the application.

4. For schools within higher education institutions training health-related fields, in addition to meeting the requirements specified in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of this Article, they must have a practice facility that meets the requirements as per the Government's regulations on organizing practical training in health-related disciplines.

Article 6. Conditions for Recognizing Regional Universities and National Universities

Higher education institutions shall be recognized as regional universities or national universities if they meet all of the following conditions:

1. Approved by the Prime Minister in the development plan to become a regional university or a national university, consistent with the planning network of higher education and teacher training institutions, regional planning; the plan specifies the necessity, objectives, indicators for development, tasks, solutions, resources, and implementation schedule.

2. Possess at least five member universities that meet the Higher Education Institution Standards for higher education institutions offering doctoral programs or meet the conditions specified in Article 5 of this Decree, and must maintain such status continuously for a period of at least three years up to December 31 of the year immediately preceding the submission of the recognition application.

3. In terms of fields of study

a) Higher education institutions applying for national university recognition shall organize education at all levels of higher education in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, engineering, computer science and information technology, social and behavioral sciences, humanities, business and management, health;

b) Higher education institutions applying for regional university recognition shall organize education at all levels of higher education across multiple disciplines in various fields consistent with the human resource development strategy of the region or inter-regional cooperation.

4. Meet all conditions specified in Article 4 of this Decree.

Article 7. Authority and Procedures for Recognizing National Universities

1. The Prime Minister decides on the recognition of national universities.

2. The application for recognizing a national university includes:

a) A proposal for recognizing a national university (in accordance with Form No. 3 attached to this Decree), which specifies compliance with conditions set forth in Article 6 of this Decree;

b) The recognition plan for the national university (which includes contents specified in Clause 2, Point c of Article 9 of this Decree);

c) Draft regulations on organization and operation of the national university.

3. Implementation procedures:

a) Higher education institutions update accurate information about organizational structure, fields of study, curriculum offerings, student and faculty information, scientific research, technology, and innovation, financial status in the specialized higher education database system of the Ministry of Education and Training; submit one copy of the application as per Clause 2 of this Article to the Ministry of Education and Training via registered mail or directly online;

b) Within five working days from receipt of the application, if the application is not valid, the Ministry of Education and Training returns the application and provides written notification specifying reasons;

c) For a valid application, within sixty working days from receiving all necessary documents, the Ministry of Education and Training reviews data in the specialized higher education database system, examines the application, and conducts on-site inspections; prepares an inspection report and sends it to relevant ministries and agencies for written feedback.

In case the application does not meet conditions, the Ministry of Education and Training provides a written notification and specifies reasons;

d) An evaluation committee is established by the Minister of Education and Training, with representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, People's Committee of the province or city where the higher education institution is located; the committee is responsible for reviewing the application, conducting on-site inspections, and advising the Minister of Education and Training on compliance levels;

e) Within thirty working days from receiving written feedback from relevant ministries and agencies, the Ministry of Education and Training compiles and finalizes the application and submits it to the Prime Minister for examination and decision-making on recognizing a national university;

f) The decision on recognizing a national university (in accordance with Form No. 4 attached to this Decree) is publicly announced on the Ministry of Education and Training's official website and mass media in accordance with regulations.

Article 8. Authority and Procedure for Recognizing Regional Universities

1. The Minister of Education and Training shall decide on the recognition of regional universities.

2. The application documents for recognizing a regional university include:

a) A proposal for recognizing a regional university (in accordance with Form No. 3 attached to this Decree), which specifies compliance with the conditions set forth in Article 6 of this Decree;

b) A recognition plan for the regional university (which includes the contents specified at Point c, Clause 2, Article 9 of this Decree);

c) Draft regulations governing the organization and operation of the regional university.

3. The procedure is as follows:

a) Higher education institutions shall update accurate and complete information on their organizational structure, fields of study, curriculum offerings, student and faculty information, scientific research, technology, and innovation, financial status, etc., in the specialized higher education database system of the Ministry of Education and Training; submit one copy of the application documents as provided for in Clause 2 of this Article to the Ministry of Education and Training via postal service or directly or online;

b) Within five working days from the date of receipt of the application, if the application is not compliant, the Ministry of Education and Training shall return the application and notify in writing the reasons for non-compliance;

c) For a compliant application, within sixty working days from the date of receiving all necessary documents, the Ministry of Education and Training shall conduct data verification on the specialized higher education database system, review the application, and verify the actual situation; prepare an evaluation report and seek written comments from relevant ministries and agencies.

In case it does not meet the conditions, the Ministry of Education and Training shall notify in writing and specify the reasons;

d) An Evaluation Committee, established by the Minister of Education and Training, comprising representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, the People's Committee of the province or city where the higher education institution is located; the Committee shall conduct an evaluation of the application, verify the actual situation, and advise the Minister of Education and Training on the degree to which conditions are met;

e) Within fifteen working days from the date of receiving written comments from relevant ministries and agencies, the Minister of Education and Training shall decide on the recognition of the regional university;

f) The decision recognizing a regional university (in accordance with Form No. 4 attached to this Decree) shall be publicly announced on the Ministry of Education and Training's official website and through mass media in accordance with regulations.

Article 9. Authority and Procedure for Recognizing Universities

1. The Minister of Education and Training shall decide on the recognition of universities.

2. The application documents for recognizing a university include:

a) A proposal for recognizing a university (in accordance with Form No. 3 attached to this Decree), which specifies compliance with the conditions set forth in Article 4 of this Decree;

b) An approval document from the directly supervising authority regarding the application for recognition as a university for public higher education institutions, or a document reflecting the consent of investors representing at least 75% of total capital contribution, accompanied by a list of investors and their respective capital contributions for private higher education institutions, and the decision of the school's board of trustees for private schools;

c) A summary report on data from three consecutive years ending December 31 of the year immediately preceding the submission date: organizational structure, field and scale of study programs, list of affiliated institutions; list of graduate programs up to doctoral level; enrollment statistics by program type; faculty composition, proportion of faculty with doctoral degrees and international faculty involved in teaching; student demographics by level of education and proportion of international students; scientific research, technology, and innovation, including data and evidence on scientific products and the proportion of revenue from such activities; financial conditions, including revenue structure, expenditure structure, self-sufficiency for regular operations, and audit results as per regulations;

d) Draft regulations governing the organization and operation of the university.

3. The procedure is as follows:

a) Higher education institutions shall update accurate and complete information on their organizational structure, fields of study, curriculum offerings, student and faculty information, scientific research, technology, and innovation, financial status, etc., in the specialized higher education database system of the Ministry of Education and Training; submit one copy of the application documents as provided for in Clause 2 of this Article to the Ministry of Education and Training via postal service or directly or online;

b) Within five working days from the date of receipt of the application, if the application is not compliant, the Ministry of Education and Training shall return the application and notify in writing the reasons for non-compliance;

c) For a compliant application, within sixty working days from the date of receiving all necessary documents, the Ministry of Education and Training shall conduct data verification on the specialized higher education database system, review the application, and verify the actual situation; prepare an evaluation report and seek written comments from relevant ministries and agencies;

d) An Evaluation Committee, established by the Minister of Education and Training, comprising representatives from the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, the People's Committee of the province or city where the higher education institution is located; the Committee shall conduct an evaluation of the application, verify the actual situation, and advise the Minister of Education and Training on the degree to which conditions are met;

e) Within fifteen working days from the date of receiving written comments from relevant ministries and agencies, the Minister of Education and Training shall decide on the recognition of the university;

f) The decision recognizing a university (in accordance with Form No. 4 attached to this Decree) shall be publicly announced on the Ministry of Education and Training's official website and through mass media in accordance with regulations.

Article 10. Conversion of Private Higher Education Institution to Non-Profit Private Higher Education Institution

1. The conversion dossier from a private higher education institution to a non-profit private higher education institution includes:

a) A proposal document from the private higher education institution (in accordance with Form No. 5 attached to this Decree), specifying the reasons, objectives, and conversion plan;

b) A commitment of the investor regarding the conversion from a private higher education institution to a non-profit private higher education institution, which clearly defines: the principle of non-profit operation, no withdrawal of capital, no profit distribution, annual surplus or deficit accumulation is school property not for division, to be used for investment in educational infrastructure development according to the principle of non-refundable;

c) A resolution by the university council approving the conversion from a private higher education institution to a non-profit private higher education institution;

d) Financial reports for two consecutive fiscal years audited by an independent auditing organization;

d) Proof of completion of state budget obligations prior to submission of the dossier;

e) Draft regulations on organizational structure and operations of a non-profit private higher education institution; draft financial regulations including all revenue and expenditure items of the higher education institution, ensuring the financial principles of a non-profit private higher education institution.

2. Procedure for conversion from a private higher education institution to a non-profit private higher education institution

a) The private higher education institution submits one copy of the dossier to the Ministry of Education and Training via postal service, in person, or online;

b) If the dossier does not comply with regulations within five working days from receipt, the Ministry of Education and Training sends a notification to the private higher education institution specifying the reasons for non-compliance;

c) Within thirty working days from receipt of the complete dossier as per this Article's provisions, the Minister of Education and Training organizes review of the dossier and decides on conversion (in accordance with Form No. 6 attached to this Decree).

Article 11. Organization and Operation of Higher Education Institution Established under Agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Foreign Government

The organization and operation of a higher education institution established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and foreign government are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the agreement; where the agreement has not specified, they shall be implemented in accordance with the Higher Education Law No. 125/2025/QH15, this Decree, and relevant legal provisions.

Article 12. Procedure for Appointment, Removal, Resignation, Transfer of University President, Vice Presidents, Principal, Deputy Principals of Higher Education Institution

1. The procedure for appointment, removal, resignation, transfer of university president, vice presidents, principal, deputy principals in public higher education institutions is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Party and relevant laws.

2. Appointment, removal of university president, vice presidents, principal, deputy principals in private higher education institutions are conducted in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 6 of Decree No. 66/2026/NĐ-CP dated March 2, 2026, which provides detailed provisions for certain articles of the Education Law and follow the following procedures:

a) The university council of private higher education institutions or school council (hereinafter collectively referred to as the school council) reports to the investor the personnel plan for appointment, removal of president, vice presidents, principal, deputy principals of the higher education institution; specifying that the personnel meet the standards set by law for the president, vice presidents, principal, and deputy principals of the higher education institution, implementation of the process for determining the personnel according to the organizational structure and operational regulations of the higher education institution, and attached evidence (curriculum vitae, copies of academic credentials, certificates, letters of consent from individuals proposed for appointment as president, vice presidents, principal, or deputy principal);

b) After receiving the personnel plan report from the school council, the investor is responsible for responding in writing to approve or disapprove the personnel plan. In case of disapproval, reasons must be stated;

c) Upon receipt of the investor's approval on the personnel plan, the school council continues with the procedural steps and issues a decision appointing the president, vice presidents, principal, deputy principals of the higher education institution;

d) In case there is no school council or the term of office has expired or the school council does not meet the operational conditions as per regulations, and there are no presidents or principals meeting the requirements, the investor decides in writing to assign personnel who meet the standards for president or principal until a new school council appoints a president or principal. The maximum period during which the investor assigns such personnel is six months from the expiration of the term of office;

d) Based on the provisions at points (a), (b), and (c) of this paragraph and relevant legal provisions, the private higher education institution specifically stipulates the procedures for deciding on appointment, removal, transfer, or promotion of president, vice presidents, principal, deputy principals in its organizational structure and operational regulations.

3. The procedure and process for appointing, removing, transferring, or promoting the principal, deputy principal of a higher education institution established under an agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and foreign government is carried out according to mutual agreements among the parties. Where the agreement does not specify, it shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 of this Article and other relevant legal provisions.

Article 13. Enforceability

1. This Decree shall come into enforceable effect from the date of issuance except as provided in Clause 2 of this Article.

2. Clauses 5, 6, 7 and 8 of Article 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

3. The Decree No. 141/2013/NĐ-CP dated October 24, 2013 by the Government to specify and guide the implementation of certain provisions of the Higher Education Law and the Decree No. 99/2019/NĐ-CP dated December 30, 2019 by the Government to specify and guide the implementation of certain provisions of the Decree Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Higher Education Law (Decree No. 99/2019/NĐ-CP) and Article 104, Article 105 of the Decree No. 125/2024/NĐ-CP dated October 5, 2024 by the Government on Conditions for Investment and Operation in the Field of Education (Decree No. 125/2024/NĐ-CP) shall cease to be enforceable from the date this Decree comes into effect except as provided in Article 14 of this Decree.

Article 14. Transitional Provisions

1. The names of higher education institutions established prior to the effective date of this Decree may continue to retain their original name or be adjusted according to the provisions of this Decree.

2. Applications for changing the name of a higher education institution submitted to the competent authority before July 1, 2026 shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 99/2019/NĐ-CP.

3. Applications for establishing or approving the establishment of a higher education institution that include a request to name such an institution submitted to the competent authority before the effective date of this Decree shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 99/2019/NĐ-CP.

4. Applications for converting a private higher education institution into a non-profit private higher education institution, transforming a university into a university, linking universities to form a university and recognizing regional universities or national universities submitted to the competent authority before the effective date of this Decree shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of Decree No. 99/2019/NĐ-CP and Articles 104 and 105 of Decree No. 125/2024/NĐ-CP.

5. Universities that have received decisions to convert from a university to a university or link universities to form a university shall continue to be implemented in accordance with the issued decision; simultaneously, they shall develop a plan and timeline to meet the conditions specified in Articles 4 and 5 of this Decree within five years from the date this Decree comes into effect and are consistent with the mission and development strategy of the university. The direct management authority or investor is responsible for supervising, inspecting, and monitoring the implementation by universities.

Article 15. Implementation Responsibility

Ministers, heads of agencies at the same level as ministries, heads of agencies under the Government, chairpersons of people's committees of provinces and cities, and relevant organizations and individuals shall bear responsibility for implementing this Decree.

 

 

(随2026年3月30日国务院第91号令《中华人民共和国政府制定的法规》附带)

样本名称

 

中华人民共和国

 

请示报告

关于申请更名 ……(2) …

致敬： …(3)…

根据 …(2)… 的请求，现提请 …(3)… 考虑并决定更名或批准更名高等教育机构如下：

1. 现有高等教育机构名称

用越南语： …

国际交易名称（如适用）： …

2. 更名后的高等教育机构名称

用越南语： …

越南语简称（如有）： …

英文国际交易名称（如有）： …

英文简称（如有）： …

3. 更名理由，批准更名高等教育机构的理由

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

4. 对更名对学习者、教师、管理人员及相关方的影响评估： ......................................................

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

5. 实施更名后的风险处理措施：

更名不改变高等教育机构的功能和任务。

请 …(3)… 考虑并决定。

 

 

备注：

(1) 现有高等教育机构的直接管理机关名称（如有）。

(2) 申请更名的高等教育机构名称。

(3) 更名或批准更名高等教育机构的有权机关。

(4) 高等教育机构法定代表人。

 

Form No. 2: Decision to Change Name or Permit Changing the Name of a Higher Education Institution

 

DECISION

On the matter of changing the name or permitting to change the name from …(3)…to …(2)…

AUTHORITY TO ISSUE…(4)…

Based on …(5)…;

Based on …(6)…;

Based on Decision No. …/QD-…dated …of [issuing authority] regarding the establishment or permission to establish [name of higher education institution];

Based on the Decision No. .../QD-... of [issuing authority, brief reference to each decision changing the name of a higher education institution (if applicable)];

In accordance with the proposal from ...

DECISION:

Article 1. Change the name, permit the change of the name of ... (2) ...to become ... (3) ...

International trading name in English:...

Abbreviated name in English (if any):...

Article... ...................................................................................................................

Article... This Decision shall take effect from the date of...

Article... ...................................................................................................................

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

 

 

Note:

(1) Name of the competent authority to decide on changing the name or permit the change of a higher education institution.

(2) Name of the higher education institution before the name change.

(3) Name of the higher education institution after the name change, with permission to change the name.

(4) Position held by the head of the authority issuing the decision.

(5) Direct grounds for issuance of the decision (establishment document, provisions on functions, tasks, and powers of the issuing authority).

(6) Relevant legal documents directly related to the issue addressed in the content of the decision.

 

Model No. 3. Proposal for recognition as a university, regional university, national university

 

PROPOSAL

On the matter of ... (3) ...

To: ... (4) ...

I. INFORMATION ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION SEEKING RECOGNITION AS A UNIVERSITY, REGIONAL UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

1. General information:

- Vietnamese name: ...

- Abbreviated Vietnamese name (if any):...

- International trading name in English:...

- Abbreviated name in English (if any):...

- Main office address:...

- Telephone number:...

- Website:... Email: ...

2. Contact person:

- Full name: ... Position: ...

- Telephone number: ...

II. THE NECESSITY AND LEGAL AND POLITICAL BASIS FOR RECOGNIZING THE UNIVERSITY, REGIONAL UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

III. ASSESSMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE HIGHER EDUCATION AND TEACHERS' NETWORK PLANNING AND REGIONAL PLANNING APPROVED BY THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

IV. EXPLANATION OF MEASURES TO SATISFY THE CONDITIONS FOR RECOGNITION AS A UNIVERSITY, REGIONAL UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

1. General information on the university, regional university, national university

- Vietnamese name: ...

- Abbreviated Vietnamese name (if any):...

- International trading name in English:...

- Abbreviated name in English (if any):...

- Main office address: ...

- Telephone number: ...

- Website: ... Email: ...

2. Explanation of measures to satisfy the conditions for recognition

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

(Attached documents and evidence:

- Proposal for recognition as a regional university, national university;

- Summary report on data (for application for recognition as a university);

- Draft organizational and operational regulations for the university, regional university, national university;

- ...............................................................................................................................).

Requesting ... (4) ... to consider and decide.

 

 

(Signed and sealed with full name)

Note:

(1) Name of the directly supervising authority (if any) of the higher education institution seeking recognition as a regional university or national university.

(2) Name of the higher education institution seeking recognition as a university, regional university, national university.

(3) Specify the content of the request.

 

(4) Authority to decide on recognizing the university, regional university, national university.

 

... , day month year ....

DECISION

On the matter of ... (2) ...

AUTHORITY TO ISSUE... (3) ...

Based on ... (4) ...

In accordance with the proposal from ...

Article 1. Recognize [name of higher education institution] as a university or regional university or national university.

[Name of the university/regional university/national university];

International trading name in English: …

Abbreviated name in English (if any): …

Article...................................... (5) ................................................................................

Article...................................... (6) ................................................................................

Article...................................... (7) ................................................................................

 

 

Note:

(1) Name of the competent authority issuing the decision.

(2) Clearly state the summary of the decision.

(3) Position held by the head of the agency issuing the decision.

(4) State the grounds for issuance of the decision (documents establishing the institution, regulations on functions, tasks, and powers of the agency or organization issuing the decision; relevant legal documents directly related to the issue addressed in the content of the decision).

(5) Clearly state the position, role, function, task, organizational structure of the university or regional university or national university and the duties and authority of the director and deputy directors of the university or regional university or national university.

(6) Effective date of the decision.

(7) Responsibility for implementing the decision.

 

Form No. 5. Application for Conversion of Private Higher Education Institution to Non-Profit Private Higher Education Institution

 

APPLICATION

On the matter of application for conversion …

To: …(3)…

I. INFORMATION ON THE OPERATIONAL SITUATION OF (2)

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

II. NECESSITY FOR CONVERSION

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

III. GUIDELINES AND PURPOSES OF NON-PROFIT OPERATIONS

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

IV. REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH CONVERSION CONDITIONS

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..

V. IMPACT ASSESSMENT AFTER CONVERSION

1. Legal and institutional aspects

2. Financial and asset aspects

3. Organizational and human resource aspects

4. Student aspect

5. Impact on the Vietnamese higher education system

6. Economic and social impact

7. Risks, challenges, and conditions for implementation

(Attached …(4)…)

Request …(3)… to consider and decide.

 

 

Note:

(1) Name of the directly supervising authority (if any) for the private higher education institution.

(2) Name of the private higher education institution applying for conversion.

(3) Authority/agency with decision-making power on conversion.

(4) Files in accordance with paragraph 2, Article 10 of this Decree.

(5) Powers and position of the head of the agency, organization, or individual applying for conversion.

 

Form No. 6. Decision on Conversion of Private Higher Education Institution to Non-Profit Private Higher Education Institution

 

DECISION

On the matter of …(2)…

AUTHORITY TO ISSUE…(3)…

Based on …(4) …;

Based on the application for conversion submitted by ... [name of higher education institution]...;

In accordance with the request from...

DECISION:

Article 1. Recognize the conversion of [full name of private higher education institution in Vietnamese and English, abbreviated name (if any)] from a private higher education institution to a non-profit private higher education institution.

Article 2. Operational principles after conversion

1. [Name of higher education institution] operates on the principle of not for profit, where annual surplus or deficit is the school's undivided property and used for school development according to the principle of non-refundable.

2. The school ensures transparency and accountability in organization, finance, and operations; safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of students, teachers, staff, and other relevant parties.

...

Article 3. Responsibilities of Higher Education Institution

................................................................ (5) ........................................................

Article…(6) …

Article…(7) …

 

 

Note:

(1) Name of the competent authority issuing the decision.

(2) Brief description of the decision.

(3) Position of the head of the agency issuing the decision.

(4) Grounds for issuance of the decision (documents establishing the institution, provisions on functions, tasks, and powers of the agency or organization issuing the decision; relevant legal documents directly related to the matter addressed in the content of the decision).

(5) Responsibilities of the higher education institution.

(6) Enforceability of the decision.

(7) Responsibility for organizing implementation of the decision.