Schools complain it's difficult to find PhD students

Under current regulations, candidates for PhD training must have TOEFL iBT with 45 score or higher, or IELTS (Academic Test) 5.0 certificate granted by an organization recognized internationally and in Vietnam. 

The certificates must be granted within 24 months prior to the day of application date.

Pham Phuong Hoa from the Vietnam National Academy of Music (VNAM) said it is difficult to enroll PhD students because of the requirement on foreign language skills. Most lecturers have deep knowledge of music, while foreign language skills are a weak point. 

Since the requirement cannot be satisfied, the school has stopped enrolling students for PhD training for this year.

The president of the Hanoi University of Theater and Cinema Nguyen Dinh Thi said the requirement on foreign language skills is necessary, but very few candidates can satisfy the requirement. 

explains why the number of candidates applying for PhD training has dropped dramatically. In 2017, only one to two candidates applied, while the school plans to enroll 10.

“Students should be given time to prepare to meet the new requirement set by MOET,” Thi said.

According to Bui Hoai Son, director of the Institute of Culture and Arts of Vietnam, the institute enrolls 30 students for five training majors. 

In 2017, only 15 candidates applied in the first enrollment campaign and only nine were chosen. The other candidates failed because of weak foreign language skills.

However, Son thinks there is no need to lower requirements just to find candidates.

Nguyen Thi Kim Phung, director of the Higher Education Department under MOET, said the requirement on foreign language is a must and Vietnam is following international standards. 

Phung believes the number of candidates has decreased because a shortage of supply. 

“What is happening coincides with the current real situation. Vietnam is not trying to train as many PhDs as possible, but is focusing on quality training,” she said.

Under the new regulation, PhD students have to study full time at training establishments for the first two years. 

The requirement is a big problem for many students who have to go to work. And some of them are leaders of arts units.

Dao Dang Phuong, president of the Central University of Arts Education, said that self-study and research are the main tasks of PhD students, so there is no need to be present at all lectures.

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Thanh Lich