VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam National University HCM City (VNU-HCM) has petitioned the National Assembly’s Finance and Budget Committee for more funds to expand and seek to achieve international standards.

Nguyen Duc Hai, chairman of the National Assembly’s Finance and Budget Committee visits the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, a member of the Viet Nam National University HCM City. — Photo vnuhcm.edu.vn

VNU-HCM, a centre for high-quality training, research and technology in various sectors, plays a vital role in the country’s tertiary system, Huynh Thanh Dat, its director, said.

However, Government funding for its development has declined over the past three years, he told a meeting with a delegation of the Finance and Budget Committee on January 8.

It fell from VND1.18 trillion (US$50.97 million) in 2016 to VND798 billion ($34.44 million) last year, he said.

He also asked the committee for more funds for acquiring land for the VNU-HCM urban area project.

The acquisition phase would have been completed by 2021 but a shortfall of VND2 trillion ($86.42 million) has delayed progress, he said.

Building laboratories and research account for 20-25 per cent of the Government’s fund allocation, he said.

A researcher at VNU-HCM gets only VND16 million ($690,000) a year for the research, which is much lower than in other countries, he said.

The cost of its training is estimated at VND27.9 million ($1,200) per student per year compared to VND350 million ($15,000) in Singapore, he added.

Nguyen Duc Hai, chairman of the committee, said the National Assembly had last November prioritised allocation of funds for the VNU-HCM urban area project.

The NA and the Government would release essential documents for the fund allocation in April, he said.

VNU-HCM is one of two national universities in the country and comprises six member universities and more than 30 affiliated organisations.

Each year, more than 10,000 engineering and other graduates and 1,300 postgraduates and PhDs graduate from the university. 

Source: VNS