Since March 2018, HCMC Law University has had no rector after Prof Dr Mai Hong Quy, the former rector, retired. Associate Prof Dr Tran Hoang Hai, vice rector, is in charge of running the school.

In early July, the Ministry of Health recognized the HCMC University of Medicine and Pharmacy’s Council for the 2020-2025 term. Associate Prof Dr Tran Diep Tuan, who had been holding the post of rector since April 2015, became the chair of the school council.

At that time, the school had vice reactors, Associate Prof Dr Nguyen Hoang Bac and Dr Ngo Dong Khanh. But Khanh has retired and the school’s management board now only has one vice rector, Nguyen Hoang Bac, who was assigned to act as rector.

The HCMC University of Education once lacked a rector, then had one, and now lacks one again.

In 2017, when Associate Prof Dr Nguyen Kim Hong reached retirement age, the post of rector became vacant. At that time, Dr Nguyen Thi Minh Hong, Vice Rector, was assigned to be responsible for the school until she was officially appointed to the post of rector.

However, the school once again lacks a rector as Hong was appointed as the chair of the school’s council since September, when the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) recognized the university’s council for the 2020-2025 term.

The HCMC University of Education now has only one vice rector, Prof Dr Huynh Van Son, who is in charge of the school.

At the HCMC University of Agriculture and Forestry, when Prof Dr Nguyen Hai retired, the school had three vice rectors. At present, Associate Prof Dr Huynh Thanh Hung is in charge of the school.

Ton Duc Thang University is a special case as it has no rector and vice rector. Some months ago, its rector Le Vinh Danh was disciplined for many violations and dismissed from the post. Meanwhile, vice rectors' terms have expired (2014-2019).

At present, Dr Tran Trong Dao is running the school as assigned by the Vietnam Labor Federation, the governing body of the school, until a new rector is ratified under the Law on Higher Education.

Pham Thai Son from the HCMC University of Food Industry, said that rector vacancies possibly exist because the schools lack school councils.

Some schools have councils, but their terms are about to end, so they are waiting for the new term.

In other cases, schools have school councils, but the councils have not been approved by the governing ministries. 

Le Huyen

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