Studying abroad has long been considered a better way to pursue higher education by young Vietnamese. However, the pandemic forced students to halt their plans to study overseas and switch to applying to universities here. This has paved the way for both parents and students to check out Vietnamese universities — and realize that they, too, serve quality education.
Thanks to continuous advancements in teaching methods, curriculums, and cooperation with foreign universities, Vietnam now has several institutions that are recognized globally.
THE World University Rankings 2023 has even included six Vietnamese universities on its list: Duy Tan University (401-500), Ton Duc Thang University (401-500), Viet Nam National University - Hanoi (1001-1200), Ha Noi University of Science and Technology (1501+), Viet Nam National University - Ho Chi Minh (1501+), and Hue University (1501+).
The Higher Education (THE) rankings are based on 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across four areas: teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.
Duy Tan University
Duy Tan University is a private university located in Da Nang. Established by the decree of the Prime Minister in 1994, it is the first and biggest private university in Central Vietnam. For 28 years, Duy Tan University has partnered with well-known universities such as Pennsylvania State University, California State University, and Purdue University.
Duy Tan University was also mentioned in the 2021 Shanghai rankings, QS Asian University rankings, and US News & World Reports in 2022. Some of Duy Tan University's popular majors include Computer Science, Engineering - Technology, Heath and Wellness, and Physical Science.
Ton Duc Thang University
Ton Duc Thang University currently has four branches in Ho Chi Minh, Nha Trang, Bao Loc, and Ca Mau. The institution was established in 1997 as a private institution but now acts as a public one based on university autonomy. In the upcoming years, Ton Duc Thang University aims to become an applied research university that can train, educate and produce a high-quality workforce for Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country.
With the starting point as the Ton Duc Thang Private University of Technology, the key majors of the university are Civil Engineering, Information Science and Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, and Mathematics. These majors are listed in the top 400 and 500 of the University Ranking by Academic Performance.
Viet Nam National University - Hanoi (VNU)
The history of Viet Nam National University started with the foundation of the University of Indochina, which was founded in 1906. In 1993, the university was reorganized to amalgamate three leading universities in Hanoi. After more than a century of development, Viet Nam National University, Hanoi now has several member universities and institutions. Additionally, the university also has two specialized high schools in the field of sciences and linguistics.
Ha Noi University of Science and Technology (HUST)
HUST is like the MIT of Vietnam. Every student who wants to study science and technology always puts HUST as their first choice. The university is the leading technical university in Vietnam, thanks to generations of influential alums. The study curriculum is so challenging that many said it was easy to get in but difficult to get out of this university.
This year, in the national university entrance exam, HUST's highest entry score belongs to Information Technology: Computer Science. Other rising majors like Data Science and AI or Cyber Security do not recruit students using the entrance exam results.
Viet Nam National University - Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM)
Viet Nam National University also has a campus in Ho Chi Minh City, the commercial capital of Vietnam. With 27 units of training and eight member units, the institution has over 60,000 full-time students in various majors, providing a high-quality workforce for Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam.
In recent years, VNU-HCM has organized its own assessment tests. The test has 120 questions about language usage, logical thinking, statistics processing, and problem-solving. According to Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chinh - Director of the Center for Testing and Quality Assessment (VNU-HCM), it incorporates skills similarly tested in SAT and TSA.
Hue University
The latest name that enters the ranking this year is Hue University. Formerly known as the University of Hue, it was established in 1957 as the first higher education institution in Central Vietnam. In the beginning, there were only four departments: Science, Pedagogy, Literature, and Law. At the moment, Hue University offers Bachelor's, Master’s, and Doctoral programs.
Under Hue University, there are 11 specialized universities in areas such as Economics, Education, Arts, Law, Foreign Languages, Hospitality and Tourism, and Sciences. Its vision for 2030 is to become one of the leading-oriented universities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.