Education is important, and higher education can lead to many benefits, including a steady career and financial security. In this time of crisis, when studying gets a little harder and more complicated, education plays an even more crucial role in other aspects of life.
This may be relatively true but attaining higher education can increase the opportunities and improve the overall quality of life.
In 2020, around 5% of Vietnam’s tertiary level students are enrolled in courses overseas and the country was even ranked ninth in the world for outbound tertiary student mobility. According to UNESCO Institute for Statistics, Japan, USA, and Australia are the top three most popular destinations for Vietnamese to study abroad.
But while many Vietnamese opt to get their diplomas from foreign schools, Vietnam’s own education system is competitive in its own right. The country’s universities continue to reap international recognition, making the cut in various prestigious rankings conducted by renowned organizations.
The Times Higher Education (THE), for one, releases its list of Impact Rankings, the only global performance ranking that assesses universities against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
This year, for its third edition, these four institutions in the country have made a significant impact that landed them on the list: Vietnam National University, Ton Duc Thang University, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, and Phenikaa University.
The World University’s Impact Rankings quantifiably measure the efforts of 1,115 universities from 94 countries and regions to achieve any of the UN’s 17 SDGs, which are initiatives that act as a blueprint to create a “better and more sustainable future for all.”
The list includes no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry innovation and infrastructure, reducing inequality, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace justice and strong institutions, and partnerships for the goals.
Out of the seventeen SDGs, there are two areas that all four institutions ranked the best and common to each. One of which is the goal of having decent work and economic growth which means they all promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. And the second is partnerships for the goals which means these universities manage to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Vietnam National University in Hanoi scored 71.4 points on quality education, ranking 92nd in the world and the highest that a Vietnamese institute has reached.
At the same time, Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City and Phenikaa University in Hanoi, got high scores in implementing sustainable cities and communities. Also, Hanoi University of Science and Technology scored well for gender equality.
The top institution from an emerging economy is Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University at 23rd place. Russia, on the other hand, is the most-represented nation in the table with 75 institutions, followed by Japan with 73.
The overall ranking is led by a UK university for the first time, the University of Manchester. Three Australian institutions complete the top four: the University of Sydney, RMIT University and La Trobe University.