Vietnam¡¯s aim to develop five ¡°world-class¡± universities by 2027 appears unachievable in such a tight time frame, experts have warned.?

The pledge was made last week as part of the government¡¯s latest education reform package,?part of a sweeping attempt to reshape its higher education system and sharpen the country¡¯s competitive edge.

The Ministry of Education and Training has been given until 2027 to present a final plan, which is expected to involve both upgrading existing institutions and building new hubs for research and innovation.

The reform programme will reorganise how universities are governed and funded, shift some institutions under local control and push others to become research powerhouses with closer ties to industry.

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By 2025-26, Hanoi also wants advanced centres for artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship in place, while by 2030 it hopes to have 15 to 20 universities with strong international reputations in science, engineering and technology.

Ly Tran, professor in the School of Education at Deakin University, called the goal ¡°bold and highly ambitious¡± but questioned whether it could be met so quickly.

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¡°Vietnam has set out detailed targets, such as expanding enrolments to three million students and lifting participation among 18- to 22-year-olds to a third of the age group,¡± she told 51³Ô¹Ï.

¡°But building three to five elite universities that gain global recognition for research, teaching quality and international reach in just a few years is a stretch.¡±

She added that Vietnam¡¯s growing middle class is hungry for quality higher education and that the government sees universities as vital to innovation and economic growth.

Investments in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Can Tho, as well as at Hue University and the University of Da Nang, show where resources are being concentrated.

But Tran warned that research output, internationalised curricula and quality assurance are still weak, while autonomy remains restricted.

¡°Without deeper reforms in governance, funding, teaching and internationalisation, Vietnam risks chasing rankings rather than building lasting excellence,¡± she said.

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Mark Ashwill, co-founder of Capstone Education and former Vietnam director of the Institute of International Education, said the government¡¯s ambitious deadline was less about feasibility than intent.

¡°Developing three to five elite universities in two years is a tall order,¡± he said.

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¡°The government is often ambitious in the spirit of the proverb, ¡®A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step¡¯. Whether this happens in two, five or 10 years, I¡¯m confident it will become a reality. The signalling of political will is key.¡±

He pointed to well-known obstacles such as limited autonomy, the need to recruit top faculty, weak research funding and underdeveloped infrastructure. But he said Vietnam had been pragmatic in learning from other systems.

¡°The government has acknowledged that equal access to education is a prerequisite for a prosperous and just society. Its ability to learn from both successes and mistakes abroad and adapt them locally is paying off,¡± he said.

Ashwill added that urgency stems from wider pressures: escaping the middle-income trap, preparing young people for fast-changing labour markets, and addressing looming demographic decline and environmental challenges.?¡°Education is a key player in this process,¡± he said.

Both experts stressed that even if the 2027 deadline proves unrealistic, the reforms could lay a foundation for lasting change.

Tran described higher education as now ¡°central to Vietnam¡¯s national development strategy¡±. Even partial progress, she argued, could produce a more innovative, resilient system.

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tash.mosheim@timeshighereducation.com