For financial reasons, it may be difficult to retain younger university lecturers, although the most capable have several ways of substantially increasing their incomes if they are consistently conscientious and dedicate themselves to their teaching and research.
Photo: INT
Associate Professor Phan Cao Tho - Rector of the Danang University of Technology & Education: Improving the work and research environment to retain young lecturers
Associate Professor Phan Cao Tho
New lecturers are paid as trainees, to assist during student practice sessions, course assignments and project defense. Although they do not earn as much as more experienced lecturers, they still have income. Actually, starting pay is not too low because, in addition, all staff are eligible for university welfare benefits, to ensure a stable environment as they gain experience. The Danang University of Technology & Education Support Fund, for example, invests 300 million VND to lend staff money for tuition fees in their formative years.
The hiring of young professionals with strong potential is highly competitive and working conditions and employment policies may be more attractive to some of them than basic remuneration. The university provides a friendly work environment, complete respect for younger lecturers, an environment to exploit their abilities to the full, and support for research projects and international relationship activities. Lecturers at all levels can meet with foreign partners and businesses and organize conferences, which broadens their knowledge and inspires their continuing dedication. The University of Technology & Education currently employs many lecturers born in the ’70s and ’80s, currently managing majors, departments and even of the university itself.
To retain talented lecturers, the university study environment can be sustained through investment in infrastructure, the latest equipment and easy access to the information worldwide. Combined with a spirit of teamwork and goodwill, this will ensure that younger lecturers can overcome initial difficulties and grow rapidly in expertise.
Associate Professor Vo Thi Thuy Anh, Vice-Rector of the School of Economics at the University of Danang: Increasing research capacity
Associate Professor Vo Thi Thuy Anh
The School of Economics at the University of Danang has developed databases for teachers and researchers and meanwhile instructs young lecturers on international publications, data analysis and mining, research software, intellectual property rights and so on.
Long-established reading groups in each department also contribute to formalizing academic disciplines, spread knowledge and create a community of “scientific reading buddies.” For economists in particular, this simplifies the complex process of publishing papers in prestigious international journals.
Researchers must comprehend all the current breakthroughs relating to their specialized fields globally, before selecting an appropriate topic of interest that has yet to be investigated or published. Our reading groups are one channel where lecturers can delve into this information most effectively, which is a vital resource for young lecturers working on projects.
In 2020-2021 alone, the University of Danang School of Economics published 65 international papers, including 44 in journals indexed by WoS/ISI and 21 in Scopus. Several of them were ranked at the A* level and 60% at Q1, according to Scopus Scimago. The University of Danang School of Economics is ranked in the top three Vietnamese universities, by the number of Economics, Business & Management publications in WoS/ISI-indexed journals. Our lecturers also have published 88 papers in domestic journals, given 105 presentations at conferences in Vietnam and overseas and is currently partnering on 27 new research topics at all levels, including one with state funding. More that half of these are managed by our younger lecturers.
Dr Vo Thanh Hai, DTU Vice Provost: Helping young lecturers to live off their innate abilities
Dr. Vo Thanh Hai
We are well aware that well-funded research alone will not always retain the most talented researchers. Monetary bonuses will not necessarily attract them if there is no true, visible and established research environment. Investment in laboratories should come with policies that guarantee that scientists can unleash their creativity and work independently to develop their own personal skills. In 2009, DTU reformulated its development strategy to keep teaching activities to a minimum. However, at the same time, the research would also serve to improve the quality of teaching and lower-level projects and with researchers assisting in various student projects.
The university has recently amended its policies for researchers. Income has now been set higher than for those solely lecturing, as regular pay instead of the previous irregular bonuses paid on successful project completion. The university also funds participants in conferences and workshops and those who study abroad during partnership activities.
Associate Professor Le Phuoc Cuong, Director of the Environmental Protection Research Centre, from the Science & Technology Department at the University of Danang: New policies to encourage young lecturers to do research
Associate Professor Le Phuoc Cuong. Photo: NVCC
In 2012, I became a trainee lecturer in Vietnam, after seven years of studying in Russia and was determined to pursue specialized research, so a university position suited me well. My main duty as a trainee was to prepare lectures, but I began teaching in my second year and started implementing some technological projects.
In the early days, my university paid new lecturers only a few hundred thousand VND per month, not too much, but enough to demonstrate their concern for the livelihood of newcomers, to attract them or not, depending individual perspectives. Personally, because I was allowed to work on several interesting projects, my life was good enough, without too much hardship, and my enthusiasm to dedicate myself to my work steadily increased.
However, university research policies, concerning participation in domestic and international conferences and bonuses for the publication of papers in international journals, motivated me to teach and conduct more innovative research. But things have changed again now, and young researchers today have more opportunity to work long-term on bigger projects, funded by Nafosted or the government, for example.
Preferential technological development policies in government and education these days are more focused and tailored to specific requirements, no longer just formalities. Young lecturers are encouraged to meet, exchange experience and ideas, and network to significantly broaden their outlook.
(Media Center)