From the academic year 2011-2012, the Ministry of Education & Training (MOET) issued an order that all universities and colleges must clearly state their tuition fee schedule once a year. Tuition fees at public universities have recently increased slightly. Annual tuition at private universities has risen quicker than before, to between 6-20 million VND and, in one case, by 120 million. The differences in tuition fees depend on location. For example, tuition at Quang Trung University, Hoa Binh University, Phan Thiet University amounts to 6 to 8 million VND per year. In northern areas, it will cost 16 million a year to study at the Hanoi University of Finance & Banking, 17million at Thang Long University and 46 million at the FPT University. The cost will be higher in the south, with 19 million VND at Van Lang University, 74 million at the University of Finance & Banking and 35 at Vo Truong Toan University. For those offering advanced academic programs, tuition fees are paid in foreign currency, from $2,400 to $6,000 at Saigon International University, $2,500 at Hoa Sen University and $3,000 a year at Tan Tao University.
Despite these increases, there has been no evidence to of improvements in teaching quality because many of the 400 Vietnamese universities and colleges have not yet been accredited, so it is not easy for parents and students to choose the most suitable university.
Sending DTU faculty to America for training is one of DTU’s drives
DTU has initially made efforts to solve these problems. It is one of the forty universities which have already been accredited by MOET. The quality of teaching at DTU is as good as at Saigon International University, Van Lang University, Hoa Sen University in the south and some in the north, such as Thang Long University and the FPT University, but the tuition at DTU is more affordable, at about 12 million VND a year. In addition, DTU has been the only private university in the country to receive the coveted new MOET reward and banners three years in a row, in the 2009, 2010 and 2011.
In the academic year 2011-2012, DTU students gained high achievements in national competitions by winning three first prizes in the 2012 Architecture Festival, one third prize in the Informatics Olympiad, three third prizes in the Mathematics Olympiad, Miss Talent in the National U-League Contest and so on. Eighty-nine percent of DTU students find jobs within six months of graduation. DTU has six well-equipped campuses with more than 1,200 internet computers and a library system with thousands of books and e-books. DTU is the ideal study environment for students. Every year, hundreds of DTU faculty members are sent to America and Singapore for training in professional skills and teaching methods.
DTU faculty on a training course at the CMU campus
With the motto to “stand on the shoulders of giants”, DTU has gradually established its own “brand name” by offering advanced academic and study aboard programs. In particular, tuition fees for DTU’s advanced programs are more affordable than at other universities. It will cost $900 a year to enroll in CMU’s standardized programs in Software Technology, Information Systems and Network Security and about $800 for the PSU program in the fields of Business Administration, Accounting, Finance & Banking and Tourism. Moreover, the first advanced program in Civil Engineering and Architecture, in collaboration with California State University (CSU) has the same tuition fee as PSU. For 2+2 or 3+1 programs, in collaboration with Appalachian State University in the USA or with Coventry University in England, the cost for the first year at DTU is only $2,000. This rate is lower than that at Saigon International University, which costs $2,400 to $6,000 a year, at Hoa Sen University at $2,500 or$ 3,000 at Tan Tao University. Dr. Vo Thanh Hai, the DTU Vice Provost said: “Thanks to our strategy, DTU has strong partnerships with renowned universities worldwide. Moreover, because the standard of living in the Central Vietnam is not as high as in other areas, the DTU Provost decided to maintain affordable tuition for all. That does not mean that DTU’s teaching quality is uncompetitive with other universities. In fact, CMU is one of the four leading universities in the field of Information Technology in America, PSU is one of the top five public universities in the US and CSU is ranked at 33rd in western universities”. Over the past six years, DTU has invested more than $6 million to establish and manage these programs.
Such huge investments to develop DTU’s infrastructure, improve teaching quality and expand international partnerships have made DTU the ideal study environment for all. “At DTU, students are our customers and they have the right to be offered the best of everything. Another DTU motto is: “We all work to benefit students’ in their studies and future careers”, added Dr. Hai.
(Board of Website Editors)