The Ministry of Education and Training has issued a new circular that sets strict quality benchmarks for higher education institutions in Vietnam. The regulation, Circular 83/2026/TT-BGDDT, prescribes standards for governance, faculty, facilities, finance, and student outcomes. It takes effect on November 15, 2026.
Clearer rules for institutions
The new circular applies to all universities and academies conducting higher education. It also covers other education institutions carrying out such activities. The standards define minimum requirements for quality assurance and performance indicators.
Data serving the assessment must be systematic, complete, accurate and objective, and be connected and shared through HEMIS. Data serving the determination of the level of compliance with the Standards for higher education institutions shall be updated on HEMIS. If the system fails, schools must compile and provide data electronically upon request. The assessment process relies on verified data from internal governance systems, learning management platforms, and library software.
For newly established institutions without enrolled learners, only three standards apply: organization and governance, lecturers, and facilities. Schools that have started operating but lack graduates must still meet governance and lecturer requirements. They are exempt from criteria involving graduation rates or employment outcomes until they have sufficient data.
Specific conditions apply to military and public security institutions, as well as schools in arts and physical education. These groups face different rules for financial ratios and research output. The circular requires branch campuses and member universities to aggregate their data for a unified assessment result.
Each institution must conduct an annual self-assessment and publish the results before May 31 of the following year. The Ministry will review the data and announce official findings by June 30. Institutions found to have falsified information will face legal consequences.
The rules also address transitional arrangements. Previous assessment results from Circular 01/2024/TT-BGDDT remain valid until the new system is fully in place. This gives schools time to align their operations with the new criteria without facing immediate penalties.
Assessment process and penalties
Assessment results are determined by one of three statuses: achieved, not achieved, or insufficient data. The actual result must meet or exceed the required level for a status of achieved. A status of not achieved applies when the result falls below the required level. Insufficient data occurs when data are missing, invalid, or contain discrepancies that have not been reconciled.