Nearly 60% of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology students graduate late

Only about 40-50% of engineering students at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City graduate on time, with the lowest rate observed at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

Data released by the Center for Testing and Educational Quality Assessment, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM), on 27/12 revealed that nearly 60% of students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology do not graduate on schedule. Out of over 17,800 students graduating this year, the on-time completion rate for programs varied significantly among VNUHCM's member universities.

While the University of Health Sciences led the system with 87,5% of its students graduating on time, followed by the University of Economics and Law at 71,1%, and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at 62%, universities in the engineering and technology fields recorded lower rates. Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology achieved only 40,6%, the International University 44,7%, and the University of Science 47,2%. Although these rates meet the Ministry of Education and Training's standard of 40% or higher, VNUHCM considers them below expectations.

This trend reflects a national pattern, with differentiation across industry groups. Engineering and technology programs typically see only 40-50% of students completing their studies on time. In contrast, business, management, and medical fields achieve higher rates, ranging from 70 to 90%. Internationally, the average on-time graduation rate in 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is about 43%. East Asian countries, however, show significantly higher figures, with Japan at 80%, China at 90%, and South Korea at 71%.

Through surveys, VNUHCM identified several factors affecting student study progress: program design, foreign language proficiency requirements, economic, and psychological pressure. Additionally, the rigorous evaluation methods specific to engineering disciplines pose a significant barrier to timely graduation.

To improve this indicator, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City will focus on standardizing training programs and operating an early academic warning system. The university also plans to strengthen the role of lecturers and academic advisors in functional departments. During a late November seminar, Professor Doctor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai, Director of Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, urged member universities to seriously address this issue and implement solutions to increase the system-wide on-time graduation rate to 70% by 2030.

Established in 1995, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City is the largest higher education system in the country, with over 100,400 students.