International cooperation in education

1. International cooperation in education means cooperation between a higher education institution established in Viet Nam and a foreign higher education institution in order to run courses and issue degrees or diplomas without establishing a new legal entity. International cooperation in education shall comply with the Law on Education and relevant laws.

2. Cooperative program means a foreign program or a program developed by both parties. Such a program may be run entirely in Viet Nam or partly in Viet Nam and partly overseas.

3. The foreign higher education institution shall have good reputation and quality, is permitted in writing by a competent authority of its home country to provide training and issue degrees in relevant fields, or have an unexpired educational quality certification issued by a lawful training quality assessment organization. The parties shall ensure fulfillment of requirements the program in terms of facilities and equipment and lecturers, and take responsibility for the quality of the program.

4. The Minister of Education and Training shall consider approving schemes for international educational cooperation in teacher training-related and health-related fields after comments are given by relevant ministries; schemes for educational cooperation with higher education institutions other than those mentioned in Clause 5 of this Article.

5. A higher education institution that satisfies all of the conditions specified in this Article and Clause 2 of Article 32 of this Law is entitled to participate in cooperation in provision of undergraduate training; when the undergraduate program of such an institution passes the quality assessment, it may participate in cooperation in provision of master's training; when the undergraduate program and master's program of such an institution passes the quality assessment, it may participate in cooperation in provision of doctoral training.

6. In case a cooperative program that is suspended from enrolment or terminated as prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article, the higher education institution shall protect legal interests of its lecturers, employees and students; refund tuition fees to students; pay salaries and other benefits to lecturers and other employees under employment contracts or the collective bargaining agreement; pay tax debts and other debts (if any).

7. A higher education institution shall publish on its website and mass media information about its cooperative programs, legality of the foreign degrees in the issuing country and in Viet Nam; assist students in recognition of degrees; carry out assessment of the cooperative programs offered in Viet Nam after the students graduate and periodically.

8. A higher education institution that offers a cooperative program without satisfying all conditions or ensuring training quality as specified in the cooperation scheme shall be suspended from international cooperation in education for five years from the day on which a conclusion is issued by a competent authority./.