Clearly define functions and tasks

A common limitation that has been pointed out in many current university councils is the lack of genuine participation of members. This is what makes many university councils lose their real power and independence.

How to promote the proper role of the Council in the University? Reporter of Dai Doan Ket Newspaper had an interview with Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Hien - Chairman of the Council of Hanoi National University of Education.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Hien.

PV: In your opinion, what are the current shortcomings of the regulations on University Councils? How is the University Council model organized in the world?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Hien: First of all, it must be affirmed that to implement university autonomy, there must be a University Council mechanism. Experience in the world shows that in most developed countries, the University Council institution always exists in universities. In Vietnam, the Law on University Education clearly states: The University Council is first and foremost a governance organization, exercising the representative rights of the owner and related parties.

Thus, the law clearly stipulates the basic function of the School Council as an organization to manage and guide the development of the school. With public universities, the owner is the state, so the School Council also means representing the ownership of the whole people. Therefore, the composition of the School Council is very diverse because it represents the voice of the people.

Looking at the general world context, in developed countries regarding university governance models, there are basically 2 types of governance models of the University Council: Model like an enterprise (oriented towards determining the focus of investment and implementation), model like the legislative function of the National Assembly (the University Council issues management policies).

In Vietnam, it can be seen that there is a hybrid trend between the two models, both corporate governance and "legislation". According to the Law on Higher Education, basically, the responsibilities and powers of the University Council have 3 groups. The first group is to orient development and promulgate operating regulations (such as regulations on organization of activities, regulations on grassroots democracy, financial regulations). These are major regulations, in which the Regulations on organization of school activities are like the "constitution" of the unit. The second group of tasks is to decide on important issues and tasks of the school (such as organization of apparatus, personnel, salary structure, management, use of assets...). The third group of tasks is supervision.

When viewed like that, the regulations on the functions and tasks of the University Council in the Law on Higher Education and Decree 99/2019 on detailed regulations and instructions for the implementation of a number of articles of the law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Higher Education have been clearly mentioned. However, because it is a Law, many provisions are still general, leading to some difficulties in the implementation process.

Students attend the 2025 Job Fair at Hanoi National University of Education. Photo: NTCC

I think that in the group of responsibilities of the University Council, the regulations on deciding on development strategies or issuing internal management policies are quite clear. But in the group of tasks of deciding on personnel, for better results, there needs to be more specific guidance. In which, the University Council decides and submits to the competent management agency to decide on recognizing, dismissing, or removing the school principal or appointing, dismissing, or removing the vice principal based on the proposal of the principal, which is clear. But deciding on other management positions as prescribed by the regulations on organization and operation of the university leads to different understandings across universities.

For example, at Hanoi National University of Education, the School Council only exercises the authority to decide on the principal, appoint the vice principal and chief accountant. All other management positions from the dean of the faculty, the head of the department are carried out by the Principal and appointed after the Party Committee's policy, then reported to the School Council for information. However, in some other schools, all management positions are appointed by the School Council.

Sir, the Party Secretary concurrently holding the position of Chairman of the University Council is a policy that is consistent with the roadmap for implementing university autonomy. However, the Ministry of Education and Training has recommended that the Party Secretary must be the person with the highest prestige to concurrently hold the position of Chairman of the University Council. So, applying it to the reality at schools and universities that are implementing autonomy, can you evaluate this content?

- In my opinion, the policy of having the Chairman of the School Council as the Party Secretary is correct. The Party Secretary is a prestigious person in the school Party Committee, in terms of politics, expertise, leadership, etc. Therefore, when the Party Secretary takes on the position of Chairman of the School Council, it will be easier to lead and direct.

In the current general operating model of universities, the Party Committee will comprehensively lead all aspects of the school's activities. If the Party Committee Secretary and the Chairman of the University Council are two independent personnel, there may be disagreement or misunderstanding about the same policy, and sometimes the University Council's decisions may differ from the Party Committee's. Thus, there will be potential problems in leadership and direction. Therefore, when the two positions are merged, awareness and direction will be synchronized and consistent.

Many opinions say that there should be a mechanism to dismiss ineffective School Council members. What is your opinion?

- In the regulations, the School Council will be responsible for evaluating the annual performance of the Chairman of the School Council, the Principal and Vice Principals; taking mid-term or extraordinary votes of confidence according to the school's organization and operation regulations for the Chairman of the School Council, the Principal and Vice Principals. The results of this evaluation and vote of confidence are the basis for the competent authority to issue decisions to dismiss positions if the results of confidence are not high.

That means that it is completely possible for the members of the School Council to implement such a mechanism. In the case of failure to complete their tasks or violations, dismissal is natural to ensure the good operation mechanism of the School Council in general as well as the responsibility of each member in particular.

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Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son pointed out that it is important that both the School Council and the Board of Directors play their roles properly, each with their own function and task. The Council resolves work through resolutions of the Council, conducts periodic activities, handles work submitted by the Board of Directors, and has a role similar to that of the People's Council and People's Committee at all levels.

According to you, how should the coordination mechanism between the Party Committee - University Council - Board of Directors be implemented? How should the mutual supervision mechanism and collective spirit be implemented so that the autonomous operation of the university can be truly effective?

- First of all, when the authority and responsibility of the Party Committee, the School Council, and the Principal are clearly defined, the relevant parties will be able to carry out their work smoothly. The School Party Committee is the organization that comprehensively leads all activities, from political work, ideology, Party building, personnel work, professional work, mass organization work to inspection and supervision within the Party; decides on major targets for the entire 5-year term and each year... The School Council implements the Party Committee's resolutions into development strategies, medium-term plans, and school year plans, and at the same time supervises the implementation of these plans when assigning the Principal to organize and manage. In short, the Party Committee leads comprehensively; the School Council administers and supervises; the Principal manages and organizes implementation.

In addition, as I said above, the more specific the sub-law instructions on the implementation of the tasks of the School Council, the better, to avoid unfortunate cases where the School Council either does not fully perform its tasks and responsibilities or performs beyond its authority. I hope that each year the Ministry of Education and Training will have at least 1-2 training sessions to improve the governance and management capacity of the Chairmen of the School Council and the Principals of schools, which will directly contribute to improving the quality of higher education in our country.

Thank you very much!

Since the end of 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long has requested the Ministry of Education and Training to urgently take measures to rectify higher education institutions that have not strictly implemented legal regulations, leading to ineffective school councils. This move was made after the press reported on a number of limitations and shortcomings in the school councils of some higher education institutions. The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Education and Training to review and evaluate the implementation of the Party's policies and legal regulations on school councils of higher education institutions; promptly report and propose and recommend to competent authorities on newly arising issues, issues beyond their authority or the need to amend and supplement relevant regulations.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/tu-chu-dai-hoc-va-trach-nhiem-quyen-han-hoi-dong-truong-bai-cuoi-phan-dinh-ro-chuc-nang-nhiem-vu-10302282.html