Five Key Universities in Engineering and Technology in Vietnam

On February 27, the government approved the Higher education and Pedagogical network plan for 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050. The plan prioritizes investment in upgrading five institutions into national key universities in engineering and technology, meeting international standards. Among these universities, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST) is considered one of the top higher education institutions in Asia.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, 27–29% of Vietnamese students (560,000-600,000) pursue STEM fields, growing over 10% annually but still lagging behind Singapore (46%), Malaysia (50%), and South Korea, Finland, and Germany (35–39%). The gap is even wider in Natural Sciences and Mathematics, with Vietnam’s enrollment at just 1.5%—one-third to one-fifth of the rates in those countries.

To bridge this gap, Vietnam aims to expand STEM education to 1 million students by 2030, with 1% at the doctoral level and 7% at the master's level. The five universities selected for focused investment are as followed:
 

Name of higher education institution	Key fields
Hanoi University of Science and Technology	Natural Sciences and Life Sciences Mathematics and Statistics Computer Science and Information Technology Engineering
Hanoi University of Civil Engineering	Architecture and Construction
University of Transport and Communications	Transportation and Logistics
Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology	Computer Science and Information Technology
HCMC University of Technology and Education	Engineering and Technology

 Beyond the five designated universities, the government prioritizes investment in institutions specializing in STEM fields aligned with regional economic and social development.  

- Natural Sciences and Life Sciences will be prioritized in four key economic regions and the Central Highlands to support industries such as food processing, high-tech agriculture, healthcare, energy, environment, and marine economy.  

- Computer Science, IT, Electrical, Electronics, and Telecommunications will be developed in major urban areas (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Can Tho) and South Central Vietnam to support software, semiconductor, electronics, telecommunications, and energy industries.  

- Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation, Construction, and Transportation will be strengthened in Northeast, Red River Delta, North Central, Central Coast, Southeast, and Can Tho to support manufacturing, energy, construction, transportation, high-tech agriculture, and marine economy.