Decision No. 18/2017/QD-TTg dated May 31, 2017 of the Prime Minister on bridge programs between post-secondary schools or colleges and universities

THE PRIME MINISTER 

Decision No. 18/2017/QD-TTg dated May 31, 2017 of the Prime Minister on bridge programs between post-secondary schools or colleges and universities

Pursuant to the Law on Government organization dated June 19, 2015;

Pursuant to the Law on Higher Education dated June 18, 2012;

Pursuant to the Law on Vocational Education dated November 27, 2014;

Pursuant to the Government s Decree No. 138/2013/ND-CP dated October 22, 2013 on penalties for administrative violations against regulations on education;

At the request of the Minister of Education and Training;

The Prime Minister promulgates a Decision on bridge programs between post-secondary schools or junior colleges and universities.

DECISION

Article 1. Scope of adjustment and subject of application

1. This Decision sets forth bridge programs between post-secondary schools or junior colleges and universities in full-time and in-service modes, including: conditions for enrollment for bridge programs; power to decide, report and publish enrollment for bridge programs; conditions for students applying for bridge programs; targets of enrollment for bridge programs; enrollment for bridge programs; training curricula and bridge training curricula; inspection, actions against violations; transition and implementation provisions.

2. This Decision applies to national universities, regional universities, institutions, senior colleges, including senior college members of national universities, regional universities (hereinafter referred to as higher education institutions); post-secondary schools, junior colleges; relevant entities.

Article 2. Conditions for enrollment for bridge programs

A higher education institution which meets the following conditions is entitled to conduct enrollment for bridge programs between post-secondary schools or junior colleges and universities:

1. For expected academic discipline:

a) The higher education institution has decided to open the academic discipline at university level in full-time mode;

b) The higher education institution has provided credited-based training curriculum at university level for at last continuous 3 courses when it decides to conduct enrollment for bridge programs in full-time mode.

Regarding bridge programs in arts discipline, the higher education institution has provided credited-based or term-based training curriculum at university level in full-time mode for at last continuous 3 courses when it decides to conduct enrollment for bridge programs in full-time mode.

Regarding bridge programs in health discipline, the higher education institution must ensure that students of at least one course at university level in full-time mode have been graduated.

2. The higher education institution has promulgated regulations on acknowledgement of conversion of learners’ performance and body of knowledge, accumulated skills that are exempt from the bridge program and has published them on its website.

Article 3. The power to decide, report, and publish enrollment for bridge programs

1. The power to decide enrollment for bridge program

The head of higher education institution has the power to issue a decision on enrollment for bridge program between post-secondary schools or junior colleges and universities when all the conditions prescribed in Article 2 of this Decision are met. The decision on enrollment for bridge program must specify academic discipline, level, and types of bridge programs, students and methods of enrollment.

2. Report and publish enrollment for bridge program

Within 3 working days from the date on which the decision on enrollment for bridge program is issued, the higher education institution shall send a report, in person or by post, to the Ministry of Education and Training and publish it on its website, including:

a) The on enrollment for bridge program;

b) Copies of decisions issued by the higher education institution or competent authorities:

- The decision on opening the bridged academic discipline/ field of study at university level in full-time mode;

- The decision on credited-based training curriculum at university level of bridged academic discipline and the decision on successful applicants of credited-based training curriculum at university level for at last continuous 3 courses issued by the higher education institution that has conducted enrollment for bridge program in full-time mode;

- The decision on promulgating training curriculum at university level of bridged academic discipline and the decision on successful applicants of credited-based training curriculum at university level for at last continuous 3 courses issued by the higher education institution that has conducted enrollment for bridge program in full-time mode in arts discipline;

- The decision on recognition of graduates from a course of training curriculum at university level in full-time mode, in case of bridge program in health discipline;

- The decision on acknowledgement of conversion of learners’ performance and body of knowledge, accumulated skills that are exempt from the bridge program (enclosed with address of the higher education institution’s website).

Article 4. Conditions for applicants for bridge programs

1. Post-secondary school or junior college graduates may keep enrolling in university program with appropriate majors, or other majors if they satisfy conditions of the training curriculum.

2. An applicant for bridge program must meet the following conditions in accordance with applicable regulations and laws on enrollment at the tertiary level of the Ministry of Education and Training and obtain at least one of the following diplomas:

a) a post-secondary school diploma or junior college diploma issued by a Vietnamese training institution. The holder of post-secondary school diploma must undertake that he/she has learned and taken tests covering adequate academic body of knowledge at upper secondary level as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training;

b) a post-secondary school diploma or junior college diploma issued by a foreign training institution that has been acknowledged as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training or Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs;

c) Regarding bridge program of health discipline, the applicant must obtain a post-secondary diploma or junior college in health discipline, in which a holder of physician associate diploma may apply for bridge program majoring in General Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Odonto-Stomatology, or a holder of pharmaceutical post-secondary diploma or pharmaceutical junior college diploma may apply for bridge program majoring in pharmacy.

Article 5. Bridge program enrollment targets

1. The target of enrollment for bridge programs in full-time mode and in-service mode shall be identified according to the total target being determined annually according to every academic discipline of higher education institutions, in which the target of enrollment for bridge programs in full-time mode and in-service mode may not exceed 20% of total target of in full-time mode and in-service mode of respective academic discipline.

In a case where specific bridge programs are deemed necessary for socio-economic development or national defense and security, the Ministry of Education and Training shall report to Prime Minister for consideration.

2. Higher education institutions must publish their targets of enrollment for bridge programs according to academic disciplines, applicants, methods of enrollment; types of bridge programs on their websites and means of mass media at least 30 days before receiving applications for enrollment in bridge programs.

Article 6. Enrollment in bridge programs

1. Enrollment in bridge programs between post-secondary schools or junior colleges and universities shall be conducted in the forms of examination, assessment, or combination of examination and assessment subject to decision of the heads of higher education institutions in accordance with applicable regulations and laws on enrollment at the tertiary level of the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. A holder of post-secondary diploma is entitled to apply for bridge program, take the enrollment examination in company with upper secondary graduates at annual admission to higher education of higher education institutions.

3. A holder of junior college diploma is entitled to apply for bridge program, take the examination for enrollment in bridge program in the forms subject to decision of the head of higher education institution as follows:

a) Take the enrollment examination in company with upper secondary graduates at annual admission to higher education of the higher education institution.

b) Take the particular enrollment examination that the higher education institution prepares examination papers and administer the examination itself. Exam subjects of particular enrollment examination: basic subjects, subject area and discipline or professional practice. The enrollment, assessment, and convention of successful applicants shall be done in accordance with applicable regulations and laws on enrollment at the tertiary level of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Regarding bridge programs of health discipline, particular enrollment in bridge program only applies to holders of practice certificates who must achieve at least 5 for each exam subject according to the scale of 10.

Article 7. Training curriculum and bridge program

1. Training curriculum for bridge program in full-time mode means the training curriculum at university level in full-time mode that has been applied at a higher education institution. Training curriculum for bridge program in in-service mode means the training curriculum at university level in full-time mode that has been applied at a higher education institution.

2. Pursuant to Clause 2 Article 2 of this Decision, the head of higher education institution shall decide to acknowledge the conversion of learners’ performance and body of knowledge that are exempt from the bridge program for every student, on the basis of comparison in terms of graduates’ qualifications, training curriculum, body of knowledge, assessment of learners’ performance at post-secondary or junior college level with that of university level.

The higher education institution must publish criteria, process, and results of acknowledgement of conversion of learners’ performance and body of knowledge, accumulated skills that are exempt from the bridge program for each student and publish them on its website prior to the course.

3. Each student of bridge program at university level in full-time mode is entitled to earn credits in the corresponding training curriculum in company with full-time students and each student of bridge program at university level in in-service modes is entitled to learn subjects in the respective training curriculum in company with in-service students. The training and award of bachelor’s degrees shall be conducted in accordance with applicable regulations and laws on training at tertiary level of the Ministry of Education and Training.

4. Regarding health discipline majoring in General Medicine, Traditional Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Odonto-Stomatology and Pharmacy, no bridge program in in-service mode is allowed.

Article 8. Inspection and actions against violations

1. Inspection

The Ministry of Education and Training and other regulatory agencies shall inspect bridge programs between post-secondary schools or colleges and universities as per the law.

2. Actions against violations

Administrative violations against regulations on bridge programs between post-secondary schools or colleges and universities shall be sanctioned in accordance with applicable regulations and laws on penalties for administrative violations against regulations on education of the Government.

Article 9. Transitional regulations

1. Any course of bridge program between post-secondary schools or colleges and universities before the effective date of this Decision shall comply with regulations and laws on bridge programs between colleges and universities of the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Any course of bridge program between post-secondary schools or colleges and universities after the effective date of this Decision shall comply with this Decision.

Article 10. Implementation

1. This Decision takes effect on July 15, 2017.

2. This Decision annuls Circular No. 55/2012/TT-BGDDT dated December 25, 2012 and Circular No. 08/2015/TT- BGDDT dated April 21, 2015 on amendments to Circular No. 55/2012/TT- BGDDT dated December 25, 2012 of the Ministry of Education and Training on bridge programs between colleges and universities and relevant regulations of ministries on bridge programs.

3. Minister of Education and Training, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of Governmental agencies, Presidents of People’s Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities, higher education institutions, vocational education institutions and relevant entities shall implement this Decision./.

For the Prime Minister

The Deputy Prime Minister

Vu Duc Dam