Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Over 45,000 foreign studentsfrom 102 countries and territories studied in 155 educational facilities acrossVietnam from 2016 to 2021, according to the Ministry of Education and Training.

Each year, around 4,000 to more than 6,000 foreign students areadmitted to Vietnamese educational institutions on average, said the ministry.

The figure fell to 3,000 in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19pandemic.

Most of the students either study at universities or choseshort-term courses. A quite modest number of foreign students choosepostgraduate programmes (Master’s or PhD).

Lao and Cambodian students mainly do PhD courses, while somestudents from China, the Republic of Korea and Japan prefer majoring in Vietnamstudies.

Particularly, the number of students from Laos and Cambodiaaccounted for nearly 80% of the total number of foreign arrivals.

The number of students from China, France, the Republic of Korea,and Japan has increased considerably in recent times thanks to the growingeconomic ties between Vietnam and those countries.

Specifically, the Hanoi-based Vietnam National University took thelead in admissions of foreign students who hailed from 74 countries andterritories worldwide.

It is followed by the Vietnam National University - HCM City (47),Hanoi University (44), Hue University (34), Thai Nguyen (29), and Da Nang(13).

Afavourite destination

Home to a diverse culture, cordial citizens, and a qualityeducation environment, Vietnam has emerged as a favourite destination forstudents across the globe.

Some 20,000 foreign students are now studying in Vietnam,primarily in graduate and post-graduate studies.

Improving the quality of tertiary education is among the toppolicies of Vietnam to fulfill human resources demand, with due attention beingpaid to international integration.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc urgedVietnamese universities to improve the quality of their programmes and beef upinternational cooperation to attract more foreign students.

He asked the Ministry of Education and Training to enhance theregulatory framework of the training and management of foreign students in Vietnam.

He also expected the ministry and Vietnamese universities to rampup the signing of international agreements for student exchange to welcome moreforeigners to study in the country./.