Attracting and retaining highly qualified lecturers

Competition among universities to attract and retain highly qualified lecturers is becoming increasingly intense. Many universities, particularly those that have achieved financial autonomy, are willing to offer generous incentive packages to recruit highly qualified lecturers, especially in key disciplines.

Lecturers of Lac Hong University (Tran Bien Ward) engage in academic exchanges with lecturers of Le Havre Normandie University (France). Photo: Cong Nghia

For universities in Dong Nai Province, attracting and retaining such talents is even more challenging, as the province is located adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City, the country’s second-largest higher education hub.

A tough problem

Dong Nai is entering a new stage of development, with strong demand for high-quality human resources across various sectors, particularly in science and technology-oriented fields. To meet this demand, it is essential to first build a contingent of highly qualified lecturers. This is a truly difficult challenge, requiring the early introduction of strong and effective policy mechanisms to attract such talents.

From 2023 to present, the Vietnam National University of Forestry, Dong Nai Campus (Trang Bom Commune) has had three lecturers recognized as associate professors by the State Council for Professorship. However, a management staff member holding the associate professor title recently left the university to join a large private university in Ho Chi Minh City. This represents a significant loss of human resources, as developing highly qualified personnel requires substantial time and training costs.

Amid enrollment difficulties in several training programs, at the beginning of 2024, Dong Nai University submitted a report to the Provincial People’s Committee stating that it was unable to arrange employment for 34 lecturers, including nine PhDs and one associate professor with a doctoral degree. Although the university later withdrew the report, the issue raised important concerns regarding the creation of suitable conditions and working environments for highly qualified lecturers.

According to available data, Dong Nai University (Tam Hiep Ward) currently has 205 full-time lecturers, of whom 51 hold doctoral degrees. Among them, 36 are permanent staff members, accounting for 17.56 percent, while 15 are on contract, accounting for 7.31 percent. With doctoral degree holders among permanent staff accounting for only 17.56 percent, the university is unlikely to meet regulatory requirements by 2030. This underscores a pressing shortage of highly qualified lecturers needed to sustain existing training programs and enable the opening of new academic disciplines.

Policies expected to attract and nuture talents 

According to heads of several training institutions in Dong Nai, attracting and retaining highly qualified lecturers, particularly in key disciplines, is a difficult and strategic task. Associate Professor Lam Thanh Hien, President of Lac Hong University (Tran Bien Ward), who was recognized by the State Council for Professorship as an associate professor in 2025, shared that the university’s development is closely tied to proactive efforts to build a high-level faculty team. This is a challenging mission that requires a comprehensive strategy to pursue two parallel objectives: attracting talent while also retaining it over the long term.

Income levels of highly qualified lecturers in Dong Nai

Average monthly salaries for PhD holders at universities in the province such as Lac Hong University, Dong Nai Technology University, Mien Dong Innovative Technology University (Dau Giay Commune), and the Dong Nai branch of Vietnam National University of Forestry range from 20 million to 40 million VND. At Dong Nai University, salaries range from approximately 14.2 million to nearly 30 million VND per month. Actual income is often higher thanks to scientific research activities, overtime teaching, postgraduate supervision, and short-term training programs.

Associate Professor Lam Thanh Hien noted that for many years, the university has taken the lead in providing in-house master’s and doctoral training. In addition, it has leveraged overseas scholarships, particularly in Taiwan (China) and the Republic of Korea, to send lecturers for advanced training. The university applies preferential policies, including financial support and performance-based rewards for individuals who complete their studies, especially those recognized at associate professor level or higher, while also creating pathways for them to advance into management positions.

From another perspective, Dr. Phan Ngoc Son, founder and investor of Dong Nai Technology University (Trang Dai Ward), emphasized that for highly qualified lecturers, attraction mechanisms alone are not sufficient; retention policies are even more critical. If institutions focus solely on recruitment without effective incentives and support, talented individuals will quickly move on. Therefore, it is essential to create an open and respectful working environment that enables lecturers to fully leverage their strengths in scientific research, innovation, and teaching.

Under the Law on Higher Education, Dong Nai University currently lacks approximately 229 lecturers, including 155 PhDs, 37 associate professors, and 37 professors, to maintain existing programs and launch new ones. Dr. Dang Anh Tuan, Vice President in charge of the university, said that after consolidating the university’s leadership, the institution is focusing on developing a high-level human resources attraction scheme. In the near term, the university aims to recruit nearly 20 doctoral degree holders or higher, offering competitive one-time incentives comparable to those of universities in the province and the wider region. Specifically, the one-off incentive is set at 300 million VND for doctoral degree holders, 350 million VND for associate professors, and 400 million VND for professors.

By Cong Nghia – Translated by Thuc Oanh, Thu Ha