Society

The Times Higher Education (THE) announced its “World University Rankings (WUR) by Subject 2023” on October 26. The Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), had six subjects in the rankings; two more than in the previous edition. The four subjects previously ranked are Computer Sciences, Engineering, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences, with the two new subjects being Business and Economics, and Life Sciences.

Under the draft of the “Upgrading Vietnamese Labor Skills to 2030 and Vision to 2045” project from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA), the goal by 2030 is to standardize vocational skills levels for about 50 per cent of the national workforce, especially workers in key economic sectors.

Addressing a meeting with the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Education on October 17, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son proposed that the legislature ensure that a minimum of 20 per cent of total national budget expenditure is set aside for education. Despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic, the education sector has posted a range of positive results. In the ranking of countries in terms of education in 2021, Vietnam was 59th, up five places compared to 2020.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has said that, over the past year, the government and localities have spent more than VND86 trillion ($3.54 billion) on supporting over 56 million people facing difficulties due to the pandemic and also over 730,000 employers. But in order for the poor to sustainably escape from poverty, it is necessary to create appropriate mechanisms and policies and to secure the active participation of domestic and foreign enterprises and the support of international partners.

A housing project to serve the needs of 10,000 employees at the Dinh Vu - Cat Hai Economic Zone in northern Hai Phong city is to be built on more than 5.4 ha, with total investment of over VND1.5 trillion ($61.4 million). The city is urgently clearing the site so that construction can get underway in the fourth quarter.

The Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee has approved the Housing Development Plan in 2022, with expected capital of more than VND10 trillion ($410.15 million). The residential - commercial area will increase 36.4 per cent and social housing 3.85 per cent. The province is striving to have an average floor area of 25.5 sq m per person by 2025.