Thousands of people interested in PhD programs abroad will have the opportunity to receive scholarships under a project by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).

In this file photo, Vietnamese applicants are seen seeking information on study in France and Germany at an education fair in Ho Chi Minh City. Tuoi Tre

According to a February 5 statement on its website, The MoET’s Viet Nam International Education Development branch is recruiting 1,300 candidates for doctoral training programs in various foreign countries in 2016.

The initiative is part of Project 911 which focuses on training PhD instructors for universities and junior colleges in Viet Nam during the 2010-20 period.

Project 911 aims to increase Viet Nam’s PhD degree holders by at least 20,000 through the year 2020, half of whom will be trained abroad at various reputable universities and colleges.

The aim is not only to hike the number of future Vietnamese PhD instructors, but to improve the overall quality of education in the country.

One thousand three hundred selected candidates will be sent to a variety of countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, and others.

The fields of study undertaken by the candidates will be natural sciences, technical-technological sciences, social sciences, agriculture-forestry-fisheries, pharmacy, economics-management, and arts-sports.

During their time spent studying overseas, successful candidates will receive a state-funded scholarship that will cover tuition (a maximum of US$15,000 per year), required fees related to their training program, living expenses, health insurance, passport and visa fees, and other incurred expenditures.

Even with the scholarship, candidates accepted into the program will have to pay VND13-52 million (US$580-2,323), depending on the duration of their studies, to the government once they are officially enrolled overseas.

Eligibility for the program is restricted to instructors working at educational institutes, universities, and colleges in Viet Nam, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degree holders graduating within 12 months prior to the scholarship’s application deadline.

Candidates must also be younger than 45 and be able to meet certain foreign language command requirements.

Applicants are expected to commit themselves to completing the entire training program and returning to work for the schools which send them abroad, according to the file attached on the website.

Detailed information can be found at http://www.vied.vn and http://www.moet.gov.vn/.

(Source: Tuoi Tre News)