A traffic jam is seen in front of Vietnam University of Commerce in Hanoi (Photo: vov.vn) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – Hanoi’s authorities beganplanning to move universities from the capital city’s inner districts to thesuburbs about 20 years ago but up to now, few university relocation projectshave been carried out and none is completed.
Dao Ngoc Nghiem, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Urban Planningand Development Association, said when a master development plan for the citywas approved in 1998, authorities proposed relocating universities out of innerdistricts to reduce pressure on infrastructure, especially transportinfrastructure.
The relocation was also expected to form university zones insuburban areas or satellite urban areas and vice versa.
However, in the last two decades, no university zone hadbeen formed, a major problem hindering the relocation projects, Nghiem said.
In 2011, the Hanoi People’s Committee planned to move 12universities out of the city centre.
The universities, including Trade Union, Hanoi Law, ForeignTrade, Construction, Hanoi Medical University and Hanoi Open University wereexpected to move to satellite urban areas like Gia Lam, Soc Son, Son Tay and HoaLac.
Vietnam National University-Hanoi in Cau Giay district in2003 started a project to relocate the university to Hoa Lac area, the suburbandistrict of Thach That.
The project was approved by the government with estimatedinvestment of 7.32 trillion VND, however, only a few housing blocks and a dormfor 2,000 students have been built.
The facilities have been used for a few military trainingcourses yearly since 2015 while the surrounding roads have not been completed.
Nguyen Duc Dang, director of the university’s DevelopmentCentre in Hoa Lac said the university faced difficulties in ensuring fundingfor the project.
Meanwhile, the Water Resource University is reluctant tosend students to its branch in Pho Hien University Zone in the northernprovince of Hung Yen, despite the 50-ha branch being completed with two lecturehall blocks, a canteen, three dorms and a stadium.
The hesitancy is due to the fact that the zone lacks basicinfrastructure, such as finished roads.
The provincial People’s Committee blames the lack ofinfrastructure on a funding shortage.
Rector of Hanoi Open University Truong Tien Tung said theuniversity had been searching for land and investment to relocate to suburbanareas.
Tung said if they relied entirely on tuition fees, theuniversity wouldn’t have enough money to invest in a relocation project.
He said when a university moved to a new area, it needed aproper infrastructure for its staff and students.
Tran Xuan Nhi, former Vice Minister of Education andTraining, said that few people wanted to leave the city centre. Universitymanagers were not willing to change while students liked crowded areas toeasily get a part-time job.
“The policy to move universities out of the city centreareas is right but the policy implementation is slow because of insufficientdirections and mechanisms,” Nhi said.
When a university is moved to another place, various issuesshould be taken into account, for examples, housing for staff and students andtransportation to the city centre.
As part of the plan to move universities from the citycentre, the Government asked relevant ministries including Education andTraining and Construction and Finance to take responsibility.
“Universities must have detailed roadmaps and the Governmentmust ensure proper funding,” he said.
In the case of autonomous universities, the Governmentshould offer incentive loans so they could have enough financial capacity torelocate, Nhi added.
Nghiem from Hanoi Urban Planning and Development Associationsaid when it came to a university project, facilities for learning were not theonly issue, but housing for teachers and students was important too.
To relocate universities, the Government should also thinkabout incentives to support the universities, their staff and students, Nghiemsaid.-VNS/VNA
Dao Ngoc Nghiem, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Urban Planningand Development Association, said when a master development plan for the citywas approved in 1998, authorities proposed relocating universities out of innerdistricts to reduce pressure on infrastructure, especially transportinfrastructure.
The relocation was also expected to form university zones insuburban areas or satellite urban areas and vice versa.
However, in the last two decades, no university zone hadbeen formed, a major problem hindering the relocation projects, Nghiem said.
In 2011, the Hanoi People’s Committee planned to move 12universities out of the city centre.
The universities, including Trade Union, Hanoi Law, ForeignTrade, Construction, Hanoi Medical University and Hanoi Open University wereexpected to move to satellite urban areas like Gia Lam, Soc Son, Son Tay and HoaLac.
Vietnam National University-Hanoi in Cau Giay district in2003 started a project to relocate the university to Hoa Lac area, the suburbandistrict of Thach That.
The project was approved by the government with estimatedinvestment of 7.32 trillion VND, however, only a few housing blocks and a dormfor 2,000 students have been built.
The facilities have been used for a few military trainingcourses yearly since 2015 while the surrounding roads have not been completed.
Nguyen Duc Dang, director of the university’s DevelopmentCentre in Hoa Lac said the university faced difficulties in ensuring fundingfor the project.
Meanwhile, the Water Resource University is reluctant tosend students to its branch in Pho Hien University Zone in the northernprovince of Hung Yen, despite the 50-ha branch being completed with two lecturehall blocks, a canteen, three dorms and a stadium.
The hesitancy is due to the fact that the zone lacks basicinfrastructure, such as finished roads.
The provincial People’s Committee blames the lack ofinfrastructure on a funding shortage.
Rector of Hanoi Open University Truong Tien Tung said theuniversity had been searching for land and investment to relocate to suburbanareas.
Tung said if they relied entirely on tuition fees, theuniversity wouldn’t have enough money to invest in a relocation project.
He said when a university moved to a new area, it needed aproper infrastructure for its staff and students.
Tran Xuan Nhi, former Vice Minister of Education andTraining, said that few people wanted to leave the city centre. Universitymanagers were not willing to change while students liked crowded areas toeasily get a part-time job.
“The policy to move universities out of the city centreareas is right but the policy implementation is slow because of insufficientdirections and mechanisms,” Nhi said.
When a university is moved to another place, various issuesshould be taken into account, for examples, housing for staff and students andtransportation to the city centre.
As part of the plan to move universities from the citycentre, the Government asked relevant ministries including Education andTraining and Construction and Finance to take responsibility.
“Universities must have detailed roadmaps and the Governmentmust ensure proper funding,” he said.
In the case of autonomous universities, the Governmentshould offer incentive loans so they could have enough financial capacity torelocate, Nhi added.
Nghiem from Hanoi Urban Planning and Development Associationsaid when it came to a university project, facilities for learning were not theonly issue, but housing for teachers and students was important too.
To relocate universities, the Government should also thinkabout incentives to support the universities, their staff and students, Nghiemsaid.-VNS/VNA
VNA
