The State Council for Professor Title for term 2009-2014 held its first plenary meeting on April 21st, 2009 in Hanoi with the participation of 25 out of 29 members of the Council and under the chair of Prof.Dr. Nguyen Thien Nhan-the member of the Central Party, the Deputy Prime Minister of the government and the Minister of Education and Training. The Council warmly welcomed delegations from ministries, committees, departments from government and Hanoi, universities and press agencies. The members of the Council found this meeting a great chance to meet and discuss with the professor members from the former Council.
There are 29 members among which one is a female professor, seven are re-appointed, and 27 are chairs of 27 disciplinary and interdisciplinary councils for professor title.
The Council listened to reports, discussed and decided on the following items:
1. Support Decision No 174/2008/QĐ-TTg dated December 12, 2008 by the Prime Minister on promulgating the criteria and procedures for appointing and terminating Associate Professor (Assc.Prof) and Professor (Prof) title.
According to this Decision, the appointment of the professorial title involves the recognition for being qualified for the title of professor/associate professor and the promotion to the corresponding ranks.
Prof.Dr. Nguyen Thien Nhan, Prime Minister of Government, Minister of Education and Training, chairman of the State Council for Professor Title, stressed the major points and changes of Decision 174/2008 as compared to Decree 20/2001:
- An improvement in the quality of the recognition and appointment of title the title of professor/associate professor in the spirit of integration to quickly meet the regional and international standards.
- An enhancement in the autonomy of higher education institutions in recognizing and appointing the title of professor/associate professor.
- An enhancement in the application of information technology to improve meeting arrangements, discussions and other steps in recognizing the title of professor/associate professor.
2. The Council discussed the contents of the drafts on:
- Guiding the implementation of Decision No 174 dated December 31, 2008 by the Prime Minister.
- The regulations for the organization and function of the State Council for Professor Title; the Disciplinary/Interdisciplinary Council for Professor Title; and Institutional Council for Professor Title.
- The action plan and schedule for the recognition of the title of professor/associate professor in 2009.
- The final report of the State Council for Professor Title in term 2001-2007.
3. After the discussion, the State Council for Professor Title decided on the new and major items as follows:
3.1. On the criteria for the title of professor/associate professor
- Criteria for a scientific article: The assessment of each article mainly bases on the its quality, with reference to the scientific prestige of the journal. Each article earns from 0 to 2 points (c.f. Decree 20: from 0 to 1 point) and the maximum score (2 points) is awarded only to especially distinguished articles published in leading international journals or in much-quoted Vietnamese journals. The Disciplinary Council for Professor Title will classify the scored scientific journals and submit for the decision of the State Council for Professor Title.
- Books for undergraduate and post-graduate training cover 4 kinds, scored as follows: each specialized book earns from 0 to 3 points; each textbook earns from 0 to 2 points; each reference book earns from 0 to 1.5 points; each guide book earns from 1 to 1 point (Guideline on the implementation of Decree 20 followed a higher score basis: 0 to 4 points for each specialized book; 0 to 3 points for each textbook; 0 to 2 points for each reference book; and 0 to 1 point for each guide book).
- Criteria for research projects: Candidates for Associate Professor Title must lead at least 2 research works at institutional level or 1 research work at ministerial or higher level, all of which must be evaluated as being qualified. This criteria will be in effect from January 1st, 2011. Head of each institutional research work is awarded 0 to 0.25 points if it is practical and of good scientific value. (Decree 20 only required each candidate to lead 1 institutional research work or participate in a ministerial research work, all without point awards).
- General Criteria for Foreign Language Competence for the title of professor/associate professor: Be fluent in a foreign language in the field specialized and be able to communicate in English. This criterion has been in effect since January 1st, 2009. (Decree 20 only requires professor title holder to be fluent in one of the five foreign languages: English, Russian, French, Chinese, and German; Associate Professor holders are required to be fluent in any foreign languages.)
-Criteria for postgraduate training: Applicants for Professor title must be a primary supervisor for 2 PhD students who successfully completed their theses. Applicants of Associate Professor title must be a primary supervisor for 2 master graduates who successfully completed their dissertations or must be either primary or secondary supervisor for a PhD student who successfully completed his or her thesis. This criterion has been in effect since January 1st, 2009. ( As for Decree 20, applicants for Professor title are required to be a supervisor for 2 successful doctoral theses, one of whom is under his or her primary supervision. Applicants for associate professor title are required to be a primary supervisor for a successful master dissertation or be a supervisor (either primary or secondary) for a successful doctoral thesis.)
- Regulations on Application Assessment:
+ Each application is assessed by three persons (compared with 2 people in Decree 20).
+ To enhance scientific quality as well as integration in the assessment of the title of professor/associate professor, the Councils for Professor Title at all levels, where necessary, can invite Vietnamese or international professors/associate professors, or an international expert well-recognized in the specialized field of the applicant to assess the applicant’s corresponding specialized field.
+ Before the assessment of the Council, each candidate is required to self-assess the scientific quality of his or her articles and books, as well as to rank them in order of quality rather than in chronological order.
- There was a change in the requirement on vote ratios at councils of all levels: each successful candidate must win 2/3 votes of confidence out of the members of the institutional council for professor title, ¾ votes of confidence out of the members of the disciplinary council for professor title and 2/3 votes of confidence out of the members of the State Council for Professor Title. (Compared with Decree 20, all decisions made by the councils for professor title at all level are effective if there are at least ¾ members of the council agreed on either public or secret voting under the following regulations on vote proportion:
+ for an institutional council for professor title, there must be an approval of up to 2/3 members present at the meeting;
+ for a disciplinary council for professor title, there must be an approval of up to ¾ members present at the meeting;
+ for the State Council for Professor Title, there must be an approval of up to ½ members present at the meeting.
- Criteria for the minimum score of each candidate for the title of professor/associate professor are the same with those in Decree 20: for professor title, a lecturer candidate is given 12 points and a lecturer with another responsibility is given 20 points; for associate professor title, a lecturer candidate is given 6 points, and a lecturer with another responsibility is given 10 points.
- According to Decision No 174, the head of higher education institutions is responsible for examining and evaluating the task fulfillment of the holders of professorial titles before assigning them new tasks. Unlike Decree 20, this change requires each associate professor and professor to constantly strengthen their expertise and enhance their contributions.
3.2. Plan and Schedule for the consideration and recognition of title of professor/associate professor in 2009
The State Council for Professor Title agreed that the assessment of the title of professor/associate professor in 2009 would be completed by November 20, 2009. The specific schedule will be soon notified by the standing committee of the State Council for Professor Title.
3.3. Scientists of either Vietnamese or international nationality (including the Vietnamese living abroad and the foreigners) who have significant contributions in science and education for the world and Vietnam will be considered to be awarded directly the title of professor or associate professor in Vietnam. Vietnamese scholars living abroad or foreign scholars who already held the title of associate professor in a prestigious institution in another country will be considered to be appointed an associate professor in Vietnam..
4. Final Report of the Activities of the State Council for Professor Title in term 2001-2007.
- The State Council for Professor Title in term 2009-2014 discussed with the council members of the previous term on the final report of the professorial title selection from 2001 to 2007 presented by Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nhan, the chairman of the State Council for Professor Title.
-The chairman of the State Council for Professor Title in term 2009-2014 acknowledged the significant contributions made by the member professors of the Council in term 2001-2007 and encouraged them to share their valuable experiences with the new member professors.
- Prof. DSc. Pham Minh Hac, the chairman of the State Council for Professor title in term 2001-2007, spoke on behalf of his senior member professors. He stressed that the results achieved by the State Council for Professor Title in term 2001-2007 had facilitated the development of a highly qualified and young teachers and scientists.
Complete and detailed information on the contents of the legal documents supporting the selection of associate professors and professors in 2009 will be soon printed the book titled “legal documents”./.
On Behalf of the Standing State Council for Professor Title
General Secretary
(signed)
Prof. DSc. Tran Van Nhung
Gotop