On January 21, Times Higher Education (THE) released its World University Rankings by Subject, highlighting notable progress for Vietnamese higher education on the global academic map. Among Vietnamese institutions included in the rankings, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM) stands out as the only university represented across all nine subject areas assessed by THE, demonstrating balanced and comprehensive development in both teaching and research.
The subject areas in which VNUHCM appears include: Business and Economics; Computer Science; Education Studies; Engineering; Life Sciences; Clinical and Health; Physical Sciences; Social Sciences; and Arts and Humanities. The presence of a Vietnamese university system across both STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and social sciences and humanities underscores its multidisciplinary academic capacity while reaffirming VNUHCM’s balanced approach to international integration and academic development.
|
University |
Arts & Humanities |
Business & Economics |
Computer Science |
Education Studies |
Engineering |
Life Sciences |
Clinical & Health |
Physical Sciences |
Social Sciences |
|
Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City |
601–800 |
801–1000 |
1001+ |
601–800 |
1001–1250 |
1001+ |
801–1000 |
1251+ |
801–1000 |
|
Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology |
– |
301–400 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
401–500 |
|
Vietnam National University Hanoi |
601–800 |
1001+ |
501–600 |
1001–1250 |
1001+ |
601–800 |
1001–1250 |
1001–1250 |
801–1000 |
|
Duy Tan University |
601–800 |
501–600 |
– |
301–400 |
301–400 |
401–500 |
251–300 |
– |
401–500 |
|
Ton Duc Thang University |
601–800 |
501–600 |
– |
301–400 |
601–800 |
501–600 |
301–400 |
– |
501–600 |
|
University of Science and Technology of Hanoi |
– |
801–1000 |
– |
1001–1250 |
– |
– |
– |
1001–1250 |
– |
|
Ho Chi Minh City Open University |
801–1000 |
– |
– |
601–800 |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
|
University of Danang |
801–1000 |
1001+ |
– |
1251+ |
– |
1001+ |
– |
1001–1250 |
801–1000 |
|
Hue University |
– |
– |
601–800 |
1251+ |
1001+ |
– |
– |
1251+ |
– |
|
Nguyen Tat Thanh University |
– |
– |
– |
801–1000 |
601–800 |
501–600 |
– |
– |
– |
|
Hanoi Medical University |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
601–800 |
– |
– |
The THE subject rankings evaluate 830 universities from 88 countries and territories, using 18 performance indicators similar to those applied in the overall world rankings
Social Sciences and Humanities: A New Highlight in the Rankings Landscape
One of the notable developments in this year’s rankings is the significant improvement of social sciences and humanities across Asia. According to THE data, 29% of Asian universities improved their positions in Arts and Humanities, compared with 13% in Europe and 17% in North America. This gap reflects a broader shift in the global academic landscape, with Asia emerging as a dynamic center of knowledge production—particularly in disciplines that require intellectual depth, strong academic identity, and international dialogue.
In this context, the presence of Vietnamese institutions in the social sciences and humanities rankings is no longer an isolated case but rather an indication that academic capacity in these fields is increasingly being recognized by the international scholarly community.
Within the academic structure of VNUHCM, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH VNUHCM) serves as the core institution for education and research in these disciplines. This role extends beyond internal specialization, contributing directly to VNUHCM’s presence in global rankings for Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities.
In recent years, USSH VNUHCM has pursued a development strategy oriented toward becoming a research-intensive university. The University has prioritized standardizing research activities, increasing international publications, expanding academic partnerships with institutions in Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, the United States, and other countries, and strengthening postgraduate education to generate in-depth scholarly output. These priorities closely align with the key evaluation criteria used by THE in assessing social sciences and humanities disciplines.
From Rankings to Long-Term Strategic Development
While international rankings such as THE are not the ultimate goal, they serve as important indicators of how universities are progressing toward global academic standards. VNUHCM’s comprehensive presence across nine subject areas, alongside the growing prominence of social sciences and humanities, reflects a broader transformation in Vietnamese higher education, from expanding scale toward enhancing academic quality.
Behind these ranking results lies a deliberate development strategy. VNUHCM has established its 2021–2030 development strategy, with a vision toward 2045, aiming to become one of Asia’s leading research university systems. Key priorities include improving the quality of international scientific publications, attracting highly qualified faculty members, developing leading research groups, and strengthening the internationalization of the academic environment.
In practice, VNUHCM published more than 3,100 international papers in 2024, with over 66% appearing in Q1–Q2 journals, demonstrating a research foundation mature enough to meet the rigorous criteria applied by global ranking systems.
From a broader perspective, the inclusion of Vietnam’s social sciences and humanities in the THE rankings carries significance beyond numerical positions. It signals that a field long underrepresented in global metrics is increasingly demonstrating serious research capacity, intellectual depth, and the ability to engage in international academic discourse.
In this process, institutions specializing in these disciplines, such as the USSH VNUHCM, play a crucial role. Their contribution extends beyond ranking achievements to building a sustainable knowledge base and helping reposition Vietnamese social sciences and humanities within the global academic landscape.
Compiled by KIM CƯƠNG
Translation by THÁI TƯỜNG
