The construction and reconstruction of Vietnamese national culture: a study of higher education policy under Doi Moi

In 1986, the Vietnamese government embarked on an extensive national reform initiative, known as Doi Moi (Renovation). The reform centred on opening the national economy to global market forces. Higher education policy was a key instrument for social policy reforms that accompanied Doi Moi. Over more than 30 years, the Vietnamese government carried out wide-ranging reforms in the provision, funding, and content of higher education. In keeping with the historical functions of mass modern education, the Doi Moi reforms continued to serve both economic and social functions for the Communist state. Universities were called upon to produce skilled workers who could compete in the global economy. Higher education was also positioned as a key site for protection and promotion of a uniquely Vietnamese blend of Confucian and socialist values, presented as traditional national culture. This thesis explores changes and continuities in higher education policy between 1986 and 2012 with a focus on the ways in which university education was used to both advance the goals of Doi Moi as well as reconcile the tensions and contradictions engendered by this national reform. Four crosscutting themes emerged through the analysis of three key national education laws, and associated materials, in relation to the expansion and funding of higher education through privatisation initiatives; the central role of languages and ideological education in university curriculum and state-mandated roles and responsibilities for university students and educators.