The license was announced during General Secretary and State President To Lam’s state visit to Australia on Aug. 9-12.
Saigon South is the larger of RMIT Vietnam’s two degree-granting campuses, the other being in Hanoi. The university also runs an English training center in Da Nang.
RMIT said the campus has operated since its founding on the same academic, governance and quality assurance model as a branch of its Melbourne parent, RMIT University.
Vietnam did not create the legal category for such campuses until Decree 124, issued in October 2024.
Under the decree, a foreign university opening a branch campus must have placed among the world’s top 500 in a reputable global ranking in any one of the three most recent years.
The project must also carry at least VND500 billion (US$19 million) in investment capital, excluding land costs. The prime minister approves the establishment and the education minister clears it to teach.
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The Saigon South campus of RMIT University Vietnam. Photo courtesy of RMIT Vietnam |
RMIT placed 119th in the QS World University Rankings released in June, its best showing in two decades and 10th among Australian universities.
RMIT’s Hanoi campus received an investment registration certificate at the same time, allowing it to triple capacity through a new campus, new disciplines and new programs.
Professor Scott Thompson-Whiteside, RMIT Vietnam’s Pro Vice-Chancellor and General Director, said the approvals would help the university meet student demand and marked an important step in its long-term commitment to Vietnam.
RMIT Vietnam opened in 2000 as the first fully foreign-owned university licensed in the country and says it has graduated more than 28,500 students.
Its 2024 annual report put revenue at AUD223.5 million ($158 million), down 1% from 2023.
Tuition runs VND375.84 million ($14,300) a year for most bachelor programs, or about VND1.13 billion over three years. Engineering degrees run to roughly VND1.5 billion.