Many university lecturers and officials in Ho Chi Minh City have been found enrolling for unapproved master’s degrees and PhD programmes offered by a local vocational school in partnership with two unaccredited American universities.

Many university lecturers and officials have followed unauthorised master\'s degrees and PhD programmes jointly offered by this school and two other unaccredited American universities.

The Institute of Accounting and Business Management in District 10 has for years run the graduate programmes – denounced as unauthorised by education authorities – along with Adam International University based in Georgia and International American University of California which Tuoi Tre found are not accredited in the US.

But college lecturers and officials make up a majority of the 350 students, who pursue the programmes that cost $4,800 to $5,800.

Among 20 people from the Ho Chi Minh City Industry and Trade College attending the courses were the president, who has graduated, and two vice presidents.

Dr Huynh Thanh Hung, vice president of Nong Lam (Agriculture – Forestry) University, admitted some lecturers at his school had taken the courses though none handed in their degrees.

A few lecturers at the Ho Chi Minh City College of Economics had once attended IABM’s programmes to “improve their capabilities,” according to the management.

Several lecturers at the University of Economics and Law had obtained their PhDs from the school, Lam Tuong Thoai, head of the school’s academic affairs office, admitted.

A master’s degree student at IABM told Tuoi Tre that admission requirements were quite low and classes were held only twice a month during the 14 months his course lasted.

The student added they had American and Malaysian lecturers and Vietnamese interpreters.