Article 1.- To issue in conjunction with this Decision the Regulation for Consideration and Recognition of the Academic Titles of Professor and Associate Professor.

Article 2.- This Decision takes effect from the date of its signing. The President of the State Council on Academic Titles shall have to guide the implementation of the Regulation issued in conjunction with this Decision.

Article 3.- The Ministers, the Heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the Heads of the agencies attached to the Government, and the Presidents of the provinces and cities directly under the Central Government shall have to implement this Decision.

The Prime Minister

Chapter I

Article 1.- Professor and Associate Professor are academic titles awarded to science workers who work in the areas of training and research at high level, and who play key roles in the fields of personnel training and scientific development of the country. The academic titles of Professor and Associate Professor are not State functionary titles.

Article 2.- Eligible for the academic titles of Professor and Associate Professor are lecturers at universities and institutes, and researchers at scientific research institutions who lecture at graduate and post-graduate levels.

The academic title of Professor may be awarded to science workers who are foreigners or overseas Vietnamese who have made great contributions in training and scientific research to universities or scientific research institutes of Vietnam.

Chapter II

Article 3.- The academic titles of Professor and Associate Professor are to be considered, recognized and certified by the State Council on Academic Titles.

Article 4.- The holder of the title of Professor or Associate Professor shall be stripped of the title by the State Council on Academic Titles in one of the following cases :

a) He/she is discovered to lack the required conditions and qualifications;

b) He/she has been stripped of his/her citizenship.

Article 5.- The Ministries which own universities and institutes shall base themselves on the academic titles and work requirements to appoint their scientists to corresponding functionary positions.

Chapter III

Article 6.- He/she who registers to be considered for the academic titles of Professor or Associate Professor must meet the following general conditions:

1. To be a citizen of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

- To be honest and objective in scientific research.

- To be cooperative with his/her colleagues in training and scientific research.

2. Degree :

He/she must hold the Ph.D. or Associate Ph.D., or the MA degree of performing arts.

3. Time record in lecturing and scientific research:

- The candidate for the title of Professor must have held the title of Associate Professor for three years or more, and have guided student researchers, at least one of whom has successfully defended his/her thesis.

- The candidate for the title of Associate Professor must, in the case of a university lecturer, have at least 6 years of good records as a staff and main lecturer and have participated in post-graduate teaching; if he/she is a researcher at a scientific research institute, he/she must have at least 6 years of good records as a staff and main researcher, and at least three years teaching at post-graduate level at the institute, or as a visiting lecturer at graduate and post-graduate levels at universities.

4. Scientific achievement :

He/she who registers to be considered for the title of Professor or Associate Professor must be credited with achievements in scientific research and practical application. The scientific achievement is measured by the quantity and quality of the scientific projects already published or applied correspondingly with the specialization area registered for recognition of the Professor or Associate Professor title. The requirements in quantity and quality of scientific projects for each of the academic titles shall be prescribed by the State Council on Academic Titles.

5. Foreign Language requirement:

The candidate for the title of Professor must be fluent in two foreign languages. The candidate for the title of Associate Professor must be fluent in one foreign language and be able to comprehend professional documents in another foreign language.

Article 7.- The procedure for consideration and recognition of the titles of Professor and Associate Professor :

1. The candidate for the title of Professor or Associate Professor must file a registration dossier according to the forms issued by the State Council on Academic Titles and send it to the local Council on Academic Titles at the university or institute where he/she works. If the university or institute does not have the conditions to set up a local council, the dossier shall be sent to the State Council on Academic Titles; the State Council shall then route the dossier to an appropriate local council for consideration.

2. The rector of the university or the director of the institute shall certify the result of the review by the local Council on Academic Titles; list the qualified candidates and send the dossiers and list to the controlling Ministry. If the rector or director differs with the opinion of the local Council on Academic Titles, the different opinions shall be sent along with the above-mentioned dossiers.

3. The concerned Ministers and Heads of the concerned agencies at ministerial level shall certify the lists, and transfer all registration dossiers submitted to them by the universities and institutes under their jurisdiction to the State Council on Academic Titles. If the controlling Ministry's opinions differ with that of the universities and institutes, the different opinions shall be sent along with the above-mentioned dossiers.

Chapter IV

Article 8.- The system of Academic Title Councils has three levels :

1. The grassroots Academic Title Council is the representative of the contingent of science workers of a university or institute, established by decision of the rector or director. It has the task of considering the candidates and selecting the most eligible among them for consideration by a higher level.

2. The Academic Title Council at the national level of a branch is composed of holders of high academic titles and degrees, representing the contingent of science workers in that branch throughout the country. It is established along branch or inter-branch line by decision of the President of the State Council on Academic Titles. The Academic Title Council at the national level of a branch shall consider titles for those who have registered and who have been listed at the recommendation of the concerned Ministries, and select the most eligible among them for consideration by the State Council on Academic Titles.

3. The State Council on Academic Titles shall evaluate the considerations made by the Academic Title Councils at the national level of various branches, and decide on awarding the titles.

Article 9.- The Academic Titles Councils at grassroots and national levels are founded and operate in accordance with the regulations set out by the State Council on Academic Titles.

Chapter V

Article 10.- An individual has the right to complain about the consideration of title for his/her own, as well as to protest against the consideration of titles for others, if he/she determines that such considerations at various levels of the Academic Title Council are not accurate or fair.

Article 11.- The complaints and protests shall be valid only during the consideration and in the three months following the awarding of the titles to the target persons.

The Academic Title Councils at all levels must formulate their conclusions about the content of the complaints and protests within three months from the date of reception.

Chapter VI

Article 12.- This Regulation takes effect from the date of its signing. The earlier documents which are contrary to this Regulation are now annulled.

Article 13.- The State Council on Academic Titles is responsible for guiding the implementation of this Regulation.

The Prime Minister