Credit-based training will be implemented for part-time students starting from the 2009 academic year.

The 2009 Conference on Non-Formal Undergraduate Training at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities took place on May 22, 2009, with the participation of representatives from the leadership of various departments, and representatives from the heads and assistants of non-formal training programs in the faculties of the university. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Gia Lam and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Duc Nghieu - Vice Rectors - chaired the conference.

Currently, the scale of in-service training at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities is relatively large, with approximately 4000 in-service, specialized, and second-degree students, and over 400 students in short-term courses. Every year, the University continues to organize this training program as a key task, with the number of students meeting the prescribed quotas in most faculties and across various locations to meet the societal demand for human resources in social sciences and humanities. Avoiding commercialization in training, and prioritizing prestige and quality, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities strictly adheres to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training in all stages of in-service training, from admissions, organization and management of training, examinations, and assessments to the issuance of diplomas and certificates.

Currently, the training system at the university faces many difficulties. Enrollment quotas for part-time programs are decreasing; from 1265 in 2003 to only 800 in 2009. Enrollment for some majors is challenging due to insufficient application numbers. Some majors have ample staff, resources, and textbooks, but struggle to attract students due to low societal demand. Conversely, some majors have high societal demand but a shortage of qualified staff, making expansion difficult. Short-term certificate programs remain limited, with only a few units offering them, such as the Tourism Faculty training tour guides, the Management Science Faculty training intellectual property, the Information and Library Science Faculty training information and library professionals, and the Political Science Department training lecturers on Ho Chi Minh Thought. Distance learning, in particular, has not been able to be implemented to date due to a number of objective and subjective reasons.

The conference also noted many opinions from representatives of various units within the university, pointing out shortcomings in the management and operation of the part-time education system, such as: a lack of uniformity in the management of part-time classes among faculties; ineffective coordination of management between faculties and the Training Department; infrequent inspections and audits of part-time classes; and unreasonable remuneration for part-time teachers...

In the coming period, to further improve the quality of training and the efficiency of managing the part-time education system, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities will have to consider various selection options, from choosing collaborative partners and selecting majors for part-time training to promoting advertising activities to the wider community. Distance learning for social science fields in demand will be prioritized due to its superior advantages over other forms: no enrollment limits, convenience for learners and instructors, and high economic efficiency. Short-term certificate training will be encouraged. In particular, from the 2009-2010 academic year, the University will organize part-time training according to the credit-based curriculum of the full-time system.

Another issue of concern at this conference was whether a separate department, such as a faculty or office, should be established for in-service training to centralize this work, ensuring consistency and increasing operational efficiency.