Abstract

Against the backdrop of Vietnam's ongoing reform of the professorship appointment system toward greater university autonomy, this article examines legal models of professorship through a comparative analysis of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Singapore, and China. By reviewing Vietnamese higher education legislation and recent draft regulations, the article argues that many academic rights remain legally linked to nationally recognized academic titles despite the ongoing transition toward university-based appointments. It proposes reforming the legal framework from status-based regulation to competency-based regulation, whereby the State establishes minimum standards and quality assurance mechanisms, while higher education institutions are responsible for appointing, employing, and evaluating professors according to institutional needs and academic performance.

Keywords: Academic appointment, academic title, higher education law, Professor, university autonomy.