Comrade Trần Quốc Cường, Secretary of the Điện Biên Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Preparatory Board, attended and directed the meeting.

According to the report, the provincial People’s Committee assigned the Department of Education and Training (DOET) to lead the coordination with relevant agencies to refine and complete the application dossier for submission to the Prime Minister for approval of the establishment of Điện Biên Phủ University. The provincial government has also requested opinions from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health regarding the project.

The DOET has worked closely with the provincial Political School, four colleges, and the provincial Center for Foreign Languages and Informatics to finalize the project proposal. The provincial Department of Construction has undertaken the planning for the university’s infrastructure and design. The Ministry of Health has provided its feedback, and the province continues to seek input from the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

Regarding the establishment of the Thái Nguyên University branch in Điện Biên, the DOET, in collaboration with relevant institutions, has completed a draft proposal and submitted it to Thái Nguyên University for finalization. The branch will initially focus on four major academic fields: Education, Economics, Medicine and Pharmacy, and Tourism. It is planned to be located at Điện Biên Pedagogical College and Điện Biên Medical College, with its headquarters at the former institution. Faculty members will include PhD holders from local colleges, and management staff will be selected from existing personnel. Once operational and when the province has sufficient human resources, the branch will be upgraded to Điện Biên Phủ University under the province’s management.

During the meeting, delegates discussed the transfer of facilities and faculty assignments. Proposals were made to retain the infrastructure of Vocational College and Economic-Technical College for continued training at the college level. The need to diversify college-level training programs beyond those with direct university articulation pathways was also emphasized.

In his concluding remarks, Secretary Trần Quốc Cường urged the provincial government and related offices to expedite the restructuring of local colleges. He emphasized the importance of consolidating the colleges and the provincial Center for Foreign Languages and Informatics into a unified institution to maximize administrative efficiency and faculty resources. The main college-level institution will be based at Điện Biên Economic-Technical College, with Vocational College facilities retained for specific training needs. He also recommended adding new academic programs and ensuring experienced faculty remain engaged in college-level education.

Additionally, Secretary Trần Quốc Cường proposed selecting qualified lecturers interested in transferring to the Thái Nguyên University branch in Điện Biên, as they will form the core faculty for the future Điện Biên Phủ University. He instructed that all these tasks be completed by February 27. Regarding infrastructure, he directed the provincial Departments of Finance, Planning and Investment, and Construction to coordinate and submit proposals for asset management, ensuring a seamless transition.