BUV Retains QS 5-Star Rating for Six Consecutive Years

Professor Rick Bennett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President of BUV (2nd right) and Mr. Tran Duc Trung, Deputy Head, Academic Services and Student Administration of BUV (2nd left), received the QS 5 Stars award at the QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2025.

Hanoi, 7 September 2025 – In 2025, British University Vietnam (BUV) renewed its QS 5-Star rating for the 2025–2028 period. This marks the second consecutive time BUV has received the prestigious recognition, reaffirming its position as the first and only university in Vietnam to consistently uphold outstanding international standards over six years, from 2022 to 2028.

QS Stars is a global university rating system developed by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), assessing higher education institutions against international quality standards across nine key categories.

In the 2025–2028 assessment cycle, BUV achieved 818 out of 1,000 points, exceeding the 5-Star threshold of 700 points by 118 points. The University demonstrated exceptional performance across major criteria, including Academic Development (136/150), Employability (135/150), Facilities (97/100), and Good Governance (95/100).

Under the Teaching category, BUV recorded a programme completion rate of 96%, a first-year retention rate of 92%, and a student satisfaction rate of 79.4%. In addition to 263 classroom contact hours, students receive 440 hours of academic consultation and tutoring support, while all programmes are delivered through a digital Learning Management System, supporting a flexible and high-quality learning environment.

Employability remains one of BUV’s strongest areas. A total of 99.3% of graduates are employed after graduation, exceeding the QS benchmark of 90%, while the overall employment outcome rate reached 93.1%. BUV also received 96 employer reputation nominations, double the maximum threshold, demonstrating strong confidence in the quality of its graduates.

Under Academic Development, 89% of BUV faculty hold doctoral degrees, exceeding the QS benchmark of 80% and Vietnam’s national requirement of 20%. All lecturers participate in professional faculty development programmes, while BUV allocates 45% of its revenue to teaching, demonstrating its continued priority for academic excellence.

BUV’s 6.5-hectare campus, certified as an EDGE Advanced green building, also contributed to its strong Facilities rating. The University invests nearly USD 33,000 per student annually in library resources, significantly exceeding QS’s recommended benchmark of USD 250.

The University also demonstrates a strong commitment to social responsibility by allocating nearly 27% of its annual revenue to scholarships, more than 13 times the QS benchmark of 2%, alongside continued investment in community engagement and charitable activities.

The 2025–2028 assessment also introduced new categories, with BUV achieving a 5-Star rating in Good Governance in its first evaluation. The University has established a comprehensive policy framework aligned with QS standards, maintains a staff satisfaction rate of 92.2%, includes student representation in its governing body, has more than 35% of leadership positions held by women, and operates an Ethics Committee with publicly available reports.

BUV was also recognised under the newly introduced Diversity, Equity and Inclusion category for its comprehensive support for students with disabilities, disadvantaged groups, ethnic minority students, and those facing challenges with focus and balance.

Global Engagement was another new assessment priority. BUV currently partners with more than 70 universities across 17 countries on five continents. International students account for 10% of the student body, while 81% of faculty are international, creating a multicultural learning environment representing 31 nationalities.

Professor Rick Bennett, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President of BUV, said: “We see benchmarking against prestigious international standards as a guiding principle that drives all our efforts to enhance quality. QS Stars represents the highest tier within BUV’s Triple Quality Framework and provides a strong foundation for our continued expansion on the global stage. Our next destination is the QS Asia University Rankings.”

Mr Samuel Ang, Regional Director of Asia at QS, commented: “BUV’s consistent achievement of the QS 5-Star rating reflects its unwavering commitment to excellence and continuous improvement across all areas of higher education. Within the region, BUV stands out as a benchmark institution, showcasing how a university in Viet Nam can deliver world-class outcomes and reinforce national and regional competitiveness.”

As Vietnam aims to become a regional hub for transnational education by 2030, BUV’s consecutive QS 5-Star achievement reinforces its leading position in Vietnam’s international higher education landscape while contributing to the Government’s long-term vision.