With a number of 6.1 millions making up 7.8% of the national population, Vietnam is one of the countries that have the highest numbers of persons with disabilities (PWDs). However, at the level of higher education the proportion PWDs is extremely low with only 0.1% of PWDs having completed a bachelor program. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current status of learning environment at university campuses in Vietnam, focusing on the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNUH) as a case study. More specifically the paper first reviews the institution’s policies towards PWDs. It then presents the difficulties and obstacles faced by students with disabilities (SWDs) by analysing data collected over both in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys with SDWs at VNUH. The research result shows that the issue of PWDs has been acknowledged and regulated in a number of policy documents at the institutional level. At the same time SDWs have generally been taken care of by the affiliated universities, faculty and staff members, youth unions, clubs and fellows. However, in terms of facilities and accessibility there is a big space for improvement which needs to receive a stronger attention and investment from the institution as well as the ministerial and governmental bodies.
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With a number of 6.1 millions making up 7.8% of the national population, Vietnam is one of the countries that have the highest numbers of persons with disabilities (PWDs). However, at the level of higher education the proportion PWDs is extremely low with only 0.1% of PWDs having completed a bachelor program. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current status of learning environment at university campuses in Vietnam, focusing on the Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNUH) as a case study. More specifically the paper first reviews the institution’s policies towards PWDs. It then presents the difficulties and obstacles faced by students with disabilities (SWDs) by analysing data collected over both in-depth interviews and questionnaire surveys with SDWs at VNUH. The research result shows that the issue of PWDs has been acknowledged and regulated in a number of policy documents at the institutional level. At the same time SDWs have generally been taken care of by the affiliated universities, faculty and staff members, youth unions, clubs and fellows. However, in terms of facilities and accessibility there is a big space for improvement which needs to receive a stronger attention and investment from the institution as well as the ministerial and governmental bodies.
