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Universities want closer vocational links with business in Vietnam to speed up the transfer of tertiary graduates into viable jobs, a conference on the application of career orientation to higher education has heard.

One of the biggest challenges for Vietnamese universities is to become more market oriented and to teach skills for specific jobs, the conference, held on December 18, heard.

Bui Anh Tuan, head of Department of Higher Education, said the Strengthening Profession Oriented Higher Education (POHE) project has been applied at eight universities since 2010. The project has so far attracted the interest of more than 500 businesses.

As a consequence, the curriculum at several universities has changed to be more practical. At Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, the number of physics classes was cut to make way for more classes on professional knowledge and practical skills.

Leaders of Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry decided to let first year students take internships at enterprises, an option previously allowed only for fourth year students.

"Universities should collaborate closely with enterprises and make them participate in the education process," said Bui Anh Tuan.

However, some educators said business appeared to be indifferent to shaping graduates suitable to their needs, the conference heard, and to redress that, the government should offer tax incentives for businesses collaborating with educators.

The vice chairwoman of Thai Nguyen University of Education said Vietnam does not have policies about collaboration between education facilities and departments of education and training.

Dinh Van Dung, deputy head of the POHE project suggested setting up a common fund that could be used by businesses to support the interns, or to send employees to give lectures at universities.

In March, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said there were 72,000 bachelors and masters degree holders unable to find work. Educationalists believe the actual number is much higher, and many graduates end up working in areas outside their actual training.

The conference heard that students often create their own future employment problems, studying in areas that have limited job growth potential. Many students want to study in the fields of finance and banking even though many businesses in that sector are shedding workers.

A poor work ethic was also highlighted at the conference, many companies having to re-train graduates in time management and project focus before they could become useful employees.