Vietnam launches AI career counseling for 4th graders
5 min read
Vietnamese educators formally launched a groundbreaking AI-powered career guidance program for students as young as fourth grade and outlined plans to revolutionize university quality assessment through artificial intelligence during two major conferences held on October 16, 2025.
Here are three key points summarizing Vietnam’s recent AI advancements in education and assessment:
- AI Career Guidance for Students - Vietnam debuted the CELLLO program, an AI-powered career counseling system for students from grade 4 to 12, providing personalized guidance based on academic data and self-discovery activities, aiming to reduce university dropout and major-switch rates.
- Real-Time University Assessment - Vietnamese universities will adopt AI-based quality assessment models by 2026, enabling continuous real-time monitoring and rapid response to educational quality issues, replacing lengthy traditional evaluation cycles.
- International Recognition - Vietnam now ranks 6th globally for AI readiness in education and was recognized for outstanding achievements—including British University Vietnam's award for AI integration in educational management.
AI Career Guidance Program Debuts for Elementary Students
The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Lifelong Learning (SEAMEO CELLL) unveiled the CELLLO program, marking Vietnam's first comprehensive AI-driven career counseling initiative for students from grade 4 through 12. Dr. Le Thi My Ha, Director of SEAMEO CELLL, announced the program would initially deploy in Vietnam before expanding to other Southeast Asian countries where SEAMEO maintains partner centers.[1]
The system combines individual capacity assessments with students' self-discovery results, utilizing AI to analyze academic performance, personality traits, and career interests. Dr. Sai Cong Hong, Chairman of the Institute of Testing and Educational Quality Assessment, highlighted the program's urgency, noting that 25-30% of Vietnamese university students drop out or change majors within their first two years due to inadequate career guidance.[2][1]
Professor Sim Soo Kheng from Singapore's Institute for Lifelong Learning emphasized AI's potential to transform career counseling from traditional one-on-one formats to scalable digital services, significantly reducing access time for students seeking career guidance.[1]
Universities Prepare for AI-Enhanced Quality Assessment
At a separate conference, Vietnam's higher education leaders outlined ambitious plans to integrate AI into university accreditation processes by 2026. Professor Banh Tien Long, former Deputy Minister of Education and Training, argued that traditional quality assessment models create monitoring gaps with their 5-10 year evaluation cycles and lack the flexibility to respond to rapid societal changes.[1][2]
The new AI-enhanced framework would enable continuous monitoring of educational quality indicators in real-time, processing large volumes of institutional reports and providing early warning systems for quality issues. However, Professor Dang Ung Van warned of potential risks, citing examples where AI-generated student work exceeded human capabilities but raised concerns about academic integrity.[2]
Professor Huynh Van Chuong, Director of the Quality Management Department, announced that starting in 2026, university assessments will shift from a complex seven-level rating system to a simplified "pass" or "fail" binary evaluation, aligning with international standards used in the United States and Europe.[2]
Vietnam's AI readiness in education has gained international recognition, with the country ranking 6th globally in the World AI Index 2025 for AI awareness and application readiness. British University Vietnam recently received the Outstanding Educational Institution in AI Application award, demonstrating Vietnam's growing capabilities in educational AI integration.[3][4][5]
Reference sources:
[1](https://giaoducthudo.giaoducthoidai.vn/tich-hop-ai-vao-kiem-dinh-chat-luong-giao-duc-dai-hoc-190218.html)[2](https://tuoitre.vn/lam-dung-ai-co-the-khien-bang-gioi-xuat-sac-tang-len-mot-cach-gia-tao-20251016171120736.htm)[3](https://vnfoundation.org/en/vietnam-ready-to-implement-ai-in-education-time-to-choose-the-right-tools/)[4](https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/education/british-university-vietnam-honored-as-leading-institution-in-ai-application-4948160.html)[5](https://www.buv.edu.vn/british-university-vietnam-honored-as-leading-educational-institution-in-ai-application/)[1](https://thanhnien.vn/ung-dung-ai-huong-nghiep-cho-hoc-sinh-tu-lop-4-185251016190141966.htm)[2](https://www.vietnam.vn/en/ung-dung-ai-trong-danh-gia-nang-luc-huong-nghiep-cho-hoc-sinh)