A private university in Hanoi has been found using fake documents to enroll 145 students who would not have been qualified because they were unable to attract enough students during the entrance exams.

Set up in 2007, the University of Technology and Management (UTM) now has nearly 300 students, but half of the student body has false enrollment documents.

An inspection conducted over 254 student enrollment records between 2009 and 2011 found that several students at the university did not meet the basic entrance requirements. Some are studying in fields different from which they registered.

As many as 145 students have falsified documents because they actually did not attend the university entrance exams.

Le Thi Viet Hoa, former head of the university’s training department said, “In 2011 the university was only able to enroll about 50. Le Vinh Tho, Deputy Principal of the university told me that the school would have had to shut down if they failed to attract enough students. He suggested enrolling more students by accepting those who have taken exams in the security and military sectors.”

Nguyen Van Thuong, who was the university’s principle for the 2011-2012 period, claimed that he was not informed about these enrollment plans.

When the case was brought to light, in November 2012, Thuong and Hoa proposed that they hand in their resignations, which would take effect from November 5, 2012.

Thuong said, “I held the post as the university’s principle for six months. After the wrongdoings were discovered I requested ruling out students with falsified documents. I put in my resignation last November.”

Since then the university has had no principle. Dr. Do Doan Hai, who is over 80 years old, was appointed as the university’s deputy principle as of last December 14. The appointment was illegal, as current regulations stipulate that deputy principles must be less than 70 years old.

While the university advertises that it has 42 regular lecturers, including six professors and 21 associate professors, its entire teaching staff includes only seven people.

Nguyen Huy Bang, Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Education and Training, said that the ministry is aware of the university’s misconducts and would decide a solution in the near future.

Many students who graduated and are studying at the university are calling for help because they fear their degrees will mean nothing.

Van Dinh Ung, of the Vietnam Private Universities Association, said the country now has more than 80 private universities and colleges but only 55 institutions have joined their association.  UTM has is one of those yet to join.