THE CURRENT SITUATION OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR STUDENTS AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY

Abstract

The study focuses on the current state of mental health care for students at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), in the context of a growing number of students experiencing psychological issues while support services remain limited. By combining theoretical analysis with empirical surveys, the research collected data from administrators, lecturers, academic advisors and students at three member universities. The findings show that all groups are well aware of the importance of mental health care. Notably, administrators, lecturers and advisors emphasize the value of professional support and group-based activities, whereas students prefer practical, flexible and technology-based support solutions. All groups view human resources as a key factor, though systematic investment in this area is still lacking. Certain aspects, such as mental health education, group interview-based assessment and the expansion of support networks, are still limited and require improvement. The research results serve as a foundation for enhancing the comprehensive management of student mental health care, aiming to build a healthy educational environment that supports sustainable development for students in today’s higher education.