Lao - Higher Education

Prior to a major reform undertaken in the mid-1990s, there were 10 institutions of higher education operated by several different ministries and related to such fields as medicine, education, agriculture, forestry, communications, and technology/electronics. In June 1995, the prime minister issued a decree to rationalize postsecondary education by merging nine existing higher education institutions and the Centre of Agriculture into a new National University of Laos (NUOL), under the unified administration of the Ministry of Education. The Lao government has received significant funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to assist in this consolidation and rationalization of higher education. Approximately 4 percent of Lao youth are able to complete postsecondary Education, but the Lao government does provide direct support to students at this level as bursaries or as subsidies to student dormitories. This scholarship funding is provided to quota students who are in the plan. Non-plan students must pay modest tuition fees.