Policy framework for high-speed railway human resource development in Vietnam: Strategic and institutional directions

Abstract

This article examines the strategic and institutional (SI) policy group for human resource development (HRD) for Vietnam’s high-speed railway (HSR) system. Drawing upon three theoretical foundations - human capital theory, public policy theory, and institutional theory - the study proposes a framework comprising six specific policies (SI1-SI6), including: a national strategy for high-speed railway and high-speed railway human resources; integration of crosssectoral strategies; legal stability; inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms; decentralisation and accountability; and a human resource demand forecasting system. The study identifies the SI policy group as the foundational layer determining the effectiveness of the entire high-speed railway human resource policy system by shaping rules, coordination mechanisms, and behavioural incentives among relevant stakeholders. The findings contribute to addressing the theoretical gap concerning institutional policies for high-speed railway human resource development in developing countries while providing a scientific basis for the formulation of high-speed railway human resource development policies in Vietnam. In the context of implementing an unprecedented high-speed railway project in Vietnam, prioritising the early establishment of an institutional framework, particularly through the institutionalisation of a dedicated coordinating body and a human resource demand forecasting system, is of greater strategic significance than merely expanding the scale of training.