Academic Freedom Index in Vietnam

Vietnam: Academic Freedom Index was 0.222 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
0.222
Change on year
down 17.5%
World rank
136th
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.291
in 2015
All-time low
0.029
in 1976
Years of data
50
1976–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Vietnam, 1976–2025

00.10.20.3197620002025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, academic freedom index in Vietnam stood at 0.222.

That represents a change of down 17.5% on the previous year and down 23.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Vietnam peaked at 0.291 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.029, in 1976.

That places Vietnam 136th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.0315 0.029 0.034 4
1980s 0.0679 0.04 0.122 10
1990s 0.1974 0.139 0.217 10
2000s 0.2775 0.272 0.28 10
2010s 0.2809 0.274 0.291 10
2020s 0.2625 0.222 0.279 6

Countries ranked near Vietnam

  1. 133 Uzbekistan 0.248 compare
  2. 134 Yemen 0.24 compare
  3. 135 Hong Kong 0.237 compare
  4. 137 Cambodia 0.216 compare
  5. 138 Oman 0.215 compare
  6. 139 Cameroon 0.207 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Vietnam

All data for Vietnam →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Vietnam?
Academic freedom index in Vietnam was 0.222 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Vietnam?
The highest recorded value was 0.291 in 2015.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Vietnam?
The lowest recorded value was 0.029 in 1976.
How does Vietnam rank for academic freedom index?
Vietnam ranks 136th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Vietnam?
Over the last ten years it is down 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Vietnam data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Academic Freedom Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
174 places, 16,942 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.