A civil lawsuit brought by a former student against the National Economics University in Hanoi has ended with the court ordering the school to pay a modest compensation of 87 million Vietnamese dong. The plaintiff had originally demanded more than 45 billion, an amount the court described as unsubstantiated.
The Hanoi People’s Court issued the appellate ruling on December 11 after reviewing the complaint filed by Dương Thế Hảo, a former student born in 1959. The court accepted part of his appeal and adjusted the lower court’s earlier judgment.
Court finds the university at fault for delayed and inaccurate information
According to the panel of judges, the university provided information that did not reflect the actual situation and acted slowly in issuing Hảo’s graduation certificate. For this reason, the court recognized partial wrongdoing by the university and approved compensation equivalent to more than twenty two months of basic salary.
The total amount equals approximately 87 million Vietnamese dong.
However, the court rejected the plaintiff’s request for more than 45 billion, noting that he did not demonstrate any measurable financial loss. Judges said many of his claims were hypothetical rather than supported by evidence.
Plaintiff claimed massive losses, including business and family rights
He estimated emotional and reputational damages in addition to economic losses, reaching a total of more than 45 billion. At the hearing, he stated that his personal monthly income had been between 150 million and 200 million, although he could not provide documentation to verify this figure. He also could not show proof that he had submitted his household registration book to the university for storage.
A dispute decades in the making
Hảo graduated in 1989 but never collected his diploma. The university explained that students were required to collect their certificates in person and stated that Hảo made no request between 1994 and 2017. From the university’s perspective, this gap in communication was his responsibility.
In 2017, when he finally contacted the school, administrators reported that they could not locate his records. Two years later, in 2019, the university found the original file and issued his diploma.
The appellate ruling confirms that the university bears limited responsibility for the delay but is not liable for the vast financial and emotional damages the plaintiff claimed.
Vietnam Insider will continue to monitor related legal developments if they arise.
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Source: Vietnam Insider