Although middle-level academic managers really need training in order to perform their roles adequately in the very changing context of higher education, little formal training is provided, particularly in less developed countries. This paper identifies the training needs of Heads of Department in a newly established university in Vietnam as a first step in preparing a professional development program for them that might fill this gap. Through document analysis and interviews with 24 participants, the study finds that the Heads of Department have the most critical training needs in generic management knowledge and skills, the roles of the Heads of Department, English language proficiency, research methods skills and practice. They also have a need to improve their communication and planning skills. These results both confirm and contradict previous studies on Department Heads' training needs from developed Western universities. The paper concludes that the Department Heads' training needs are both context-based and competencies-biased. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)