Education is one of the keys to unlock the doors of economic and social development as well as religious advancement. Leadership is key of the success of institutions. The Catholic Church and government in Vietnam have been trying very hard to promote and collaborate in higher education. The motto of the Catholic Church, "To live the Gospel in the heart of the nation," is always repeated in the lives of Catholics in Vietnam, especially priests and religious men and women. After Doi Moi (renovation), in 1986, leaders in higher education in Vietnam began communicating with their counter parts, western and eastern countries. The most significant change in the management and administration of higher education was to adopt "outside policies" in order to create the new-nonpublic institutions. This dissertation is a mixed method study which primarily focuses on leadership preparedness in terms of Catholic and university leaders' perceptions of leadership collaboration, leadership preparation, leadership culture, and policy implementation in Vietnam's higher education. These perceptions are to ensure that Catholic and non Catholic leaders are not "external" to this educational system. This occurs through a mutual relationship, patient collaboration, accepting limitations of each other, continuing dialogue, and mutual trust. This study only looks for collaboration, not Catholic identity at institutions, because the government controls the entire higher education system in Vietnam. Results of the study reveal that leadership and policy of mutual understanding among each other are varied, meaning Catholic and university leaders misunderstand each other in light of lacking communication and mutual collaboration. Collaborative leadership is important for ensuring a relevant and vibrant communication in the future between Catholic and non-Catholic leaders in higher education by finding effective resolutions to benefit students and to develop Vietnam's higher educational system under a renovation in global perspectives. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]