NTTU Successfully Hosts the 3rd Higher Education Quality Conference

NTTU – On the morning of March 2, 2023, Nguyen Tat Thanh University (NTTU) organized its 3rd Quality Conference themed “The Role and Impact of Quality Assurance, Accreditation, and Benchmarking in Higher Education Evaluation.”

The conference was organized with three primary objectives: (i) To develop a biennial tradition for the Higher Education Quality Conference at NTTU to promote the values of quality assurance (QA) and accreditation; (ii) To review five years of consolidating and developing the Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) system and institutional accreditation achievements, while gathering stakeholder feedback; and (iii) To define the strategic QA orientation for the 2023–2025 period in alignment with the university’s new vision and mission as an innovation-oriented institution.

The conference was honored by the presence of:

  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong – Director General of the Vietnam Education Quality Management Agency (VNEQMA), Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).
  • Mr. Nguyen Thai Son – Deputy Head of the Education Quality Accreditation Division, VNEQMA, MoET.
  • Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc – Former Vice President of VNU-Hanoi, Head of the Advisory Group for the National Committee on Education and Training Innovation (2016–2021), and Founding Chairman of UPM.
  • Prof. Dr. Banh Tien Long – Former Permanent Vice Minister of MoET and President of the Vietnam Association of Science Editing (VASE).
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Tuan – Head of the Department of Testing and Quality Assurance, University of Science and Technology – The University of Da Nang.
  • Dr. Nguyen Thi My Ngoc – Deputy Director of the Center for Educational Testing and Quality Assessment, VNU-HCM, and Quality Assurance Consultant at Fulbright University Vietnam.

The event also welcomed Directors of various Education Quality Accreditation Centers and representatives from Vinh University, Fulbright University Vietnam, and Nghe An University of Economics. From NTTU, participants included Ms. Nguyen Mai Lan – Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Chairwoman of the University Council; Dr. Tran Ai Cam – President; along with the University Council, the Board of Management, department heads, and faculty members attending both in-person and virtually.

The conference was honored by the presence of:

  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong – Director General of the Vietnam Education Quality Management Agency (VNEQMA), Ministry of Education and Training (MoET).
  • Mr. Nguyen Thai Son – Deputy Head of the Education Quality Accreditation Division, VNEQMA, MoET.
  • Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc – Former Vice President of VNU-Hanoi, Head of the Advisory Group for the National Committee on Education and Training Innovation (2016–2021), and Founding Chairman of UPM.
  • Prof. Dr. Banh Tien Long – Former Permanent Vice Minister of MoET and President of the Vietnam Association of Science Editing (VASE).
  • Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Tuan – Head of the Department of Testing and Quality Assurance, University of Science and Technology – The University of Da Nang.
  • Dr. Nguyen Thi My Ngoc – Deputy Director of the Center for Educational Testing and Quality Assessment, VNU-HCM, and Quality Assurance Consultant at Fulbright University Vietnam.

The event also welcomed Directors of various Education Quality Accreditation Centers and representatives from Vinh University, Fulbright University Vietnam, and Nghe An University of Economics. From NTTU, participants included Ms. Nguyen Mai Lan – Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Chairwoman of the University Council; Dr. Tran Ai Cam – President; along with the University Council, the Board of Management, department heads, and faculty members attending both in-person and virtually.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Nguyen Mai Lan expressed gratitude to the delegates. She encouraged faculty members to listen, discuss, and proactively propose solutions for their respective units and the university on issues such as integrating innovation with QA, measuring Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs), and enhancing QA efficiency at the faculty and departmental levels to provide a basis for the University Council’s strategic resolutions.

Ms. Nguyen Mai Lan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and Chairwoman of the University Council, delivering the opening speech.

In the keynote report, Dr. Tran Ai Cam emphasized that based on achievements in QA and accreditation, NTTU is conducting evaluations to review and benchmark activities against the university’s development orientation, focusing on holistic innovation, digital transformation, international integration, faculty capacity building, and PLO-based training design and measurement.

Dr. Tran Ai Cam, President of NTTU, presenting the keynote report.

The conference program consisted of three sessions:

Session 1: Presentations on “The Role and Impact of Quality Assurance, Accreditation, and Benchmarking in Higher Education”

  1. “Identifying Vietnamese Higher Education through Accreditation, Rankings, Benchmarking, and NTTU’s Challenges” – Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc.
  2. “Innovation and Quality Assurance in University Governance, Teaching, and Learning – The Foundation for Sustainable Development in Vietnam” – Prof. Dr. Banh Tien Long.
  3. “Lessons in Outcome-Based Assessment and Measurement from ASEAN Universities” – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Tuan.
  4. “Sharing Experiences in PLO Measurement and Evaluation from Philippine Universities” – Dr. Nguyen Thi My Ngoc.

Session 2: Panel Discussion on “PLO Measurement Practices from an Employer’s Perspective”

Session 3: Awarding Quality Accreditation Certificates under Circular 04/2016/TT-BGDĐT.

Guest speakers (from top to bottom): Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc, Prof. Dr. Banh Tien Long, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Tuan, and Dr. Nguyen Thi My Ngoc presenting their papers.

During the Session 2 panel discussion, participants including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc, and industry guests—Mr. Bui Tien Dat (HR Director of Dong Phuong Group) and Mr. Nguyen Quang Ky (CEO of Phuong Quan Co., Ltd)—discussed PLO measurement from stakeholder perspectives. Delegates noted that regulatory emphasis on PLO measurement in MoET Circulars serves as a catalyst for universities to shift their approach, ensuring quality for both inputs and student outputs. Measurement should focus on core competencies and “added value” tailored to different learners. NTTU has implemented PLO measurement involving students, alumni, and employers.

NTTU representatives, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc, and industry leaders participating in the panel discussion.

In Session 3, NTTU officially received accreditation certificates for 07 programs:

  • Undergraduate: Nursing, Vietnamese Studies, Mechatronics Engineering Technology (accredited by CEA-VNUHCM), and Human Resource Management (accredited by Thang Long CEA).
  • Master’s: Business Administration, Finance and Banking, and Tourism (accredited by Thang Long CEA).

The results showed impressive compliance rates: Master of Tourism (90%), Master of Finance and Banking (86%), Master of Business Administration (92%), Human Resource Management (90%), Mechatronics Engineering Technology (96%), Nursing (92%), and Vietnamese Studies (98%).

To date, NTTU has 16 programs accredited under Circular 04, 08 programs meeting AUN-QA standards, and 04 programs star-rated by UPM. It is evident that NTTU has applied a diverse range of standards, including MoET Circular 12/2017, Circular 04/2016, AUN-QA, QS Stars, and UPM for governance. This approach enables the University to measure overall quality in alignment with its development orientation and international integration. The university has also completed two cycles of institutional accreditation with a 97% compliance rate, maintains a 4-star QS Stars rating, and a 5-star UPM institutional rating.

Directors of Education Quality Accreditation Centers presenting certificates to Faculty leaders.a

Concluding the conference, Dr. Tran Ai Cam stated: “NTTU’s quality stands alongside the top 20 universities in Vietnam through advanced governance and diverse quality standards. We are prioritizing autonomy through QA, transitioning from content-based to competency-based training with an entrepreneurial spirit, focusing on PLO-based education and digital transformation.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong congratulated NTTU and recommended the university continue allocating resources for its long-term QA commitment and investing in specialized personnel to spread these valuable experiences throughout the higher education system.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Huynh Van Chuong, Director General of VNEQMA, congratulating NTTU on its achievements.

The insights shared at the conference help management and faculty better understand challenges and opportunities in enhancing educational quality. For 2023–2025, NTTU has identified key goals in Governance, International Cooperation, Quality Assurance, Training, Scientific Research, and Student & Community Services to adapt to the VUCA context and rapid technological advancements (AI, ChatGPT).

Department of Quality Assurance

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