Over 40 education leaders and quality assurance (QA) officers from four Centres for Educational Accreditation (CEAs) in Vietnam attended training for quality assurance reviewers in mid March 2017 in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Key focus of the training was sharing UK QA frameworks, conducting effective review meetings and visits, using effective self-evaluation reports and evidences and writing effectively for the review report.
Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Hoi Nghia, Vice President, Vietnam National University HCMC said ‘I have learnt a lot about the education quality assurance assessment of the UK. The Quality Code is very clear, detailed, and the process to conduct review is professional. I find the course truly useful as it enhanced knowledge and skills for quality assurance reviewers for higher education like us.’
Professor Mai Trong Nhuan, Chairman of Quality Assurance Council, Vietnam National University Hanoi shared ‘I myself learnt a lot of skills from the training. Though many of the trainees in this class are experienced reviewers, we learnt both knowledge and experience. I hope that the quality assurance review result will help enhance the quality of higher education in Vietnam, and enable students to exchange with global universities or to get credits recognised by them to shorten their studying time overseas.’
The training was delivered by the UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for higher education, the independent body who monitors and advises on standards for UK higher education quality.
The training was in line with Vietnam Ministry of Higher Education and Training’s implementation plan in QA assessment and accreditation in 2017, in which building capacity for QA reviewers was one of the priorities.
The British Council, through their internationalisation of higher education agenda, worked closely with Vietnamese government, ministries, universities and UK partners to share UK examples of good practice in the key priority areas for Vietnam higher education reform agenda, including Quality Assurance (quality teaching, learning and assessment and industry engagement).