Some new educational facilities have been constructed in the VNUHCM urban area to serve learning purposes. (Photo: VNUHCM)
Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM) boasted 126 training programmes meeting regional and global standards as of July 2023, taking the lead nationwide.
Of the programmes, six and 81 received accreditation from the US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and the ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA), respectively.
From 2018, the university has been the only Vietnamese institution to have obtained a place in the top 301-350 of the QS Graduate Employability Rankings, an annual ranking of universities around the world, celebrating institutions which are committed to and effective in preparing students for the workplace. Such achievement is one of the reasons why it is appealing to students, particularly excellent ones.
In its development orientation for quality assurance, the VNUHCM considers continuous improvement as a core focus and a crucial task, aiming to progressively enhance the quality of education and scientific research. The effective implementation of related assurance and accreditation activities has contributed to establishing a solid foundation for the university's top position in this realm and participation in international university rankings.
As an official member of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) since 1999, the university has clearly demonstrated its role and responsibility in the movement to ensure the overall quality of the region. It has actively engaged in AUN's specialised activities such as quality assurance documents development, training courses for accreditation staff, and the ASEAN Credit Transfer System (ACTS).
The university has maintained a continuous quality assurance system from the university level to member schools by implementing the CDIO (Conceive – Design – Implement – Operate) principles in training technology innovation, enhancing the capabilities of its apparatus, and applying quality control and management tools.
Currently, all the seven VNUHCM member universities have been evaluated and recognised for meeting quality assurance standards both domestically and internationally. Among them, the International University has earned the AUN-QA accreditation, while the University of Technology is the first and only in Vietnam to simultaneously achieve two international accreditations from AUN-QA and the High Council for the Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES).
According to education experts, quality is the matter of survival for universities in the context of regional and international integration. The worth of higher education cannot be merely claimed but must be evidenced. For such evidence, both the training programmes and the training institutions must meet quality standards domestically, regionally, and internationally.
With the strategy of enhancing collaboration, proactively integrating, and elevating the image and position in Vietnam and overseas, the VNUHCM identifies inclusion in university rankings as an important task of multiple strategic objectives. Furthermore, engagement in this global arena has so far contributed to affirming the pioneering role of the institution in Vietnam's education system, as well as its reputation and quality in the region and the world./.
Box: The VNUHCM was established in 1995 by the government to create a training centre for undergraduate, postgraduate and scientific research, serving as the core of the higher education system and dedicating to the needs of socio-economic developments. Located in the eastern part of Vietnam’s southern metropolis and economic hub Ho Chi Minh City and spanning 643.7ha, it is one of the largest educational institutions of Vietnam.
VNUHCM’s training programme includes 99 disciplines/groups of disciplines, ranging from technology, natural science, social sciences and humanities to economics, healthcare. It also has 121 master's degree training majors and 89 doctoral ones.
Along with an international network of academic partners, leading educational institutions from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Australia, VNUHCM has actively updated the most advanced educational trends in training and research activities. This has enhanced its position and prestige in the international academic community.
