Education and Times Newspaper: Southeast Asia University Quality Assurance Network Conference Opens in Vietnam
Education and Training - Ton Duc Thang University (HCMC) will host the International Conference of the Southeast Asian University Quality Assurance Network (AUN-QA) in 2024.
The AUN-QA 2024 Conference opened on the morning of December 11, attracting about 400 speakers, coordinators, experts, delegates and managers from hundreds of universities and educational institutions in the ASEAN region and around the world. This is an academic forum where experts, educators and university leaders exchange and share experiences in ensuring the quality of higher education, update information and provide multi-dimensional perspectives on the future of the industry.
Enhancing Quality through Assurance and Accreditation
Speaking at the conference, Mr. Huynh Van Chuong, Director of the Department of Quality Management under the Ministry of Education and Training, emphasized that education quality assurance and accreditation have been strongly institutionalized, with clear legal frameworks and significant attention from the government.
This is evidenced by regulations in the current Education Law and Higher Education Law, Decree 99 implementing the Higher Education Law, and the Prime Minister’s Decision approving the Program for Developing the System of Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation for Higher Education and Teacher Training Colleges for the 2022–2030 period.
The Ministry of Education and Training, along with higher education institutions in Vietnam, considers quality assurance and accreditation a top priority.
The overarching goal of these efforts is to develop a robust quality assurance and accreditation system for higher education in Vietnam, meeting the demands of fundamental and comprehensive education reform, aligning with the ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework, and significantly contributing to the autonomy of higher education institutions while improving the quality of higher education and teacher training colleges.
Mr. Chuong reported that as of the end of November 2024, Vietnam has 2,179 academic programs accredited for quality. Among these, 1,558 programs were assessed based on domestic standards, and 621 were evaluated according to international standards.
In addition, 208 higher education institutions have achieved quality accreditation, with 196 meeting domestic standards and 12 meeting international standards.
The Director of the Department of Quality Management stated that, according to the Ministry of Education and Training, quality assurance and accreditation serve as drivers for continuous improvement, aiming to elevate the standards of institutions and programs to meet national and international benchmarks.
Higher education quality assurance and accreditation are not only national responsibilities but also shared global concerns, especially within the ASEAN region.
“The 2024 AUN-QA Conference provides an opportunity for countries in the region to exchange experiences and share methods to enhance the quality of education and training. Through this collaboration, the ASEAN community can develop a long-term strategy to improve educational quality and create a closely connected network among higher education institutions in the region,” Mr. Chuong stated.
Opportunities for Learning and Collaboration with Universities
Dr. Tran Trong Dao, President of Ton Duc Thang University, highlighted that the university has been an official member of the ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) since 2018.
This milestone has significantly expanded the university's opportunities for international collaboration, contributing not only to enhancing educational quality but also to affirming its position in the region and globally.
To date, 41 academic programs at Ton Duc Thang University have been internationally accredited by organizations such as AUN-QA, FIBAA, and ASIIN. The remaining programs are scheduled for accreditation in the near future, further underscoring the university’s commitment to maintaining high standards of education.
The theme of this year's AUN-QA conference is "Innovating ASEAN Higher Education: Integrating Artificial Intelligence, Data Application, and a Quality Culture for the Future."
"Co-hosting this conference is an important step for the university, affirming our role not only as an educational institution but also as a strategic partner in building and promoting a culture of quality assurance within ASEAN," said Mr. Dao.
The AUN-QA 2024 International Conference is not only a forum for discussing trends and best practices in educational quality assurance but also an opportunity for us to learn, connect, and develop sustainable cooperative relationships. We believe that the upcoming discussion sessions will generate new ideas and contribute to the sustainable development of higher education in the region.
The AUN-QA 2024 Conference took place over two days, December 11 and 12, with plenary sessions and specialized discussion panels.
Some notable discussion topics include: Going all out to succeed: Breakthrough strategies for success in higher education; Integrating AI with database management to ensure quality in higher education; Building and using an effective database ecosystem; Strategies to ensure the sustainability of a quality culture in higher education in Southeast Asia...
Source: Education and Times Newspaper
