Hanoi Metropolitan University Organizes International Seminar on Quality Assurance in Postgraduate Education – giaoduc.net.vn

On September 16, Hanoi Metropolitan University held an international seminar titled: “Quality Assurance in Application-Oriented Postgraduate Education: International Experiences and Vietnamese Practices.”.

Overview of the International Seminar

The seminar featured keynote speakers who are leading global experts in fields related to quality assurance, postgraduate education, and application-oriented postgraduate training, including:

• Prof. Dr. Philip Hallinger, Mahidol University, Thailand

• Prof. Dr. Yusuke EDA Shingo, Tokyo Kasei Gakuin University, Japan

• Prof. Dr. Sci. Elena A. Shmeleva, Ivanovo State University, Russia

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sci. Pavel A. Kislyakov, Russian State Social University

• Dr. Naoki Matsuyama, Tokyo Kasei Gakuin University, Japan

• Dr. Taishi Takezawa, Wakayama University, Japan

From Vietnam:

• Prof. Dr., People's Teacher Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Lộc, University of Education – Vietnam National University, Hanoi

• Dr. Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Hạnh, University of Education – Vietnam National University, Hanoi

• Dr. Nguyễn Thị Lê Thanh, Banking Academy

• Dr. Bùi Phương Việt Anh, University of Economics – Vietnam National University, Hanoi

…along with many other experts from various domestic and international institutions.

The seminar was attended by numerous leading global experts in fields related to quality assurance, postgraduate education, and application-oriented postgraduate training

Representing the Ministry of Education and Training, the seminar was attended by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Quốc Khánh, Deputy Director General of the Quality Management Department.

From Hanoi Metropolitan University, participants included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Vũ Bích Hiền, Rector; Dr. Nguyễn Văn Tuân, Vice Rector; along with staff members, lecturers, and graduate students of the university.

Enhancing the Quality of Postgraduate Education – A Special Mission

In his opening remarks, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Quốc Khánh, Deputy Director General of the Quality Management Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, emphasized the role and importance of the seminar in educational activities in general and postgraduate training in particular.

He noted that the seminar reflects the dedication and responsibility of scientists, experts, and educators both in Vietnam and abroad, aiming to contribute to sustainable and prosperous societal development through the training of high-quality human resources at the master’s and doctoral levels

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phạm Quốc Khánh, Deputy Director General of the Quality Management Department under the Ministry of Education and Training, delivered a speech at the seminar

According to Deputy Director General Phạm Quốc Khánh, under the leadership of the Party, the Government and the Prime Minister have, in recent years, paid great attention to and issued numerous directives on improving the quality of high-level human resource training, especially at the master's and doctoral levels.

To implement the Government’s and Prime Minister’s directives, the Ministry of Education and Training has proactively advised on and issued numerous mechanisms, policies, and solutions within its authority to enhance the quality of postgraduate education.

In 2021, several Vietnamese higher education institutions were ranked among the top universities in the world according to reputable international rankings.

To date, human resources in some sectors such as healthcare, mechanical engineering, technology, and construction in Vietnam have reached regional and international standards.

However, high-level human resource training in general, including postgraduate education, still faces many shortcomings and has yet to meet the socio-economic development demands of the country. This seminar presents an opportunity to jointly assess current trends and demands, opportunities and challenges, quality assurance processes, development directions in training, integration of scientific research with training and community service, training standards (including input, operational, and output standards), internal and external quality assurance systems, and the cooperative relationship among "Training institutions – Learners – Society/Employers."

This international scientific seminar is not only a platform for in-depth and serious discussions on scientific issues related to postgraduate education, training quality, and application-oriented quality assurance—drawing from both international experience and domestic realities—but also a valuable opportunity to foster scientific exchange, enhance collaboration among scholars from universities, academies, research institutes, and quality assurance centers. It helps deepen understanding and strengthen connections between Vietnamese scholars, experts, and educators and their counterparts from regional and global institutions.

"Thinking of great things begins with the smallest steps."

At the seminar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Vũ Bích Hiền, Rector of Hanoi Metropolitan University, expressed her gratitude to the participants for attending the seminar.

According to her, Hanoi Metropolitan University began enrolling students in application-oriented master's programs in 2022. Notably, 90% of enrolled students chose the application-oriented track, demonstrating the strong appeal and growing demand for such postgraduate programs.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Vũ Bích Hiền shared her insights at the seminar

The university has developed new application-oriented master's programs that include internship components and has issued specific guidelines on the content and format of capstone projects for these programs.

As a result, the applicability of both coursework and research topics has become more prominent.
However, questions remain—such as how internships should be conducted for master's students and how capstone projects differ from traditional theses—issues that continue to spark debate.

Hanoi Metropolitan University plans to conduct accreditation for its master’s programs in 2024.

Rector Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyễn Vũ Bích Hiền expressed her hope that through this seminar, educational administrators and training institutions will gain deeper insight into the challenges universities around the world are facing, and that they will find innovative solutions and ideas to enhance the quality of postgraduate education.

She also hopes that the close partnerships and collaborations formed among representatives from different countries will open up new opportunities and create values that transcend national borders.

Seminar Highlights:

• The seminar received overwhelming interest from both domestic and international scholars.

• Out of over 120 research papers submitted, the Organizing Committee selected 79 papers for publication in the seminar proceedings (ISBN: 978-604-364-687-0), and invited researchers and scholars from universities, academies, and research institutes across Vietnam and countries such as Thailand, Russia, and Japan to present their findings.

The seminar was structured into three sessions: one plenary session in the morning and two parallel thematic sessions in the afternoon.

Key Takeaways from the Seminar Papers and Discussions:

• Quality assurance in higher education is essential to ensure that degrees and academic programs are recognized and valued both domestically and internationally.

• Quality assurance in Vietnamese higher education institutions is continuously being improved and refined to better align with regional and global educational standards.

• The importance of linking postgraduate education with academic research was emphasized, affirming that research is a core mission that reflects the learner’s level of expertise and independent research capability.

• Vietnam's postgraduate education has achieved notable successes in developing highly qualified human resources, contributing significantly to national socio-economic development.

Challenges and Recommendations:

• Universities must innovate their training processes, particularly in postgraduate education, with a focus on enhancing learners’ professional competencies, self-directed learning, and research skills to meet real-world demands.

• Speakers highlighted key factors influencing training quality, including:

  • Conditions for implementing programs in line with AUN-QA standards

  • Quality assurance for Hanoi Metropolitan University’s application-oriented Master's in Educational Management, using the AUN-QA framework

• Research presented at the seminar identified bottlenecks that need to be addressed, such as:

  • The state management structure for postgraduate education

  • The need for reform at both macro and institutional levels

Proposed Solutions:

• Effective planning and decentralized, comprehensive governance

• Enhancing the accreditation and quality assurance systems

• Improving policies and incentives for faculty and researchers to boost motivation and teaching quality

Suggestions for Innovation:

• Shift the training philosophy from “training for current market needs” to “training for future market demands”

• Foster strong collaborations between universities, policymakers, and employers

• Innovate curriculum content and teaching methods

• Increase participation in evaluations from both internal and external stakeholders, alongside the institution's own self-assessments

These reflections from the seminar contribute meaningfully to shaping a more effective, responsive, and globally integrated postgraduate education system in Vietnam

Prof. Dr. Philip Hallinger from Mahidol University, Thailand, shared his insights at the seminar

Notably, Prof. Dr. Philip Hallinger from Mahidol University, Thailand, emphasized that in order to improve the quality of postgraduate education, “we should think of great things and begin with the smallest steps.”

The seminar concluded successfully and had a significant impact on advancing quality assurance in postgraduate education both in Vietnam and internationally.