The International Conference on
Impacts of Globalization on Quality in Higher Education
Impacts of globalization on the quality
of higher education in Vietnam: From the
practice in a number of training institutions
Presented by:
Dr. Le Ngoc Thach & Le Thi Ngoc Nhan (M.Ed)
Institute of Educational Managers Ho Chi Minh city
At the SEAMEO RETRAC, 35 Le Thanh Ton, Dist 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - June 20-21, 2013
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Impacts of globalization on the quality of higher
education in Vietnam: From the practice in
a number of training institutions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Contents
Globalization
Globalization in Education
Positive impacts of globalization on the quality of
higher education in Vietnam (the Bright side)
Negative impacts of globalization on the quality of
higher education in Vietnam (the Dark side)
Conclusions
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1. Globalization
– “ Globalization is a process that encompasses the
causes, course, and consequences of transnational and
transcultural integration of human and non-human
activities” (Al-Rodhan, 2006).
– Human activities: the linguistic, cultural, economic,
political and other aspects of human life.
– Non-human activities: phenomenon such as the spread
of bacteria and non-human diseases (e.g., bird flu), as
well as natural disasters.
– All of these issues impact human and global security.
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2. Globalization in Education
– The term globalization in education refers to the
measures and changes that educational institutions
will adopt to take their products to the global
education market (McNamara, 2012).
-Globalization
requires
education that enhances
the ability of learners to
access, assess, adopt,
and apply knowledge,
to think independently
to exercise appropriate
judgment
(Cogburn,1998).
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Impacts of globalization on the quality of
higher education in Vietnam
Since 1986, Doi Moi (Renewal) policies have led to
the emergence of globalization in Vietnam. This force
has strongly impacted economic development,
culture, science, technology and education.
In higher education, the impacts of globalization have
had two sides, “the Bright side and the Dark side” or
positive and negative impacts.
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3. Positive impacts of globalization on the
quality of higher education in Vietnam
(the Bright side)
3.1 Improvement of Training Curriculum
Developing the training curriculum following international
standards.
- A typical case is training curriculum at
Bac Ha International University,
adapted from selected training
programs of advanced universities in
the United States, Australia and
Britain (Ho Thu, 2011).
BAC HA INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
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3.1 Improvement of Training Curriculum (Cont.)
 World Bank funded reform of training and research at
14 universities under Higher Education Project 2 (Bich
Lien, 2007).
The aim is to develop management ability to
improve the quality of training management,
scientific research and technology transfer. With this
type of international support, the training program
likely will improve.
SIGNING CEREMONY
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3.2 Upgrading of facilities, experimental equipment,
and scientific materials
 Teaching facilities are equipped through sponsors
from projects and international organizations.
– The Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program
(HEEAP) resulted in improved equipment for teaching.
– HEEAP 2.0: Arizona State University (US) and five other
major universities support the training of engineering
students in Vietnam.
HEEAP’s set of essential guiding principles and the
member institutions’ linking role will form a model to
guide higher education programs
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3.3 Developing teaching staff and administrators
 Through academic cooperation and exchange programs
between domestic and foreign universities, the capacity of
lecturers is enhanced.
– Decision No. 322/QD-TTg, signed 19 April 2000:
“ Training of science and technology staff in foreign
universities by the state budget.”
2,000 students attending Doctoral programs and over
10,000 students studying Master's programs in
developed countries.
– Decision No. 911/QD-TTg, signed 17 June
2010:
Approved the project “Training lecturers having Doctoral
degrees for universities and colleges in the period from
2010 to 2020”. The project aims to train 20,000 doctors,
including 10,000 with degrees from foreign universities.
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3.4 Improvement of teaching and research by higher
education lecturers
- Through the overseas study programs, lecturers ’
professional knowledge is upgraded while studying in
masters, doctoral and training programs in foreign
countries;
- Teaching methods are improved by exposure to active
learning and teaching methods when participating in
international projects on educational innovation; and
-Research capacity is
strengthened
by
conducting collaborative
research studies.
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3.5 Improvement of management skills for higher
education leaders
- The MoET issued new programs for training educational
managers on 20 January 2012 (382 Program). The
National Institute of Educational Management in Hanoi
and the Institute of Educational Managers HCMC were
assigned the primary duties of training educational
managers following MoET’s programs.
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IEMH
NIEM
3.5 Improvement of management skills for higher
education leaders (cont.)
- Through various international projects, including MoET’s
projects, graduates of master ’ s or doctoral degree
programs in educational management will become the core
administrative force of universities and colleges in
Vietnam.
AUSTRALIA AWARDS IN VIETNAM
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3.6 Changes in students’ learning skills linked to
globalization

The trend of active learning and teaching requires
lecturers to focus on teaching and practice (learning by
doing) in order for students to be more engaged with the
learning process.

HUE UNIVERSITY’S LIBRARY
The
universities
and
colleges usually offer
good
conditions
for
students ’ self-study, and
equipment for conducting
research
has
become
progressively better.
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4. Negative impacts of globalization on the
quality of higher education in Vietnam
(the Dark side)
No guarantee of quality at non-public colleges and
universities in the context of globalization
 “Socialization of Education” issued in 1997:
 Non-public universities and colleges have been
allowed to establish and develop.
+ In 2012, there were 419 universities and colleges
throughout the country (public: 337, non-public: 82)
(MoET, 2012)
- Development of many kinds of colleges and
universities affects the quality of Vietnam higher
education.
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4.1 Lack of permanent lecturers
-
MoET Statistics for 2010: 50 universities and colleges
had student/lecturer ratios over the regulation (e.g.,
HUFLIT : 47/1; Tay Do University: 44/1; Viettronics
College of Industry: 47/1 …).
=> To invite lecturers from other universities
Lecturers teach two or more subjects
4.2 Lack of facilities and finances


Many lack facilities, equipment for
studying, laboratories, computers,
books …
Hire laboratories to do experiments,
thus spend more time teaching
theory than doing practice.
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4.3 Low entrance

In 2012, many majors in universities and colleges accepted
minimum MoET allowed pass marks on the entrance exam
; however, they still did not enroll enough students to
achieve assigned targets (e.g., Cuu Long University (30%),
Bac Lieu University (50%), Thai Nguyen University
(50%), Phuong Dong University (65%),...) (Tuyen sinh
online, 2013)
4.4 Low requirements in evaluating learning outcomes
Most students are able to
graduate because tests are not
difficult; improper evaluation
of student knowledge.
The output quality is not
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really guaranteed.
4.5 No guarantee of training programs
-Many training majors have
not been designed to meet
society’s demand and the
national human resource
development program (Đao
Trong Thi, 2013).

The quality of some training programs with foreign
universities is not tested before implementation (e.g.,
Frederick Taylor University, Preston University,
University of the South Pacific,…). (Hong Hanh, 2013).
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-The
National
Assembly’s
Committee
for
Culture,
Education, the Youth and
Children examined 50 out of
419 universities in JulyDecember 2012, and concluded
that universities have been mushrooming in Vietnam
under the people founded schools, but most of them
have low quality training.
The Committee proposed to dissolve low
quality universities (Vietnamnet, 2013).
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5. Conclusions
• Globalization is not a force that
needs to be stopped; rather, it is a
process that influences each of us in
a number of ways, both to our
benefit and also to our detriment
(Al-Rodhan, 2006).
- Globalization brings both opportunities and
challenges to Vietnamese higher education.
Therefore, colleges and universities need to have
their own strategic plans in order to reduce
disadvantages and take advantage of opportunities
associated with globalization to develop their
organizations as high quality educational institutions.
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Acknowledgement
We are thankful and appreciative for Dr. Diane E. Oliver,
who helped us edit our paper.
x
DR. DIANE E. OLIVER
(Red shirt)
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THE END
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