Transcript THE ROLE OF INDEPENDENT ACCREDITING AGENCIES IN …

QUALITY ASSURANCE:
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
AND ASIAN PRACTICES
Dr. Kim D. Nguyen
Institute for educational research - Vietnam
Dr. Alfredeo C. Fabay
Ateneo de Naga University – Philippines
Mr. Mohammad Azley bin Ahmad
Malaysian Qualifications Agency
Brief introduction of Vietnam
higher education system
Higher education in Vietnam
In Vietnam, higher education system is
centralised under the Ministry of
Education and Training (MOET);
however, one third of the institutions are
directly under MOET and two-thirds are
under other ministries and provincial
People’s Committees.
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Higher education in Vietnam (Cont.)
In September 2009:
• 376 universities and colleges
• 1.7 million students
• 159 universities and research institutes assigned
to provide postgraduate education and conduct
research
• 14 key universities identified in the Master
Network of Higher Education Institutions in Vietnam
for the period 2006 to 2020
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Higher education in Vietnam (Cont.)
In 2009
• 30,676 postgraduate students (5.9% of enrolment)
• 2,462 Ph. D students (0.5% of total enrolment)
Plan till 2020
• To train 20,000 PhD, half in Vietnam and half from
overseas
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Higher education in Vietnam (Cont.)
Overseas degrees holders:
- From former Soviet Unions
- The US
- Europe
- Australia
- Other countries: Japan, Korea, South East Asia
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Quality assurance in
Vietnam
Challenges
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The quality of HE is low and relevance is limited by
a weak link between universities and industry;
Lack of articulation between training and economic
development;
Many employees require retraining after graduation;
Inadequate remuneration for faculty (very low
salary) resulting in moonlighting;
A lack of effective curriculum, teaching techniques,
and assessment measures;
Challenges (Cont.)
• Confusion regarding management and
administration mechanisms in higher education;
Insufficient and ineffective educational management
capacity and standards at both institutional and
ministerial levels;
• Conflict between expansion of the HE system and
quality assurance;
• Lack of social equity in HE access;
• A severe shortage of faculty having advanced
qualifications (e.g., master’s and doctoral degrees);
Challenges (Cont.)
Severe Shortage of Faculty with Advanced
Qualifications:
• The shortage of teaching staff, especially highlyeducated teaching staff;
• Statistics show that in the 2007-2008 academic
year, there were 38,217 lecturers at universities,
including 303 professors (0.79%), 1,805 associate
professors (4.72%), 5,643 doctors (14.77%), 5,643
MAs (14.77%), and 15,045 lecturers with
bachelor’s degrees (MoET, 2008);
Challenges (Cont.)
Over the past 10 years, higher education in Vietnam
has experienced many changes, including
diversification in types of institutions and the
establishment of quality improvement standards
for its developing accreditation model.
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ACCREDITATION IN
VIETNAM HIGHER EDUCATION
Early in 2003, higher education began focusing on
systemic reform because change was considered
essential for building a life-long learning society;
As planned by the government, higher education
would focus on improving the quality of teaching
and learning, and quality assurance would become
an important way of achieving this objective.
PLANS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE
AND ACCREDITATION
IN VIETNAM
What has been done?
- National policies and documents on QA and
accreditation were issued
- First 20 public universities completed self studies
and underwent external review
- Project with The Netherland to establish 5 QA
Centers (QACs) at 5 universities
- APQN and INQAAHE
- Training workshops for QA personnel in Vietnam
FOR 2009 AND THE FOLLOWING YEARS
1. Academic year 2009-2010 – Year to evaluate
educational quality
2. Policies to increase ‘quota of entry’ and ‘funding’
for accredited higher education institutions (HEIs)
3. 2008-2009: 100% HEIs completed self-studies
4. 2010: external review for 80% of universities and
50% of 2-3 year colleges
5. Plans for training QA personnel
FOR 2009 AND THE FOLLOWING YEARS (Cont.)
6. Establish QA units in universities and colleges
7. Initiate international exchanges in QA
8. Establish memberships in international QA and
accrediting agencies
9. Develop a QA culture in HEIs
10. Establish independent accrediting agencies in
Vietnam
HOT ISSUES
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Follow credit transfer system of the US and
European models
Change teaching and learning methods
Develop 1-2 world class universities (top 200)
Rank universities
Study experience of other countries on crossborder education
Life-long learning
HOT ISSUES (Cont.)
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Develop multidisciplinary higher education
institutions
Apply new models of testing and quality
assurance, accreditation
Attract overseas academics and students
Increase number of higher educational institutions
Use IT in management, teaching and learning ….
MAIN APPROACHES TO
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Main approaches to quality
management by Harman (1998)
A) An agency or unit with responsibility for
the management of quality assurance;
B) Participation in reviews and other
activities;
C) The main methodologies employed;
D) The focus of quality assurance activities;
E) The purposes of such activities; and
F) Reporting and/or follow-up activities.
UK
US
AUS
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JAP
HK
SEA
A) Responsible agency/unit
Unit or section agency (nongovernment)
Separate agency established by
Government
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Separate agency established
collectively by higher
education institutions
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Agency established jointly by
Government and institutions
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UK
US
AUS
JAP
HK
SEA
B) Participations in reviews and other
activities
Voluntary
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Voluntary, with some
measure of
pressure/persuasion
Compulsory
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UK
US
AUS
JAP
HK
SEA
C) Methodologies of review and assessment
Self-study
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Peer review by panels or experts,
usually with use of external panel
members and site visits
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Analysis of statistical information
and/or use of performance
indicators
Survey of students, graduates,
employers, professional bodies
Testing the knowledge, skills and
competencies of students
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UK
US
AUS
JAP
HK
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SEA
D) Focus
* National reviews of disciplines
Reviews of combination of research,
teaching, and other activities
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* Institutional evaluations
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Reviews of quality assurance processes
Comprehensive reviews usually
including teaching, research,
management, and quality assurance
processes.
* Comprehensive national evaluations
of higher education system
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UK
US
AUS
JAP
HK
SEA
E) Purposes
Accountability
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Improvement and
renewal
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Combination of
purposes
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UK
US
AUS
JAP
HK
Report provided to the institution or
unit but also published or made more
widely available
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Formal reports provided to the
Minister, Ministry, or coordinating
board
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Public reporting
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Use of ranking and wide publication of
the results of such ranking
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Performance funding
Accreditation or validation
SEA
F) Reporting and follow-up-activities
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For Vietnam – suggestions
Responsible agency/unit:
General department for educational
testing and accreditation
within MoET
Independent accrediting agencies
recognized by MoET
Participations in reviews and
other activities
Compulsary, with some
measure of voluntary and
pressure/persuasion
Methodologies of review and
assessment
Self study and Peer review by
panels or experts, usually with
use of external panel members
and site visits
Focus
Comprehensive reviews usually
including teaching, research,
management, and quality
assurance processes.
Purposes
Combination: Accountability and
improvement
Reporting and follow-upactivities
Report provided to the
institution or unit but also
published or made more widely
available
Contact details
Kim D Nguyen (PhD) - Vice Director General
Institute for Educational Research
HoChiMinh City University of Education
115 Hai Ba Trung St., Dis. 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel.: 84-8-8277404-8272891-8232317-8224813 (21)
Fax: 84-8-8273833
Email: [email protected];
[email protected]
Website: http://www.ier.edu.vn