Universities want to be accredited by foreign organization

Ton Duc Thang University in HCMC also criticized the domestic centres. 

Other schools have also said they don't want to be accredited by domestic centers, but are choosing to be accredited by foreign independent organizations in accordance with international criteria.

Le Van Ut from Ton Duc Thang University said the school has been recognized as a 3-star (5-star is the highest level) training establishment by QS World University Ratings (the UK). 

The school ranked second in the list of 49 Vietnamese universities released by a group of independent specialists in early September.

Ton Duc Thang is being accredited by HCERES, a prestigious accreditation organization recognized by ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education) and AUN-QA (ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance).

According to Dinh Van Tien, vice president of the University for Business & Technology, the school set up a council on self-appraisal and quality assurance for internal evaluation in March 2017, a preparatory step for accreditation by independent accreditation centers.

Nguyen Tat Thanh University also decided to be accredited by QS Stars. From now to 2025, the school will continue to be accredited in accordance with international standards.

Meanwhile, Tran Van Top, vice president of the Hanoi University of Science & Technology, one of the largest training establishments in Vietnam, said his school was accredited in accordance with the standards set by The High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES).

According to Top, the school was accredited by HCERES three times in 2006, 2011 and 2016. It chose HCERES because the training programs for high-quality engineers must be accredited in accordance with French standards. It is also accredited in accordance with AUN-QA.

Top said foreign experts have more experience in evaluating tertiary education quality, and they can consider the University of Science & Technology in comparison with regional schools for evaluation. 

He also praised the standards set by HCERES, saying that the organization gives macro assessments and focuses on the school’s management and development strategy.

Bui Tran Phuong from Nes Education commented that schools choose international accreditation because they want to know their positions in international ranking.

“International accreditors are objective and independent of schools and the training environment,” Phuong said.

Le My Phong from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) said the ministry encourages schools to be accredited in accordance with foreign prestigious accreditation organizations. 

He said that the ministry never asks schools to be accredited in accordance with the ministry’s criteria.

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Tien Phong