International Workshop on Quality Assurance of Transnational Education

An online workshop titled "Quality Assurance of Transnational Education" was jointly organized by Van Lang University and Charles Sturt University (Australia) on the morning of March 29, 2024. This workshop is one of a series of workshops under the project titled "Empowering Leadership in Transnational Education for Impactful and Sustainable Growth," sponsored by the Australian Government. The main purpose of the workshop is to enhance the understanding of policies and best practices in quality assurance for transnational education in Australia, Vietnam, and other countries globally.

The keynote speakers at the workshop were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fion Choon Boey Lim - Deputy Dean of Business, Justice, and Behavioural Sciences Department at Charles Sturt University, Australia; and Dr. Nguyen Huu Cuong - Director of the Quality Assurance Department at Van Lang University. In addition, the workshop was coordinated by Dr. Quach Thi Ngoc Minh – Senior Officer at the International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Education and Training. The workshop attracted over 180 participants including faculty members, university leaders, researchers, international cooperation professionals and quality assurance professionals from universities and educational centers nationwide.

In her presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fion Choon Boey Lim introduced the concept of quality from the perspective of transnational education. She then provided an overview of mechanisms for managing transnational education at the international, national, institutional, and departmental levels in Australia. The key point of her presentation is the analysis of two typical case studies: one illustrating a university that effectively implements transnational education, and the other illustrating a university that ceased international cooperation within the first two years of implementation due to inadequate adherence to international quality assurance standards. Concluding her presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fion Choon Boey Lim emphasized the crucial role of faculty members in quality assurance in transnational education. Additionally, she underscored that effective implementation of transnational education can provide numerous opportunities and benefits for learners, participating educational institutions, and stakeholders.

Subsequently, in his presentation on quality assurance of transnational education from Vietnamese perspectives, citing sources from UNESCO and the Ministry of Education and Training, Dr. Nguyen Huu Cuong provided data on the number of Vietnamese students studying abroad in 2021-2022 (over 132,000), foreign students studying in Vietnam from 2016 to 2021 (45,000), and Vietnamese students studying in over 400 transnational education programs in Vietnam (25,000). These figures demonstrate that it is important to ensure quality in transnational education in Vietnam. Following this, Dr. Nguyen Huu Cuong analyzed policies and regulations regarding international cooperation, the regulations on educational partnerships developed and issued by Vietnamese higher education institutions, and Van Lang University's experiences in transnational education.

In addition to the main presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fion Choon Boey Lim also shared information on quality assurance in transnational education in China. The discussion between Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fion Choon Boey Lim and Dr. Nguyen Huu Cuong received considerable attention from many scholars, who engaged in the dicussion with the roles of faculty members, institutional quality assurance units, and the involvement of relevant stakeholders in ensuring quality in transnational education.

Attending the workshop, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Vang - Former Director General of International Cooperation Department of MOET, Former Rector of Hanoi University, shared invaluable insights on searching for and selecting international partners. According to Dr. Nguyen Xuan Vang, Vietnamese universities aspiring to engage in transnational education, specifically through international partnerships, need to address three key questions: (1) What kind of partnership programs do we want to implement? (2) Do we possess the requisite capabilities? and (3) What level of support do university leaders offer? Additionally, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Vang emphasized that the most crucial factor for successful international cooperation is leadership commitment and building trust with international partners.

The project "Empowering Leadership in Transnational Education for Impactful and Sustainable Growth" is known to be sponsored by the Australian Government through the Australia Alumni Grants Fund managed by Aus4Skills.

The project team consists of 5 scholars and professionals with expertise in transnational education and education management, currently working in Vietnam and Australia, including: Dr. Quach Thi Ngoc Minh from the Ministry of Education and Training, Project Leader; Dr. Bui Thi Nhu Huyen from Deakin University, Deputy Project Leader; Dr. Nguyen Huu Cuong from Van Lang University, Communication Team Leader of the Project; Dr. Dao Thanh Tung from National Economics University, Event Team Leader of the Project; Prof. Dr. Tran Thi Ly from Deakin University, Research Team Leader of the Project

(Source: Vietnam Journal of Education)