On the afternoon of 19th September, the leadership of the University of Science welcomed a delegation of experts to conduct a preliminary survey in preparation for the quality assessment, according to the accreditation standards established by the Ministry of Education and Training. The evaluation team carried out an initial inspection of the preparation of evidence and several locations that the University had arranged for the official survey, which was scheduled to take place from 7th to 12th October 2022.

During the meeting, Dr. Tạ Thị Thu Hiền, Director of the Centre for Education Accreditation at Viet Nam National University Ha Noi, representing the survey team, shared her initial opinions regarding the preparations for this assessment: “The University of Science has well-prepared its records, particularly through the digitisation of documents. The reports were prepared to a high standard, and the University has also made remarkable improvements since the previous assessment in 2016.”

In the discussion regarding the points that required clarification in the preparations, both the University representatives and the accreditation team contributed valuable insights. Prof. Nguyễn Hữu Đức commended the achievements made by the officials, staff, and employees of the University. However, he also highlighted the significant challenges that the University faced, particularly in relation to the admissions context for specific programmes not meeting expectations. Prof. Nguyễn Hữu Đức further suggested that the University of Science should supplement the evidence and showcase its accomplishments according to the initial feedback received from the evaluation team before the official accreditation date.

At the conclusion of the survey, both parties signed the working record, expressing the evaluation team’s commitment to a spirit of collegiality, fair assessment, objective judgment, comprehensive feedback, and precise advice in support of the University’s development process.

The delegation of education quality assessment and accreditation experts (external assessment team) was officially appointed to work at VNUHCM-University of Science, comprising:

Team Leader: Prof. Nguyễn Hữu Đức – Former Vice President of Viet Nam National University Ha Noi

Secretary: Dr. Trần Hữu Lượng – Director of the Cooperation and Development Department, VNUHN-Centre for Education Accreditation

Members:

– Assoc. Prof. Đinh Văn Toàn – Deputy Director of VNUHN-Centre for Education Accreditation

– Assoc. Prof. Ngô Văn Thuyên – Former Chairman of the Council of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education

– Assoc. Prof. Lê Chi Lan – Vice President of Saigon University

– Prof. Nguyễn Hòa – Former President of VNUHN-University of Foreign Languages

– Assoc. Prof. Nguyễn Mạnh Khải – Dean of the Faculty of Environment, VNUHN-University of Science

Supervisor: Dr. Bùi Thị Thu Thủy – VNUHN-Centre for Education Accreditation

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Some definitions according to Circular No. 12/2017/TT-BGDĐT, dated 19th May 2017, issued by the Minister of Education and Training concerning the Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions:

“Quality of a Higher Education Institution” refers to the extent to which the institution meets its established goals, the educational objectives outlined in the Law on Higher Education, and the requirements for the training of human resources essential for the socio-economic development of both the locality and the country as a whole.

“Evaluating the Quality of a Higher Education Institution” involves the collection and processing of information to make judgements based on established evaluation criteria regarding all activities of the educational institution. This includes quality assurance in strategic terms, systemic quality assurance, and assurance regarding both functional performance and the operational outcomes of the institution.

“Accreditation of the Quality of Higher Education Institutions” denotes an activity that involves the evaluation and recognition of the extent to which an educational institution meets the academic quality standards promulgated by the Minister of Education and Training.