The opening session for the official external quality assurance at the University of Transport and Communications 

On January 16, 2022, the opening session for the official external quality assurance (EQA) at the University of Transport and Communications took place (from January 16-21, 2022). The program is organized in both face-to-face and online formats.

Attending the opening session were Dr. Le My Phong – Deputy Director of Quality Assurance Department, Ministry of Education and Training and Dr. Ta Thi Thu Hien - Director of Center for Education Accreditation - Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-CEA).

The members of the external assessment team include Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc - Former Vice President of VNU, Head of the expert delegation; Dr. Hoang Thi Xuan Hoa - Former Vice President of Quality Assurance Institute - VNU - Secretary of the expert delegation; Prof. Dr.  Dang Ung Van, Former President of Hoa Binh University - Member of the delegation; Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hoa - Former President of University of Foreign Languages - VNU- Member of the delegation; Prof. Dr. Chu Duc Trinh - Vice President of University of Technology - VNU - Member of the delegation; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Xuan Hoan - Head of Planning - Finance Department - VNU - Member of the delegation; Dr. Nguyen Thi Cuc Phuong - Vice President of Hanoi University - Member of the delegation.

On the side of University of Transport and Communications (UTC), there were Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Long - Chairman of the University Council, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong – Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice President; Prof.Dr. Nguyen Van Hung - Vice President, and heads of relevant functional units.

Education quality assurance is pivotal in the activities of a University. Recognizing the importance of this work, the University of Transport and Communications soon identified quality assurance as one of the key tasks of the University, in which the accreditation is an important stage of the university’s quality assurance activities. From academic year 2015-2016, UTC has implemented the Accreditation of Education Quality in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training and is honored to become the first university in Vietnam to be granted the accreditation certificate of educational institutions. Following the accreditation of the University’s educational quality, UTC's training programs are also self-evaluated and quality-accredited in turn.

With a tradition of 76 years of establishment and development, UTC's educational quality is continuously improved and enhanced. After each educational quality accreditation, UTC's activities are objectively reviewed and evaluated by experts. This activity has helped UTC to see the strengths to continue to promote and the shortcomings to have solutions to further improve the quality and meet the goals set by itself.

Speaking at the opening session, Dr. Ta Thi Thu Hien - Director of the VNU – CEA expressed her sincere thanks to the University of Transport and Communications for continuing to trust and accompany them in the second accreditation cycle. University of Transport and Communications is one of the leading higher education institutions (HEIs) in the implementation of quality accreditation. Over the past 5 years, the set of evaluation criteria has changed a lot, these criteria will be a tool to consider all aspects of the University's activities. With the results achieved in the first accreditation cycle, through this set of criteria, the added values as well as the shortcomings that need to be overcome will be recorded, in order to make recommendations for the University in the next development stage. 

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President - on behalf of the University sincerely thanked the delegation of EQA experts from VNU – CEA for accepting the proposal of the University to evaluate its education quality.

The trend of globalization, integration and the development of the industrial revolution 4.0 requires HEIs to provide high-quality human resources to ensure the sustainable development of the country. To carry out this task, HEIs are required not only to expand its scope but also to continuously improve its quality. One of the tasks to help improve the quality of education and training of universities is to implement quality accreditation.

Being the first university in Vietnam to be granted the accreditation certificate of HEIs in 2016 proves that the University of Transport and Communications attaches great importance to quality assurance and accreditation. In 2016, the University has implemented accreditation according to the former set of standards (10 standards - 61 criteria). At that time, the University of Transport and Communications achieved 51/61 criteria, the remaining 10 criteria were not met in the following areas: organizational management structure; interoperability of training programs; database on the employment situation of graduates is not scientific and complete; disproportionate in teaching staff and facilities.

Since then, UTC has continuously improved the quality. The change of the University in the following activities can be witnessed in terms of the training program: reviewed and adjusted the entire training program according to CDIO standards; in terms of organizational and management structure: reorganized in an advanced and lean direction towards e-school; in terms of facilities: all classrooms are equipped with smart devices, tables and chairs according to regional standards, are equipped with air conditioners, modern sound and light systems...

After accreditation in 2016, the University continued to conduct the mid-term evaluation report in 2018 and implemented university rating system UPM in 2020 and finally achieved 4 stars towards research oriented university. This year UTC will conduct the quality assessment cycle 2. At the same time, the University will also conduct self-assessment of 3 training programs according to AUN standards and will implement EQA with these 3 ones in May 2022.

This time, with a new set of standards including 25 standards, 111 criteria in the direction of advanced university administration, the whole University has approached the set of standards very early, all the activities of the University adhered to the set of standards. After this evaluation, the University hope to receive the conclusions and recommendations of the expert delegation for all activities of the University, helping the University continue to make breakthroughs and improve the education quality and bring into full play the strengths of the University.

Speaking at the opening session, Dr. Le My Phong - Deputy Director of Quality Assurance Department, Ministry of Education and Training, said that there are currently 164 accredited higher education institutions nationwide, and the University of Transport and Communications is one of the leading units in quality assurance. VNU – CEA is a reputable accrediting unit that gathers many leading experts in the Vietnamese education industry, in which the Universities can be trusted in positive results through the evaluation, as well as receive many recommendations for the development of the University of Transport and Communications in the next period.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Long - Chairman of UTC Council briefly presented the most basic contents about the activities of the University of Transport and Communications in the period 2016 - 2021, as well as the preparation steps of the University for the assessment for the cycle 2.

After the opening session, the EQA team implement the work according to the schedule of the delegation.

Some pictures

Overview of the opening session

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President of the University of Communications and Transport gave a speech

Dr. Ta Thi Thu Hien - Director of VNU - CEA gave a speech

Dr. Le My Phong - Deputy Director of Quality Assurance Department, Ministry of Education and Training gave a speech

Leaders of the University of Transport and Communications and Communications took photos with a delegation of EQA from the VNU - CEA

On the afternoon of January 16, 2022, the EQA team conducted interviews and discussions in groups with professional managers, alumni, students, master students and graduate students, and employers, staff, lecturers, support staff, former master students and graduate students.

Members of the EQA team interviewed and discussed in groups

On the afternoon of January 17, 2022, the external assessment team visited the facilities of the University of Transport and Communications.

Visiting laboratories

Lecture halls, classrooms

Library and Information Center 

Computer room

On the third working day (January 18, 2022), the external assessment team had a discussion and direct interview with the leaders of the University of Transport and Communications. 

Overview of the meeting room

Members of the EQA team

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President gave a speech at the meeting

On January 21, 2022, the closing session of the second round of EQA for the period 2016 - 2021 at the University of Transport and Communications took place. 

Overview of the closing session

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc - Former Vice President of VNU, Head of expert delegation reported preliminary results of accreditation of University of Transport and Communications. 

Prof.Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Long - President thanked the EQA team for their objective and responsible assessments of the University.

Dr. Ta Thi Thu Hien - Director of VNU - CEA, thanked the efforts of the EQA team to generalize a development stage of the UTC and recognized the University's efforts, interest in quality assessment and accreditation. She expressed VNU – CEA’s desire to continue accompanying with UTC in the next stages of development.