A CASE STUDY OF EDUCATION COMMERCIALIZATION VIA JOINT-PROGRAMS BETWEEN VIETNAMESE AND OVERSEAS UNIVERSITIES

International Conference on “Impacts of Globalization on Quality in Higher Education” HCMC June 20-21 2013 CURRENT ISSUES IN GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF EDUCATION COMMERCIALIZAT

International Conference on

“Impacts of Globalization on Quality in Higher Education”

HCMC June 20-21 2013

CURRENT ISSUES IN GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT:

A CASE STUDY OF EDUCATION COMMERCIALIZATION VIA JOINT-PROGRAMS

BETWEEN VIETNAMESE AND OVERSEAS

UNIVERSITIES

Nguyen Huu Cuong1, Nhan Thi Thuy2, Vu Thi Phuong Thao3

1 Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam

2 Da Nang Architecture University, Vietnam

3 University of Languages and International Studies, VNU, Vietnam

①Introduction

Purpose

• to investigate current issues of regulating joint-programs in

Vietnam under the impact of commercialization;

• to propose solutions accordingly

Scope

• programs at tertiary level held in Vietnam jointly by domestic and foreign providers (excl franchising, distance learning, e- learning)

• efficient practices in cross-border educational activities drawn from achievements of Australian institutions

①Introduction

②Literature review INTERNATIONALIZATION

COMMERCIALIZATION

JOINT-PROGRAMS

•Benefiting different groups

•Institutions restructuring educational systems

•Countries seeking educational barrier removed

• Education: a ‘tradable commodity’ (WTO,2008)

in Services (GATS) including 4 modes : border education, Consumption abroad, commercial presence, natural person

Cross-• Collaborative programs (partially or fully offshored curriculum, administrative staff and teachers) between one local and another

foreign institution, both awarding degrees (Huang, 2009)

②Literature review

(Hacket & Nowak, 1999; IDP Education Australia, 2000)

• Vietnam emerging as a dynamic spot for a variety of transnational

higher education practices (Altbach & Knight, 2007)

• the number of joint-programs increasing substantially (Altbach &

Knight, 2007; Thanh, 2008)

Context of joint-programs in Vietnam

TNHE practices in Vietnam:

• ‘import-oriented’ (Huang, 2007, p 246), adopting

“whole package” foreign programs and standards.

• a pivotal contributor to the local socio-economic

advancement

• adopting all the four GATS trading modes in

education (Pham, 2007)

• operating within a basic regulation framework for

educational services (Pham, 2007)

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

courses and students

allowed for intake

• a lack of channels for

complete and accurate

courses and students

allowed for intake

• a lack of channels for

complete and accurate

information for

students to make

informed and rational

choices

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

Most problematic issue

• the quality of imported programs lower than the

programs themselves in the home branch (Thanh,2008)

• an official and independent quality assurance

framework still missing

• a loophole for unqualified providers to leak into the

market via counterfeit accreditation mills (Altbach & Knight, 2007)

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

‘a global template’

(Yang, 2008; Ziguras & Fazal, 2001)

unsuitable or quality course content and delivery; little participation of highly- qualified foreign teaching staff

low-“[…] reinforce the perception that real or proper knowledge is only produced by particular countries in a

particular way, and warns us that the Western educational system and structures continue to define

education for the rest of the world.”

(Goodman, 1984, as cited in Yang, 2008, p 284)

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

Issues in Vietnam’s current regulation

of joint-programs

Lack of consistency, transparency and reliability THREATS

• quality compromises

• foreign values' invasion to the national education sovereignty and autonomy

• local institutions' failure to fulfil their community-oriented education service

• quality compromises

• foreign values' invasion to the national education sovereignty and autonomy

• local institutions' failure to fulfil their community-oriented education service Legal loopholes for commercialized practices

COMMERCIALIZATION

Recommended solutions

• provide specific and transparent guidelines for the selection

MALAYSIA)

• establish an independent quality assurance body and

standardisation at the governmental level (EUROPE, the USA)

• improve the quality assurance capacity and autonomy in the

• implement strictly and consistently the legal framework

defining the extent of violation that leads to dissolution of a

Joint-programs in Vietnam

•key issues: lacking consistency,

transparency, reliability in quality and regulation aspects

•key solutions: guidelines, quality

assurance body, legal framework

Further research:

•applying international good TNHE practices in Vietnam : ‘adapting’ vs

‘adopting’

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Table 1 Modes of supply for the delivery of educational

services in cross-border trade (GATS, 1995)

distance education, e-learning, virtual universities

currently small market; seen to have great potential

across border.

part/whole of the course in a foreign country

currently the largest share of global

in a foreign country to render service.

local branch, satellite campuses, twinning

partnerships, franchising

strong potential for future growth

service.

professors, teachers, researchers working abroad

potentially a strong market, emphasizing mobility of

professionals

For a business course that is jointly provided by Help University (Malaysia), International School (Vietnam National University – Hanoi) and Institute of Economics and Finance IEFS (Ho Chi Minh City), each student must cover a tuition fee of 11,000 USD This amount will be divided among the partners: 46% for Help University, 27% for International School, 3% for Vietnam

National University – Hanoi and the remaining 24% for IEFS Accordingly, for each student, Vietnam National University earns 330 USD; and

International School and IEFS make a profit of 50% after staff, translators and facilities costing (Thanh, 2010)