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Enhancing the internationalisation of higher education in Vietnam
The challenge
Vietnam’s higher education sector has experienced significant growth over the past two decades, prompting a shift towards internationalisation as a key strategy to enhance quality and contribute to national development. Despite progress, the lack of a strategic approach has limited the benefits to a few leading institutions, prompting a broader initiative to involve all universities in the internationalisation agenda.
Deakin University was engaged by the Australian Government Department of Education to prepare a Good Practice Guide and Capability Framework for Enhancing Internationalisation of Higher Education as part of the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy. Deakin’s leadership in international education means it is well positioned to promote an appreciation of the benefits of internationalisation and strategies, including global trends and digitisation. For Australia, Vietnam presents opportunities for transnational education (TNE), online delivery, inbound and outbound student mobilities and research collaboration. Vietnam is also an important diversification market for the growth of trade in education services.
Project overview
This project aimed to enhance the internationalisation of higher education and the development of ongoing collaborative initiatives between Australia’s and Vietnam’s higher education sectors. The project focussed on 44 Vietnamese universities. It began with a series of workshops delivered by the REDI and Deakin International team in Vietnam and virtually. During the workshops, Vietnamese and Australian speakers shared experiences and built mutual capability in the development of transnational education partnerships and internationalisation strategies at the institutional level. Participants gained insights into the regulatory environment supporting Australian transnational education delivery in Vietnam. Sustainable mechanisms were developed to facilitate ongoing knowledge exchange between the Australian and Vietnamese higher education sectors.
The next steps included a survey to evaluate the effectiveness of the training workshops and capture the factors that enable or inhibit the internationalisation of higher education in Vietnam and focus groups to gather data on emerging issues, debates and new developments in the internationalisation of higher education in Vietnam.
Outcomes
Outcomes of the project include a Good Practice Guide and a Higher Education Internationalisation Capability Framework.
Good Practice Guide
The Guide provides evidence-based strategies, practical information, and examples designed to support universities in developing and implementing internationalisation across the following six key areas:
- Developing an institutional plan and engaging leaders and staff in internationalisation
- Curriculum, teaching and learning
- Research
- Transnational education (TNE)
- International student mobility
- Outbound student and staff mobility
English language version
Vietnamese language version
Higher Education Internationalisation Capability Framework
The Higher Education Internationalisation Capability Framework complements the Good Practice Guide. This framework aims to support the development of higher education internationalisation capability for institutions. It informs the development of strategic and operational internationalisation plans, priorities and actions. The framework can be used as a benchmark to consider current strategies and practices of internationalisation in higher education.
English language version
Vietnamese language version
Project team
Professor Ly Tran
John Molony
Dr Diep Nguyen
Dr Huyen Bui
Thu Nguyen Vo
John Bolton
Dr Bardo Fraunholz
Angela Puskic
Timeline
April 2024 – December 2024
Partners
Ministry of Education and Training Vietnam
Funders
Australian Government Department of Education under the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy