1.1. Quality assurance and quality development with respect to contents, processes and outcomes*
UEH and its affiliated schools always recognize the importance of ensuring quality and implement this through a plan-do-check-act process. Internal quality assurance at UEH and SFL is performed by Quality Assurance Council, Quality Assurance Department – Curriculum Development Team, and Quality Assurance Units. It is stipulated in Decision No. 1494/2021 regarding quality assurance activities at UEH [4.2.2.01]. Besides, the programme receives evaluation from the faculty members [4.1.5.02], undergraduates [5.1.01], [5.1.02], [5.1.03], [5.1.04], graduates [3.1.1.02], and enterprises [3.6.01].
1.2. Instruments of quality assurance
1.2.1. Evaluation by students
At the end of each semester, the students are required to fill out two types of surveys regarding the evaluation of the lecturers’ teaching effectiveness [5.1.02], [5.1.03], [5.1.04], and self-evaluation of their participation in academic activities [5.2.1.01]. The survey results are sent to the Dean and lecturers, serving the purpose of improving the curriculum and teaching practices.
At the end of each academic year, the students are required to evaluate their academic advisor’s effectiveness on (i) regular class meetings (at the beginning and end of each semester), (ii) public assessments of students’ training points, and (iii) assisting the DSA in addressing student issues throughout their entire learning process, including studying, taking exams, retaining study results, health issues, participation in Student Union activities, joining student clubs, engaging in scientific research, study plans, as well as contacting functional departments when necessary, etc. [5.2.1.02]
1.2.2. Evaluation by faculty
While students evaluate the effectiveness of the courses designed in the training programme, the teaching staff is also involved in the process of ensuring the quality of education. Lecturers receive the student’s assessment from the QACD and use the results of the survey to reflect on their own teaching practices and to propose ideas for improving the content and structure of the course as well as the curriculum.
To govern the programme better, at the faculty level, all lecturers attend periodic meetings in their department and school to evaluate and review the courses they are in charge of teaching as well as all the issues related to their teaching, including the assessment schemes and the supporting services [5.2.2.01]. The feedback from the lecturers provides the programme director and the school executive board with diverse information and multiple perspectives to adjust promptly before the commencement of the next cohort.
Additionally, at the end of each year, all faculty members are required by DQACD to evaluate the service quality of functional departments to ensure that instructors receive optimal support in teaching, studying, and scientific research.
At UEH, the president decides the criteria for the evaluation of all the working units and staff and the evaluation is conducted annually based on these criteria. The evaluation process is conducted at the end of each year, which starts with the self-evaluation of each individual, then the management unit level and the university board level. For the lecturers, the assessment criteria include the performance of each individual faculty member and working unit [5.2.2.02] The evaluation findings are made available to the public, and the individual who receives the highest score is given recognition and honours from UEH as well as awards from the Ministry of Education and Training.
1.2.3. External evaluation by alumni, employers and third parties
SFL is aware of the significance of gathering feedback from various stakeholders, with a primary focus on alumni and employers. The SFL periodically collects feedback through surveys with alumni [3.1.1.02] and employers [3.1.1.01] to improve the curriculum and ensure that graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of the job market. The survey results are carefully analysed, compiled, and distributed to all faculty members to help them capture the most up-to-date feedback from employers, thus making step-by-step plans for curriculum development as well as quality improvements.
The school also takes comments from students, lecturers, and fellows on the programme’s learning outcomes and the quality of the teaching staff. These contents are an important basis for the improvement of the training program. Moreover, the training programme is also under review by some organisations which welcome the programme’s students in their internship or Enterprise Semester.
1.3. Programme documentation
1.3.1. Programme description*
The program documentation comprises comprehensive information, including (i) the training program and (ii) detailed syllabi.[1]
(i) The training programme:
The program content is described in great detail, encompassing information such as the list of courses, number of credits, details of the course instructors, program learning outcomes, career opportunities upon program completion, and a schematic representation of the interrelation between courses. The courses are grouped and scheduled for each stage of student learning, including general education courses, and major and minor courses. Each course specifies the number of credits, and at the end of the course list, the total credits are provided for a holistic view of the program’s duration.
Furthermore, the program documentation also lists the specific names of course instructors, along with information about their academic ranks, degrees, and years of teaching experience. Each course consists of at least three instructors available, and each instructor is in charge of no more than three different courses. One thing that students are often interested in a program is information about career opportunities after graduation, and this is also provided clearly and comprehensively in the program documentation. Key information that employers are usually interested in when reviewing a program is the program’s learning outcomes, including knowledge, skills, autonomy and responsibility – formerly referred to as attitudes.
Additionally, a schematic diagram illustrating the close relationship between courses helps both instructors and students grasp the logical connection of all the courses, which showcases the overall program’s structure. All of this information is explicitly outlined in the training program file and made publicly available on UEH’s website for relevant parties to access. Printed copies are stored at SFL and are readily available for distribution to interested parties.
(ii) The detailed syllabi
Many things are included in detailed syllabi, such as course content, learning outcomes, teaching methods, structured midterm and final exams with clear grading scales, theoretical credit hours, practical credit hours, student self-study hours, the relationship between course learning outcomes and program learning outcomes, ways for students to get help while they are learning, and more [3.1.3.01].
The program documents are publicly available on the website [2]and can be accessed to ensure transparency. An English version of the program documents will also be released to facilitate access for international partners and stakeholders.
1.3.2. Information on activities during the academic year
The School ensures that the students are fully informed of all activities involving seminars, conferences, internships, enterprise semesters, academic competitions, extracurricular events, volunteer activities, green summer campaigns, environmental protection initiatives, green living, UEH’s ceremony events, and job fairs. All activities are swiftly communicated to students through posters, banners, emails, websites, events on Facebook, youth union fan pages, academic clubs, DSA and DMC’s electronic information portal. Furthermore, the information is also sent via email to the students, administrative staff, the Board of the SFL and UEH.
The UEH’s newsletter is issued and updated monthly, and UEH’s website regularly updates information on its home page. UEH complies with regulations regarding annual reports and public reports to adhere to the annual audit regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training. At the end of the year, SFL prepares a comprehensive report on the year’s activities for UEH to assess the level of completion of OKRs.
CONCLUSION
To sum up, although the bachelor’s programme in Business English is not one of the earliest programmes at UEH, the SFL is proud to say that the quality of the programme is widely recognized. The programme has been designed with clear objectives and appropriate programme learning outcomes that highly meet the demands of society, match the mission of the SFL, and meet the requirements of the Vietnam National Qualifications Framework for undergraduates. The admissions process for prospective students to study the programme is also transparent and accessible. Importantly, the structure of the programme is consistent with the programme objectives and has a harmony between theoretical knowledge and practice that prepares the graduates to excel in a real working environment. The courses of the programme are logically arranged and ensure their contribution to the programme’s learning outcomes. The academic environment at UEH is an ideal place for students to acquire knowledge, develop all skills, and attitudes, and study with the qualified and experienced teaching staff. The collaboration with other international higher educational institutions also makes the programme competitive with other institutions in the area. The students of the programme are always highly supported by the school members and other departments at UEH.
[1] https://tuyensinh.ueh.edu.vn/bai-viet/ngon-ngu-anh-dai-hoc-chinh-quy-chuong-trinh-chuan/
[2] https://tuyensinh.ueh.edu.vn/bai-viet/ngon-ngu-anh-dai-hoc-chinh-quy-chuong-trinh-chuan/