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Purpose – Educational design patterns offer practical strategies that can be shared and adapted to address problems in teaching and learning. This article explores how educational design patterns for connected learning at scale at an Australian university may be adapted to a Vietnamese higher education context. Design/methodology/approach – 12 educational design patterns that address the challenges of active learning and large teaching team management are discussed. The authors then critically reflect on their cross-cultural adaptation for the higher education context, from an Australian to a Vietnamese university. Findings – Transitioning from passive to active learning strategies and effectively leading large teaching teams present similar challenges across our contexts. Educational design patterns, when dynamically adapted, may assist educators to teach skills that are critical for work and the future. Higher education institutions globally could enhance their practices by incorporating international best practice approaches to educational design. Practical implications – The Connected Learning at Scale (CLaS) educational design patterns explored in this article offer solution-oriented strategies that promote a more active learning experience. This paper identifies adaptations for educators, especially those in Vietnamese higher education that respect traditional structures, cultural nuances and resource limitations in implementation. Originality/value – Whilst educational design patterns are well-researched in the Western contexts, few studies analyse design patterns in an Asian, and in particular the Vietnamese context. More research is needed in the cross-cultural adaptation of educational design patterns that joins practice and theory.

Abstract This qualitative study explored the perspectives of Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers on the implementation of competency-based assessment (CBA) within the higher education context. Amidst the global shift towards competency-based education, this research aimed to understand how instructors in Vietnam navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by CBA, focusing on its impact on teaching practices and student learning. The objective of this study was to examine the adaptations and responses of EFL teachers to the implementation of CBA, identifying how these adaptations influence teaching effectiveness and student learning experiences. Employing semi-structured interviews with 10 EFL teachers from two institutions, the study was grounded in constructivist and social constructivist theoretical frameworks, facilitating a nuanced exploration of the participants’ experiences. The findings revealed several key themes: significant challenges in transitioning to CBA, including adapting to new methodologies and a lack of resources; the transformative potential of CBA for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes; the need for targeted professional development to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation skills; and the role of CBA in fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, student autonomy, and inclusivity. Additionally, the study highlighted the complexities of providing effective, individualized feedback within CBA frameworks. The discussion underscores the importance of these findings in informing the development of more effective competency-based educational strategies and highlights recommendations for enhancing teacher training and assessment design to better support competency development. These insights contribute to the discourse on competency-based language education, suggesting implications for policy, practice, and future research. By highlighting the specific challenges and strategies employed by Vietnamese EFL teachers, this study offers valuable perspectives for instructors, policymakers, and researchers aiming to advance the implementation of competency-based assessment in language education globally.

The research examines the impact of servant leadership on the innovation capability of higher education institutions in Vietnam. Through the application of structural equation modeling (SEM), the results demonstrated the importance and direct impact of servant leadership style - characterized by prioritizing development and rights of those who follow - to the capability of universities to innovate and the behaviors of knowledge sharing; in which, the knowledge sharing factor plays a partial mediating role. Thereby, a number of recommendations have been proposed to promote servant leadership and enhance innovation capabilities at universities across the country.

This qualitative study explored the perspectives of Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers on the implementation of competency-based assessment (CBA) within the higher education context. Amidst the global shift towards competency-based education, this research aimed to understand how instructors in Vietnam navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by CBA, focusing on its impact on teaching practices and student learning. The objective of this study was to examine the adaptations and responses of EFL teachers to the implementation of CBA, identifying how these adaptations influence teaching effectiveness and student learning experiences. Employing semi-structured interviews with 10 EFL teachers from two institutions, the study was grounded in constructivist and social constructivist theoretical frameworks, facilitating a nuanced exploration of the participants' experiences. The findings revealed several key themes: significant challenges in transitioning to CBA, including adapting to new methodologies and a lack of resources; the transformative potential of CBA for enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes; the need for targeted professional development to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation skills; and the role of CBA in fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills, student autonomy, and inclusivity. Additionally, the study highlighted the complexities of providing effective, individualized feedback within CBA frameworks. The discussion underscores the importance of these findings in informing the development of more effective competency-based educational strategies and highlights recommendations for enhancing teacher training and assessment design to better support competency development. These insights contribute to the discourse on competency-based language education, suggesting implications for policy, practice, and future research. By highlighting the specific challenges and strategies employed by Vietnamese EFL teachers, this study offers valuable perspectives for instructors, policymakers, and researchers aiming to advance the implementation of competency-based assessment in language education globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blended learning has been increasingly implemented in higher education with the desire to transform teaching and learning. However, limited literature focuses on the perspectives of teachers who play a crucial role in adopting blended learning. This mixed-methods study utilized the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (Hall & Hord, 2006) to assess the stages of concerns among lecturers and their specific concerns regarding the top-down decision to adopt blended learning in a Vietnamese university. The Stages of Concerns Questionnaire was administered to 165 academic staff to explore their group concern profile, and follow-up semistructured interviews were then conducted with 16 lecturers to delve into their specific concerns. The findings showed that the lecturers were early adopters of blended learning, exhibiting strong concerns about the adoption, particularly those unrelated and self-focused. The research also indicated that lecturers experienced instructional ambiguity in understanding the essence of blended learning, technological apprehension, workload stress, and skepticism about student learning autonomy. However, there were also encouraging indicators, such as the lecturers' readiness to learn about blended learning, their enthusiasm for intradisciplinary cooperation, and their flexibility in applying the teaching strategy. These insights help policymakers better understand the concerns and viewpoints of the lecturers. Furthermore, the conclusion of this paper includes some suggestions for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher turnover has become a growing concern in many countries around the world because of the associated staffing shortages and the unavoidable impact on educational quality. This study aims to better understand teachers’ motivation to leave or to stay in the profession in the context of English language teaching in the Vietnamese university sector. Data collected from 30 semi-structured interviews with EFL teachers from 14 universities in Vietnam revealed an array of factors driving attrition. Findings reveal that Vietnamese university EFL teachers’ turnover intentions included a desire to pursue a passion other than teaching, job enthusiasm erosion, job-related stress, workplace conflicts, heavy workloads, and personal-related reasons. However, not all teachers translated their leaving intentions into actual behaviours. A negotiation process involving different mediators was undertaken before teachers decided to leave or to remain in teaching. Findings also highlight the importance of intrinsic motivation in keeping teachers engaged and committed to teaching.

In recent years, the Vietnamese Government has endeavoured to modernise its higher education sector. While there have been polarised claims made over teaching and learning approaches in Vietnamese higher education (VHE), exploring the students' and teachers' perceptions, in a bottom-up approach, is important. Using a mixed method approach, this study explored teachers' and students' perceptions of how teaching could be conducted to facilitate learning. The study revealed that there are both similarities and disparities between teachers' and students' perceptions of which teaching approaches foster student learning. The study throws some more light onto diversity in teaching practices in Vietnamese universities. It suggests that teaching and learning practices in VHE are diverse, questioning some stereotypes of teaching and learning in VHE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the role of leadership in addressing disparities in higher education arising from the post-COVID-19 era, as experienced by Vietnamese lecturers. Drawing on qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews with 15 university lecturers across diverse regions and institutions in Vietnam, the research aimed to capture the essence of effective leadership behaviors during this unprecedented crisis. The study is underpinned by the Transformational Leadership Theory and Sociocultural Theory. Findings underscore the significance of visionary and inspirational leadership, emphasizing a clear direction amidst adversities. The importance of empathetic and supportive leadership, active faculty engagement, flexibility, commitment to capacity-building, and transparent communication emerged as paramount. Viewed through the theoretical frameworks, the results elucidate how leadership strategies resonated with both universal leadership principles and culturally specific Vietnamese values. The implications drawn highlight the need for adaptive and culturally attuned leadership in crisis scenarios, especially in academic settings. Though the study offers a profound understanding of leadership in a post-pandemic Vietnamese educational context, it also recommends expanded, diverse, and cross-cultural investigations to provide a more holistic perspective in future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally significant adversities have occurred, including the COVID−19 pandemic, which had an impact on all facets of society, such as the fields of employment and education. University students should be well-equipped with the skills, knowledge, and attitude required to adapt to and withstand employability challenges. A triangulation mixed-method approach was utilised in this study to measure and explore post-secondary students' sustainable lifelong learning for future-oriented purposes. The study began with a quantitative phase to examine the relationship between the four self-regulated learning strategies and lifelong learning. A survey approach was utilised to execute the research among 152 university students in Vietnam. The results of structural equation modelling demonstrated a significant positive association between lifelong learning abilities and metacognitive knowledge, resource management, and motivating beliefs. Cognitive involvement, however, did not reveal a significant connection. Second, qualitative follow-up research with five undergraduates indicated students' use of strategical (self-regulated learning strategies) and psychological preparation (self-understanding, adaptability, and flexibility) for the future. Significant implications were made for teachers and students in higher education to facilitate and enhance students' lifelong learning abilities to cope with uncertainties prior to transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we sought to measure specific changes in Vietnamese higher education students' intercultural communicative competence, drawn from the theoretical frameworks of intercultural communicative competence and student engagement. By adopting a concurrent mixed-method approach, this study aims to generate a fresh insight into how Vietnamese college students can learn English by engaging in TED Talks to support their acquisition of intercultural experiences. Findings showed changes in the student participants' levels of engagement in intercultural communicative competence, both cognitively and behaviourally. For the purpose of filling missing literature and providing pedagogical implications, this publication also proposes future research avenues in order to fill literature gaps and discover further pedagogical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English language assumes a pivotal position in the socioeconomic advancement of Vietnam. The adoption of extracurricular mechanisms for English language acquisition is recognized as an innovative and potent overhaul of the pedagogical framework for English learners in Vietnam. This study was executed employing a quantitative methodology to ascertain the perceptions of tertiary level students regarding the advantages and obstacles encountered in their engagement with extracurricular activities directed at English language acquisition. Data was accumulated from 1,032 students pursuing higher education in an institution situated in the Mekong delta, facilitated by a questionnaire. The findings highlighted significant expectations students harbored for these activities. Particularly, they anticipated that engagement in these extracurricular endeavors would yield a positive influence on their linguistic competencies, while also fostering a conducive and collaborative environment for English language acquisition, thereby expanding their social networks with fellow participants. Nevertheless, the participants also acknowledged potential drawbacks. They expressed concern that participation in these activities might be time-consuming and could potentially diminish their motivation to partake, especially if the activities were not in alignment with their individual competencies and areas of interest. The findings of this study propose implications for enhancing the effectiveness of extracurricular activities for English language acquisition. Specifically, adequate financial and human capital investment is crucial, and the activities need to be meticulously planned to avoid an excessive time commitment from the students.

Given the importance of local scholars' understanding of research in their integration into global academia, this study explored the way scholars conceptualised and perceived the meaning of research and their identities as researchers. This article reports data from a qualitative case study using semi-structured interviews to explore the positioning and discursive identity of eight Vietnamese social science scholars. Findings revealed that researchers trained in Vietnam and the Soviet Union understood research as knowledge production, positioning themselves as creators of knowledge and critical thinkers. In contrast, researchers who studied in Western countries considered research a rigorous process, positioning themselves as producers and disseminators of research assessed against given standards in international peer-reviewed journals. This study suggests that in local contexts with a complicated history and unique culture like Vietnam, social science researchers should be encouraged to employ their various local methods to tap into the existing sources of local knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Research on Service-Learning & Community Engagement is the property of International Association for Research on Service - Learning & Community Engagement and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This mixed-method study seeks to understand Vietnamese higher education students' intercultural sensitivity (IS) to progress their development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC), as part of the efforts to enrich the literature on IS and ICC in the Vietnamese contexts of foreign language education. Firstly, attending to these target students' English language learning, this study quantitatively suggested that they had weak-to-moderate levels of IS and initially proved that they were still able to interact interculturally in a relatively confident way. Moreover, based on the framework of Chen and Starosta, the quantitative and qualitative findings demonstrated that the IS levels seemed to vary among the target students, according to their demographic backgrounds (e.g. gender, academic major, language as a medium of instruction, locations of hometown, year of learning, and length of English language learning). Finally, implications are discussed at the end of this manuscript, involving much attention needed from a wide range of related stakeholders in order to necessarily establish critical steps for the facilitation of intercultural education in the Vietnamese context of higher education in general and language education in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Open educational resources (OER) have developed rapidly and been widely used in higher education institutions in developed countries. OER are believed to be able to expand access, reduce costs, and improve education quality. In Vietnam, OER have been implemented since 2005, but so far, the use of the resources for education in general and higher education in particular has not been as successful as initially expected. The present study adopts the systematic literature review method by incorporating in-depth evaluation of past studies from 2015 to 2021. Thirty-four scholarly papers and scientific reports regarding benefits and limitations of OER, as well as suggestions to improve the use of OER were examined. The results show that for students, the limitations associated with using OER include poor Internet connection in school, lack of guidance on how to use the resources specifically, and low autonomy. From instructors’ perspective, limitations lie in their understanding of copyright and open license issues, as well as the difficulty in selecting and editing OER content to suit the exploiting process. Some recommendations are drawn to address the above limitations, with the hope to help improve the efficiency of the implementation and use of OER in Vietnamese higher education context.

Barriers and enablers that the women leaders experience in the higher education (HE) sector have been a widely researched topic in many developed countries. However, the research on this topic is very limited in developing countries such as Vietnam. Despite the Gender Equality Law introduced in 2006 by the Vietnamese government to promote equal opportunities to women and also reducing the Gender Gap Index score of 70% in Vietnam, there are few women in leadership roles in several sectors including HE. This explanatory study has been conducted in nine universities in Vietnam to understand the barriers that prevent women from taking up leadership roles and the factors that motivate them in their career advancement to become a leader. The qualitative study was conducted with 21 participants (19 women and two men) working as senior leaders, middle managers, and lecturers in these universities. The study found that the main barriers in women's career enhancement were work-life imbalance, subordinates' perceptions regarding women leaders, social networking, and personal factors. The factors which motivated women leaders to advance in their career path were continuous family and mentor support, changing mindset of employers, and potential leadership competency of women leaders. The findings of this study would be beneficial for the Vietnamese HE institutions to determine policies and programs, which can support women's career advancement to leadership roles bringing diversity and inclusion at these institutions. The results might be a steppingstone to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality in Vietnam, which is one of the world's fastest-growing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressing need to prepare Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) professional competence for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) pre-service teachers has come to be significant to ongoing national reforms to improve English teaching pedagogy. This study employed a convergent mixed-methods research design to investigate the perceptions of Vietnamese EFL pre-service teachers and teacher educators concerning technology preparation and integration into the EFL initial teacher education in Vietnamese higher education. The data included a survey completed by 67 pre-service teachers, a focus group discussion with six of them, and a semi-structured interview with three teacher educators at a higher education institution in Vietnam. Findings reveal that pre-service teachers received significant opportunities to learn regarding CALL-related knowledge within their initial teacher education program. The findings also show a number of substantial factors impacting the integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into the initial teacher education regarding individual teacher educators, individual EFL pre-service teachers, the provision of resources, and CALL technology-related policies. The study suggests that the EFL initial teacher education program needs to take the opportunity to learn and policies on CALL-related pedagogies into account developing pre-service teachers' professional competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Comparative Education is the property of Chinese Taipei Comparative Education Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Language and culture are indispensably inseparable in language learning. The development of capital during language learning is of growing importance in Vietnam's sociocultural context. However, there are very few studies that have explored Vietnamese learners of English use of capital to enhance their employability skills. This qualitative study examined five selected language learners who were graduates with various degrees from higher education institutions and were employed in different jobs. We sought to examine the reflections of participants from different disciplines regarding their capital construction and development, which occurred during English language learning. Drawing on Bourdieu's (1986) stances on capital and field, data collection primarily concentrated on semi-structured interviews that were thematically analyzed. Findings suggested that students utilized various forms of learning in order to negotiate their capital and think that field acts as a driver force behind their use of certain strategies. Language learners were observed as cultural-beings able to make informed decisions on how to develop certain types of capital, based on their sense of agency and formation of multiple identities available in their academic, professional, and social fields. The findings are discussed and implications are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, lecturers have tried to satisfy many expectations from policymakers, administrators, and students. This study is a preliminary attempt to accomplish an adequate framework to evaluate lecturers by grasping multidimensional assessments (MDA), namely higher-education lecturer policies, faculty evaluation in universities and colleges, and students' perceptions. The study aims to investigate the students' perceptions of good lecturers' attributes based on the assessment integrated from commonalities of MDA. Twenty-nine undergraduate participants are involved in this study. The study findings indicate that students evaluate lecturers' professional knowledge/practice and utilizing educational technologies to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Furthermore, students highly appreciated the lecturer's willingness and readiness to support their studies and consult their difficulties. This study helps lecturers to self-evaluate and make significant improvements to the teaching process. Students have a better chance to understand the assessment of teaching evaluation and give their feedback/opinions so that educational institutions, educational profession practitioners, especially lecturers, satisfy their demands and expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although much research has been done in response to a significant transformation in teaching and learning in higher education, there is a paucity of research paying specific attention to teaching practices that promote student learning in developing countries like Vietnam, where English is not a medium of instruction and in which the socio-economic, educational and cultural characteristics differ from western contexts. This study attempts to delve into key components of teaching practice that facilitate student learning in Vietnamese higher education (VHE) institutions, using quantitative approach (n = 570). Factor analysis from the questionnaire data revealed nine practices of teaching that students believed to facilitate learning of students. The study suggests that there have been positive shifts in teaching practices and these practices are more closely aligned with those prevalent in developed educations in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers play key roles in advancing the use of mobile devices for language learning in both formal and informal settings. However, in contexts where top‐down educational policies are prevalent, the roles of teachers are usually overemphasized while learners–the end‐users of educational technologies remain largely ignored. Less understood is what roles students expect teachers to play in facilitating their acceptance of mobile‐assisted language learning. This study was conducted in an attempt to fill this gap using the extended technology acceptance model (TAM). Survey data from 293 higher education learners of English in Vietnam were analyzed by the Rasch‐based path model. Results indicated that students showed stronger desire for teachers' orientation toward appropriate use of mobile resources for language learning both inside and outside the classroom than teachers' demonstration of mobile‐assisted language learning activities in the classroom. The findings offer useful implications for teachers, researchers, and language education policy makers in fostering the use of mobile devices for language learning. What is already known about this topic? Teachers' role in promoting learners' adoption of mobile‐assisted language learning is under‐researched.In contexts dominated by top‐down educational policies, the voice of learners is largely ignored.Learners' expectation of teachers' roles in promoting their adoption of mobile‐assisted language learning needs more empirical evidence.What this paper adds? This paper highlighted the important roles of teachers in orienting students toward appropriate mobile learning resources for out‐of‐class learning.Teachers were considered by learners as "guide on the side" rather than "sage on the stage" in enhancing their adoption of mobile‐assisted language learning.Implications for practice/policy Teacher training programs on mobile‐assisted language learning can be redesigned to enable teachers to better support mobile‐assisted language learning in and outside the classroom.Teachers should be better able to enrich their knowledge of various mobile learning resources to support their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many years now, knowledge production at universities and in countries like Vietnam has been framed by centre/periphery discourses. In this paper, we suggest that interpreting academics' research identities in relation to these discourses can assist in understanding ways in which Vietnamese academics negotiate knowledge production. For this article, data on six participants are drawn from a qualitative study in which semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the positioning of different generations of academics working in the area of social sciences, in Vietnam or in the diaspora. Findings from this data revealed that senior researchers positioned their own local knowledge and experiences as central to what they perceived to be the betterment of Vietnam. In contrast, early and mid-career academics, especially those who studied in Western countries, looked outward to apply Western research frameworks to the Vietnamese context, placing Vietnam in a more peripheral position in the global academic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Tourism is one of the most notable features of the contemporary globalised world. The tourism industry is becoming increasingly vital to the economy of many developing and developed countries around the globe. The demand of the tourism industry has posed a challenge for tourism training providers to move towards a more responsive and internationalised curriculum to enhance work readiness for tourism graduates who are expected to work with an increased number of international tourists. The purpose of this paper is analyse whether and how internationalisation has been implemented in the tourism training programmes across six institutions in Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach - The research deployed case studies as research strategy with interviews and document analysis as two instruments of data collection. Findings - The major findings show that even though the tourism industry demands graduates to possess global competency, knowledge and skills, the curriculum does not prioritise the internationalisation dimensions and the faculty members are not facilitated to be internationally active in their roles. Overall, internationalisation is still fragmented and ad hoc in these institutions even though the private institutions in this research appear to be more responsive to the trend of internationalisation in education than their public counterparts. Research limitations/implications - The paper provides recommendations on how to effectively embed internationalisation components into local tourism training programs in Vietnam. Originality/value - The research bridges the gap in the literature on internationalisation of the local tourism programme in non-English-speaking countries.

Over the past three decades, the higher education landscape in many Asian countries has witnessed various changes, many of which have resulted from foreign influences and the interactions of local education policy discourse with neo-liberal globalisation, market forces and the demand for a market economy. This article provides nuanced insights into how foreign forces have influenced the practices related to teaching-learning, research and community engagement in three Vietnamese universities. The analysis of university leaders' and academics' perspectives reveals positive changes in university practices as a result of this interaction and learning from foreign partners, including the shift towards practice-based and student-centred teaching, fairer treatment of students, stronger awareness of the value and principles of undertaking research and the closer connection with social demands in teaching and research. The analysis also indicates the ways foreign practices clash with Vietnamese higher education structures, Confucian values and the Communist leadership. The article discusses implications for Vietnamese universities to creatively learn from and localise international practices, while avoiding being colonised by foreign forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationalization in higher education has shifted to focus on home initiatives that engage and benefit all students rather than cross-border mobility activities. The qualitative case study reported in this article employed Kahu's model of student engagement (SE) to investigate SE in internationalization of the curriculum (IoC) from the perspectives of 23 domestic Vietnamese students taking an internationalized program in a Vietnamese university. From three focus groups and 23 individual interviews, this study found that SE in IoC varied according to diverse internal and external factors. The students' awareness of the benefits of their engagement in the program, their acknowledgment of the program's strengths and weaknesses, as well as their desire to have more SE revealed a possibility for students to act as partners in the program. The potential partnership between students and their lecturers as well as other institutional bodies, in both the formal and informal curriculum alongside more sustained engagement opportunities, could enhance consequential student experiences and outcomes. The findings suggest that students are prospective resources to cultivate diversity and inclusion in IoC because their engagement can offer multiple insights and possibilities to enhance IoC. We argue that SE is significant in informing the development of IoC and is possibly integral to effective IoC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being accepted as a key function in research management, research planning seems to be a neglected practice in some higher education institutions, particularly in economically disadvantaged countries such as Vietnam. This paper addresses a research gap in this area by examining (1) the practices of research planning at four leading Vietnamese universities and (2) the extent to which research planning is undertaken. Through 55 semi-structured interviews with university participants, the study found that despite having goals to be research leaders in the country, the four Vietnamese universities pursue a compliance-based rather than a strategic-based approach to research planning. Based on a framework for measuring strategic research planning, this study proposes strategies and processes to enhance such planning capacity, which may improve research performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vietnam's history has witnessed the nation’s constant effort to learn from the outside world. This effort paradoxically co-exists with the country’s aspiration to escape from foreign domination, to protect national independence and to preserve national identity. Discussions of foreign influences in the Vietnamese education system should be situated within the overall political and historical condition of Vietnam, which has been characterised by the influence of successive external forces and foreign countries. There have been a lot of debates and discussions about the nature, benefits and tensions associated with Vietnam’s efforts to open to the world and learn from other countries while combining with and maintaining its traditional practices and values in the course of education reform over the nation’s different historical and political periods. However, hybridity in higher education as a notable phenomenon related to the interactions between Vietnamese traditions and foreign influences has not been adequately explored in empirical research. The study reported in this paper responds to this paucity in the literature. It analyses the dynamic and complex dimensions of hybridity across two Vietnamese universities. The empirical data show that hybridity is accompanied with some positive changes and reforms in teaching, learning and university governance. However, hybridity happens in largely ad hoc, fragmented and inconsistent manners across different areas of university operations. The research also indicates that the dominant force behind hybridity in the Vietnamese HE system is staff and leaders being educated overseas and exposed to foreign practices and values. It, however, shows the tensions arising from the interactions of the Western, traditional and Communist Party principles during the hybridisation process. The paper concludes by offering some implications for the development of a strategic plan and approaches to deal with potential conflicts between external influences and traditional values and assist staff with the development of their capacity to optimise the potential benefits of hybridity to enrich teaching, learning, governance and university operation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article derives from a qualitative study that employed a sociocultural perspective to investigate the mediation of institutional policies on teachers' classroom practices of assessment for learning in one public and one private university in Vietnam. Data included observations of classrooms, interviews with teachers, executive officers and students, and documents such as institutional policies, curriculum, and tests. Findings included the impact of institutional language policies on language assessment practices, forms of institutional interactions, workplace conditions and compensation, and English language programme design. The study highlights how the Vietnamese national Project 2020 language policies are mediated by higher education institutions to manifest in particular ways in the micro-level classroom practices of teachers. Of interest is English language education and its provision in the established public sector as well as the non-public sector that is a growing feature of marketised higher education in Vietnam. The institutional differences and similarities are identified to illustrate the need for new working conditions and practices to assist policy makers and teachers as they seek to fulfil the English language priorities of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses impacts of globalisation and European influence on the internationalisation of Vietnamese education. The process of Internationalisation of Higher Education (IoHE) in this country has also been stimulated by the introduction of Doi Moi, modernisation economic reforms, which, for example, resulted in the establishment of foreign branch campuses and English-medium programmes. The IoHE in Europe is most visible through the European Union's (EU) support of student mobility, recognition of qualifications and development of credit transfer systems. The EU's influence on Vietnamese education follows this path, in addition to the growing number of bilateral agreements between European and Vietnamese institutions. One of the most sought after outcomes of the cross continental cooperation is to raise internationally employable workers with both generic and managerial skills and English communication skills. While a growing number of Vietnamese students enrol in English-medium business programmes, there is still a mismatch of skills, resulting in a shortage of well-equipped graduates. For this reason Vietnam is internationalising and opening up; at the same time the EU is steering the IoHE at a global level and/by modernising universities and reforming its mobility programmes. Observing such trends, this article argues that in order to produce better prepared students with sought after skills, country specific cultural nuances and practices should be integrated with the Western/European style of education. In line with the concept of Internationalisation at Home, such curricula should pay attention to the role of teacher and advocate self-reflection in order to enhance teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the slow progress of female academics compared to their male colleagues and the challenges that female academic leaders have to face in taking leadership roles have been well-documented, very little is known about female academic leaders and managers' career advancement in developing countries like Vietnam. This paper reports on an exploratory study of a research project funded by the Cambridge-Viet Nam Women Leadership Programme, which aims to advance an understanding of the status of, and identify strategies to empower, female academic managers in Vietnamese higher education. The focus of this paper is on university leaders and female Deans' perceptions of the barriers to female academic Deanship and female Deans' reflections on the facilitators for their career advancement. The study found that the main barriers are strong family obligations, negative gender stereotypes regarding females as leaders, and female academics' unwillingness to take management positions. The major facilitators of female Deans' career advancement are self-effort, strong family support, and, what is perceived to be, a favourable or 'lucky' selection context. The paper provides empirical evidence to support the view that family support is a crucial factor for female academic career advancement in Vietnam. Women are both an agent and an object of change in empowering female academic leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study explored the perceptions of academic stakeholders about the development and delivery of information literacy (IL) programs in four universities, and identified elements necessary to establishing IL credit courses in Vietnamese higher education. The following research questions framed this study: 1) How do library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty perceive the current implementation of information literacy instruction (ILI) programs for undergraduates studies in universities libraries in Vietnam? 2) What are the challenges to including IL as a credit course in the curriculum as perceived by library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty? Respondents were purposefully recruited from four universities, including library administrators, instruction librarians, and faculty. Three online surveys were distributed to 537 individuals through Survey Monkey with 149 replies and a final receipt of 133 completed surveys. Interview and focus group data collection included 23 face-to-face interviews and nine focus groups. Findings showed IL is considered the domain of librarians and has not influenced Vietnamese campus culture. IL activities at four university libraries take the form of lectures, workshops, and basic IL skills modules. Few ILI activities are subject discipline-related. Respondents reported challenges to an ILI credit course revolve around the lasting impact of teacher-centered instruction and rote learning, misperceptions about the effect of IL on student learning outcomes, degree of support of IL by academic stakeholders, degree of faculty–librarian collaboration, and scarcity of resources. Recommendations are given for academic librarians in Vietnam implementing ILI programs and considering developing IL credit courses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The number of contact hours, one of the important institutional context factors, was examined and compared between Dutch and Vietnamese higher education at institute and student levels in Psychology and Business and/or Economics specializations. The quantity of contact hours per credit point given by institutions was investigated in a number of Dutch and Vietnamese universities. Additionally, 104 students in Groningen, the Netherlands, and 140 students in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, participated in the survey with a self-reported and self-assessed questionnaire on their study time allocation. Beside contact hours, other learning process related factors such as study activities, motivation, quality of instruction, and generic skills were examined to provide a better insight into these two systems. Results showed that Vietnamese students had significantly higher number of contact hours than Dutch students while their generic skills, motivation and time spent on independent study were a lot lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]