Abstract
Quality assurance and accreditation in higher education has been implemented in many countries across the world with the main purposes of quality control, quality improvement and accountability. This paper aims to synthesize and analyze quality assurance and accreditation policies and practices in Australia, the U.S. and several other countries in Europe and Asia to propose recommendations for Vietnam. Employing the method of document analysis, the study reviewed scholarly papers and scientific reports discussing the implementation of quality assurance and accreditation in many higher education systems across the world. The results showed that quality assurance and accreditation activities were diverse ranging from institutional accreditation to program accreditation, from voluntary to compulsory accreditation, and from fitness-for-purpose approaches to standard-based approaches. These findings were used to compare and contrast the emerging quality assurance and accreditation system of Vietnam and make recommendations for its future development.
Highlights
Quality assurance in higher education has grown dramatically since the 1980s
In the context of Vietnam, quality assurance with accreditation as the key approach was officially introduced into the higher education system nearly twenty years ago
This paper first analysizes quality assurance and accreditation policies and practices currently implemented in several countries across the world - Australia, France, Indonesia and the United States
Summary
Quality assurance in higher education has grown dramatically since the 1980s. It has come to affect every level of the sector and has become an accepted and integral part of the higher education community (Williams & Harvey, 2015). Over 100 countries and territories around the world have established national higher education quality assurance mechanisms. In the context of Vietnam, quality assurance with accreditation as the key approach was officially introduced into the higher education system nearly twenty years ago. This paper first analysizes quality assurance and accreditation policies and practices currently implemented in several countries across the world - Australia, France, Indonesia and the United States. Based on this analysis and the lessons learned from these quality assurance systems, it proposes recommendations for the future development of Vietnam’s emerging quality assurance and accreditation system
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