Brand and quality assurance

(Baonghean) - In March 2016, the International Vocational Skills Assessment Center at Vinh University of Technology and Education officially commenced operations. This is the first International Vocational Skills Assessment Center in Vietnam and the second in ASEAN certified by City & Guilds, UK.

The establishment of an International Vocational Skills Assessment Center was planned by Vinh University of Technology and Education since 2013. To be accredited, the university had to meet the stringent standards of the City & Guilds organization, especially in the assessment of facilities, quality management processes, and teaching staff.

In fact, before being officially recognized, both sides went through many working programs such as organizing pedagogical training and assessment skills training for assessors; visiting and surveying advanced KNN assessment center models in the UK; organizing thematic workshops; and strengthening infrastructure to meet the requirements for KNN assessment according to international standards.

Representatives from City & Guilds visited and inspected the facilities at Vinh University of Technology and Education.

After nearly three years of preparation, the vocational skills training, assessment, and certification center, adhering to international standards, was certified by City & Guilds, UK, in March 2016. Its main function is to provide training, assessment, and certification of vocational skills according to City & Guilds' international standards in Vietnam.

After becoming operational, the center will gradually organize training courses to standardize the vocational teaching staff nationwide according to international and regional standards. This will serve the training of vocational skills according to corresponding international and regional standards (in line with the Government's vocational training development strategy).

As one of the five teachers sent for training and certified as assessors according to C&G (City&Guilds) standards, Dr. Le Van Bien (Electronics lecturer) said: "The assessor training program, organized by the British Council, Westminster Kingsway College, and City&Guilds, lasted only a little over two months, but it equipped us with a lot of necessary knowledge about how to implement training and assess vocational skills, foreign language skills, and work skills in an international environment. This is truly a valuable experience that we can learn from and apply when implementing it in Vietnam."

To date, Vinh University of Technology and Education is the first university in the country to be certified by City & Guilds as qualified to assess international vocational skills, and the second center to be recognized in Southeast Asia (the first being in Malaysia).

This is extremely important because currently, within the system of universities, colleges, and vocational schools in Vietnam, there are 40 schools that have been approved by the Prime Minister as high-quality vocational schools, capable of training in certain professions recognized by advanced countries in the ASEAN region or internationally. However, among these, besides criteria regarding facilities, training scale, and employment, the criterion regarding the teaching staff meeting international standards is still very low.

In fact, over the years, only a very small number of teachers nationwide have received international vocational skills training through courses offered by the International Vocational Skills Assessment Center of Malaysia, in collaboration with some vocational colleges in Vietnam, or by being sent to study in other countries.

The official recognition and operation of the International Vocational Skills Assessment Center at Vinh University of Technology and Education will create excellent opportunities for teachers in vocational schools to study and improve their skills to international standards. Currently, the center is authorized to train, assess, and issue vocational teaching certificates according to international standards (Levels 1 and 2) of the City & Guilds organization.

A practical session for students majoring in metal cutting.

In addition, the center is preparing to train, assess, and certify students and workers in the fields of Metal Cutting, Industrial Electricity, Automotive Technology, and Industrial Electronics. To prepare for the first courses, besides the qualified teaching staff, Vinh University of Technology and Education has also prepared the necessary facilities.

Speaking further about the preparations, Dr. Nguyen Van Cuong - Deputy Head of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, in charge of the International Vocational Skills Assessment Center, shared: "We see being recognized as an International Vocational Skills Assessment Center as a great opportunity for the school's teaching staff to improve their qualifications and skills. This also requires the school's units to continue striving to further improve their training and strengthen their facilities. This is also an important step for the school to affirm its brand and training quality, and to keep pace with the inevitable trend of international integration."

Previously, with financial support from the British Council, Vinh University of Technology and Education and the City & Guilds organization had developed a cooperation project. Accordingly, in addition to helping Vinh University of Technology and Education establish a training and assessment center for vocational skills according to C&G standards, City & Guilds also provided support and advice on quality assurance, ensuring the maintenance of quality throughout the center's establishment; helped establish Vinh University of Technology and Education as an internationally standardized vocational teacher training and assessment center in Vietnam; and conducted research on the impact of improved teacher skills to determine changes to enhance students' skills and employment opportunities.

My Ha