Using Accreditation Standards for Internal Quality Assurance for Tertiary General English Program in Vietnam

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.24431

Keywords:

accreditation, quality assurance approach, General English training, higher education institutions

Abstract

The mixed-method study used a quantitative questionnaire to collect feedback from teachers and program directors regarding the current practices of quality assurance approaches in General English (GE) training programs at their higher education institutions (HEIs). Additionally, the study sought their evaluation of applying accreditation schemes to ensure the quality of GE training programs using a semi-structured interview. The results indicated that the quality assurance measures implemented in the GE training program were generally perceived as effective and aligned with industry standards and best practices. However, there needs to be a comprehensive QA approach that covers areas of improvement related to the learners' needs and expectations and the implementation of QA approaches for curriculum effectiveness. Informants were found to have positive evaluations of the application of the existing accreditation schemes for GE training programs at HEIs in Vietnam. Research on the effectiveness of a specific accreditation scheme implemented at particular HEIs in Vietnam will be conducted in the future.

Author Biographies

  • Quach Thi To Nu, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    As an experienced lecturer at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, with 19 years of teaching experience, Quach Thi To Nu is currently a PhD student at Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Vietnam. My research interests lie in enhancing English teaching skills and ensuring quality assurance in education for future generations.

  • Nguyen Loc, HCM City University of Social Sciences & Humanities - Vietnam National University, Vietnam

    Professor Dr. Nguyen Loc specializes in education management. He has authored various book chapters published by Springer, contributed to higher education textbooks, and played a significant role in language policymaking, including involvement in the Vietnamese National Foreign Language Projects.

References

Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. (2021). Accreditation. https://www.acbsp.org/page/accreditation

Accreditation UK Handbook. (2016–2017). Retrieved from: http://www.britishcovuncil.org/ education/accreditation/.

CEA Standards for English Language Programs and Institutions. (2017). Retrieved from http:// www.cea-accredit.org/.

Asia-Pacific Quality Network. (2019). Accreditation in Vietnam. https://www.apqn.org/accreditation-in-vietnam/

Council for Higher Education Accreditation. (2022). About Accreditation. https://www.chea.org/about-accreditation

Crandall, J., & Chisholm, L. (2004). Accreditation and Quality Assurance in English Language Teaching Programs. TESOL Quarterly, 38(1), 67-83.

Crichton, J., & Craven, R. (2016). A snapshot of Australian ELT provider accreditation: past, present and future. Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 10(3), A1-A13. https://doi.org/10.21153/jall2016vol10no3art651

Dang, T. M. T., & Pham, T. Q. (2024). Alignment between Course Learning Outcomes and Assessments: An Analysis within Linguistic Programs at a University in Vietnam. International Journal of TESOL and Education, 4(2), 31-45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.24422

Dao, T. B. N. (2021). A Narrative Inquiry of a Vietnamese University EFL Teacher’s Assessment Identity. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 1(3), 260–277. https://i-jte.org/index.php/journal/article/view/109/34

Darolia, R., & Koedel, C. (2018). The impact of program accreditation on graduates' employment and earnings. Education Finance and Policy, 13(4), 479-500.

Deem, R., Mok, K. H., & Lucas, L. (2008). Transforming higher education in whose image? Exploring the concept of the “world-class” university in Europe and Asia. Higher Education Policy, 21(1), 83-97. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.hep.8300183

D. F. Staub (2019.), Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Foreign Language Education, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21421-0_1 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019

Dinh, T. N., & Bui, T. T. T. (2020). QA in higher education in Vietnam: Policy and practices. QA in Education, 28(3), 194-209. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-05-2019-0046

Do, T. H., Le, T. H., & Nguyen, N. T. (2020). Higher education quality assurance in Vietnam: An overview of the development and challenges of quality assurance and accreditation in higher education. Journal of Education and Learning, 9(3), 263-276.

Donald. F.S. (2019). The Increasing Need for Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Foreign Language Education. Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Foreign Language Education, 1-5 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21421-0_1

Eaquals Inspection Scheme Manual Version 7.1. (2016). London: Eaquals.

Eaton, J. S. (2015). An overview of US accreditation. Revised November 2015. Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Frank Heyworth (2013). Applications of quality management in language education. Language Teaching, 46, pp 281-315 doi:10.1017/S0261444813000025.

Hill, K. M., & Bartholomew, C. A. (2019). The effect of accreditation on nursing program quality. Journal of Professional Nursing, 35(3), 176-181.

Hoang, T. M. H. (2018). English language teaching in Vietnam: Policies, realities, and challenges. Language Teaching Research, 22(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168817696639

Hang, V.V. (2010). The current situation and issues of the teaching of English in Vietnam. 立命館言語文化研究, 22(1), 7-18.

INQAAHE (2015), International Network for QA Agencies in Higher Education, available at: www.inqaahe.org/index.php Jones, J. and de Saram, D.D. (2005).

Katsomitros, A. (2015). QA and accreditation in the Vietnamese higher education system: Achievements and challenges. Quality in Higher Education, 21(3), 268-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538322.2015.1127275

Knight, J. (2015). The international race for accreditation. International Higher Education, (40). https://doi.org/10.6017/ihe.2005.40.7490.

Languages Canada Quality Assurance Scheme Accreditation Handbook Orion Assessment Services. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.orioncan.com/en/languages-canada-accreditations.

Ludka, K. (2019). Accreditation: A Commodity or a Quest for Quality? Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Foreign Language Education, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21421-0_1

Martin, M. (2018). Internal Quality Assurance: Enhancing higher education quality and graduate employability. UNESCO Publishing. International Institute for Educational Planning www.iiep.unesco.org

Ministry of Education and Training (2022). Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions. https://english.moet.gov.vn/accreditation-of-higher-education-institutions

Morrison, J. L., & Schneider, M. J. (2019). The impact of accreditation on student learning outcomes in undergraduate business programs. Journal of Education for Business, 94(6), 432-438.

Morse, J. A. (2015). US regional accreditation abroad. International Higher Education, 53, 21–22.

NEAS (2022). https://thanhnien.vn/dai-hoc-hoa-sen-dat-chung-thuc-neas-tu-to-chuc-kiem-dinh-uy-tin-cua-uc-1851474157.htm

National ELT Accreditation Scheme. (2021). NEAS Accreditation Scheme Standards and Criteria. https://www.neas.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/NEAS-Standards-and-Criteria-v3.0-2021.pdf

Kotarska, L. (2019), Accreditation: A Commodity or a quest for Quality? Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Likert, R. (1932). A technique for the measurement of attitudes. Archives of Psychology, 22(140), 1-55.

Nguyen, H. H. (2017). QA in English language teaching in Vietnam. The Asian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 154-165.

Nguyen, T. H. (2017). QA in higher education in Vietnam: An overview. Higher Education Policy, 30(4), 467-486. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-017-0050-8

Nguyen, T.T. (2017). Vietnam’s National Foreign Language 2020 Project after 9 Years: A Difficult Stage. The Asian Conference on Education & International Development 2017 Official Conference Proceedings

Nguyen, H. T. (2021). Innovations in teaching General English at universities in Vietnam. In M. H. Nguyen & H. T. Nguyen (Eds.), Teaching English for Specific Purposes in Higher Education in Vietnam: Policies, Practice, and Challenges (pp. 53-65). Springer.

O'Connor, S. D., & Lau, L. K. (2020). The effect of program accreditation on online master's degree programs. Journal of Online Learning Research, 6(2), 159-175.

Ransom, L., Larcombe, W., & Baik, C. (2005). English language needs and support: International ESL students' perceptions and expectations. ISANA Conference Proceedings.

Renn, K. A., & Reason, R. D. (2019). Assessing the impact of accreditation on program quality in higher education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 41(5), 496-508.

Reeves, M. (2019). The Case of the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation: US Specialized Accreditation as a Response to the Increasing Demand for Quality Assurance in Foreign Language Education. Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Foreign Language Education, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21421-0_1

SEAMEO (2003), QA for Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific. Bangkok: SEAMEO regional Centre for Higher Education and Development.

Stroupe, R. (2013). Using Standards for Internal Quality Assurance for Management and Program Administration. Research and Practice in English Language Teaching in Asia. http://dx.doi.0rg/10.5746/LEiA/10/V1/A1/Stroupe

Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Ta, H.T.T., Nguyen, H.T.T., Van Pham, T. (2019). Institutional and Programme Accreditation. In: Nguyen, C., Shah, M. (eds) Quality Assurance in Vietnamese Higher Education . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26859-6_9

The Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2008). Quyết định về việc phê duyệt Đề án “Dạy và học ngoại ngữ trong hệ thống giáo dục quốc dân giai đoạn 2008 – 2020. N° 1400/QĐ-TTg.

Tran, T. T. (2018). An investigation into the quality of English language teaching at higher education institutions in Vietnam. Journal of Educational Sciences, 39(4), 1-16.

Tran, T. T. (2019). The current situation of teaching and learning English at universities in Vietnam. Journal of Science and Education, 6(4), 34-42.

Tran, T. M. T. (2020). General English education in Vietnam: Trends and challenges. Journal of Ngo Quyen University, 34(1), 112-123.

U.S. Department of Education. (2022). Accreditation. https://www.ed.gov/accreditation

Vietnam Briefing. (2020). Understanding the Education System in Vietnam. https://www.vietnam-briefing.com/news/understanding-education-system-vietnam.html/

Vo, H. T. T., & Phan, L. T. H. (2019). Accreditation in higher education in Vietnam: Achievements and challenges. QA in Education, 27(4), 409-422. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-02-2019-0026

Warren P. D. (1993). Quality management in universities, AGPS, Canberra

Downloads

Published

05-08-2024

Issue

Section

Research Article

How to Cite

Quach, T. T. N., & Nguyen, L. (2024). Using Accreditation Standards for Internal Quality Assurance for Tertiary General English Program in Vietnam. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 4(3), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.24431

Similar Articles

121-130 of 151

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.