On December 12, 2024, the Learning Event of the USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform project was successfully organized. The event brought together leaders, staff, and faculty members from Vietnam’s top three universities, alongside project partners and sponsors such as USAID, the World Bank, Chemonics International, and the Institute for Vietnam Initiatives. The event was an opportunity to reflect on and evaluate the project’s key achievements during its implementation from 2022 to 2024.

With the aim of enhancing the governance and professional capacities of Vietnam’s three leading universities — Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City; Vietnam National University, Hanoi; and the University of Danang — the Project has focused on fostering sustainable development and autonomy across key domains, including Governance, Teaching and Learning, Research and Innovation, and University-Industry Linkages. Over the past three years, the project has provided training for more than 2,000 leaders, administrative staff, lecturers, and researchers from the three universities and their 19 member institutions. Additionally, over 200 students have been trained in professional and leadership skills, supporting their holistic development and aligning with labor market demands.

Moreover, the Project has supported 3Us in developing KPI-based staff evaluation systems, management information systems (MIS), and online teaching models tailored to each institution’s digital university framework. The project has also established the Vietnam-International Academic Networks (VIAN), facilitating connections and collaborations between scholars and researchers domestically and internationally such as the U.S. and Australia. The universities have also finalized and continued developing regulations on scientific integrity and research ethics committees, fostering a culture of honesty, accountability, and transparency in science. These achievements are sustainable and contribute significantly to the governance, teaching, and research activities of the three universities.

“With the accomplishments achieved so far, the project aims to contribute effectively to advancing higher education reform in Vietnam, meeting the goals of improving human resource quality and supporting the country’s industrialization, modernization, and international integration,” said Professor Tran Ngoc Anh, the Project Principal Investigator. During the event, Professor Tran Ngoc Anh handed over the project’s technical documents to the three universities.

The Learning Event was attended by notable figures, including Associate Professor Dr. Vu Hai Quan, Central Committee Member and Chancellor of Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City; Associate Professor Dr. Pham Bao Son, Vice President of Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, Party Secretary and President of the University of Danang; Dr. Phan Minh Duc, Party Secretary and Chairman of the University of Danang Council; Ms. Nguyen Phuong Thao, Project Management Specialist, USAID Vietnam; Mr. Michael Drabble and Ms. Vo Kieu Dung, Senior Education Specialists at the World Bank; Professor Dr. Tran Ngoc Anh, PHER Principal Investigator; Dr. Teshome Alemneh, PHER Co-Principal Investigator; Dr. Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong, PHER Acting Chief of Party; along with leaders, staff from the three universities and their affiliated units, and project staff.

Delegates attending the event

Speaking on behalf of the universities, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu, President of the University of Danang, noted that the event provided an opportunity for universities and partners to reflect on significant achievements, share lessons learned, build on strengths, and address limitations to ensure effective project implementation in the coming years. Meanwhile, VNU-HCM Chancellor Vu Hai Quan highlighted impressive outcomes, such as talent attraction programs (notably the VNU 350 program aiming to recruit 350 PhD holders and leading scientists by 2030), digital transformation initiatives that digitize all processes within the university system, and a centralized personnel database. He also celebrated the milestone of publishing over 3,000 articles in 2024 in reputable journals (WoS/Scopus).

Following the review of the project’s positive results, the event featured three panel discussions aligned with the project’s focus areas: panel Governance discussions on KPI-based staff evaluations, MIS, and internal quality assurance; panel Teaching and Learning sharing insights into digital education policies, professional development for teaching excellence, and online course development; panel Research and Innovation Session where participants actively exchanged experiences and innovations implemented at their institutions and ideas to expand cooperation and share innovations in research.

In his closing remarks, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Bao Son, Vice President of VNU Hanoi, acknowledged the PHER Project’s significant contributions over the past three years, emphasizing four key lessons: shifting mindsets, building human resources, driving innovation, and fostering collaborative reform. He expressed optimism for continued collaboration among the three universities, Indiana University, and partners like the World Bank to ensure sustainable development for these institutions.

Additionally, Professor Dr. Le Quang Son, Vice President of the University of Danang, highlighted three profound and sustainable values brought about by the project: fostering innovation with a solid foundation and vision of Indiana University’s governance model; shaping university development along four strategic pillars; and strengthening connections among domestic and international universities, as well as between universities and industries, instilling trust and confidence for future advancements.