Circular No. 39/2020/TT-BGDĐT on standards for evaluating the quality of distance education programs at the university level

CIRCULAR

Provisions on quality assessment standards for remote higher education programs

at the bachelor's level

Pursuant to the Higher Education Law dated June 18, 2012; the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Higher Education Law dated November 19, 2018;

Pursuant to Decree No.99/2019/NĐ-CPdated December 30, 2019, of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Law amending and supplementing some articles of the Higher Education Law;

Pursuant to Decree No.Decree No. 69/2017/NĐ-CP of the Government dated May 25, 2017 stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training; dated December 22, 2017 of the Minister of Education and Training.

At the proposal of the Director of the Quality Management Department;

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular to provide for quality assessment standards for remote higher education programs at the bachelor's level.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular provides for quality assessment standards for remote higher education programs at the bachelor's level.

Article 2. This Circular applies to universities, academies, colleges (hereinafter referred to collectively as higher education institutions) implementing remote higher education programs at the bachelor's level (hereinafter referred to as training programs) operating within the territory of Vietnam and related organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, certain terms are understood as follows:

1. Teaching programof a training program includes: general objectives, specific objectives; graduation standards of the training program and each course or module; content and duration of each course or module; teaching methods, evaluation methods.

2. Quality of a training programis the fulfillment of general objectives, specific objectives, and graduation standards of the training program, meeting the requirements stipulated in the Higher Education Law, the Law amending and supplementing some articles of the Higher Education Law, and the National Qualifications Framework, and being suitable to the needs of human resource utilization in society.

3. Quality assessment standard for a training program is the level of requirement regarding the contents and conditions that the training program must meet to be recognized as achieving the quality education standard. The name of each specific standard reflects one or more important aspects to be evaluated for the training program.

4. Evaluation criterion for a training program is the level of requirement and condition needed to be achieved in a specific aspect of each standard.

5. Benchmarkingis the activity of comparing and contrasting a training program with the quality assessment standards for training programs or with another selected training program.

6. Quality assessment of a training programinvolves collecting, processing information, and making judgments based on assessment standards concerning all activities related to the training program in higher education institutions, including: Objectives and graduation standards of the training program; description, structure, and content of the training program; teaching and learning activities; examination and evaluation of student learning outcomes; faculty, researchers, teaching assistants; staff; students and support activities for students; technological infrastructure, equipment, and learning materials; management and implementation of the training program; ensuring and improving the quality of the training program; outcomes.

Article 3. Purpose of issuing quality assessment standards for training programs

1. Higher education institutions use these standards to self-assess all activities related to training programs to continuously improve the quality of remote education and explain to competent authorities and society about the current quality status of the training program.

2. Educational quality assurance organizations use these standards to evaluate and recognize or not recognize the achievement of educational quality standards for training programs.

3. Other organizations and individuals have grounds to assess, evaluate, and participate in social feedback on the training programs of higher education institutions they are interested in.

Article 4. Evaluation Scale

1. The criteria for evaluating the quality of training programs are assessed on a scale of seven levels, including:

a) Level 1: Completely does not meet the requirements of the criterion, immediate corrective measures must be taken;

b) Level 2: Does not meet the requirements of the criterion, corrective measures need to be implemented;

c) Level 3: Does not fully meet the requirements of the criterion but only minor improvements are needed to meet the requirements;

d) Level 4: Meets the requirements of the criterion;

đ) Level 5: Exceeds the requirements of the criterion;

e) Level 6: Significantly exceeds the requirements of the criterion;

g) Level 7: Excellently meets the requirements of the criterion.

2. Criteria evaluated from level 1 to level 3 are considered not meeting the requirements, while those from level 4 to level 7 are considered meeting the requirements.

Chapter II

QUALITY EVALUATION STANDARD

TRAINING PROGRAM

Article 5. Standard 1: Objectives and Graduation Standards of Training Programs

1. The objectives of the training program are clearly defined; consistent with the mission and vision of higher education institutions, consistent with the goals of higher education as stipulated in the Higher Education Law and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Higher Education Law.

2. The graduation standards of the training program are clearly defined according to the National Qualification Framework of Vietnam, covering both general and specific requirements, reflecting the needs of all stakeholders; ensuring parity with the graduation standards of regular training programs in the same field; regularly reviewed, adjusted, and publicly announced.

Article 6. Standard 2: Description, Structure, and Content of Training Programs

1. The description of the training program contains comprehensive information, is updated, clearly defines the form of distance learning, is publicly announced, and easily accessible.

2. Detailed syllabi of courses or modules contain comprehensive information, are updated, are publicly announced, and are easily accessible to all stakeholders.

3. The content of the training program is designed based on the graduation standards and regular training programs, is updated, has a flexible structure, logical sequence, and interconnects between courses or modules to achieve the graduation standards.

Article 7. Standard 3: Teaching and Learning Activities

1. Teaching and learning activities are designed and implemented appropriately for distance learning.

2. Teaching and learning activities are designed and implemented to achieve the graduation standards.

3. Teaching and learning activities are designed and implemented to ensure effective interaction between instructors and learners, and among learners.

4. Teaching and learning activities promote the development of professional skills and soft skills, including self-study, research skills, and lifelong learning capabilities of learners.

Article 8. Standard 4: Assessment of Learners' Academic Performance

1. Assessment of learners' academic performance (including graduation ranking, graduation examination and recognition, issuance of certificates) is designed and implemented appropriately for distance learning, complying with current regulations.

2. Assessment of learners' academic performance is designed to match the level of achievement of the graduation standards.

3. Regulations on assessment of learners' academic performance (including timing, methods, criteria, weighting, feedback mechanisms, and related contents) are clear and publicly announced to learners.

4. Assessment methods are diverse (direct and online), ensuring validity, reliability, accuracy, objectivity, and fairness.

5. Assessment results are promptly fed back to learners to improve their learning.

6. Procedures for handling complaints about assessment results are established and publicly announced to make them easily accessible to learners.

7. There is an appropriate monitoring system for the progress, results, and workload of distant learners.

Article 9. Standard 5: Faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants

1. There shall be a plan for developing faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants; the recruitment and assignment of tasks to faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants must meet the requirements of the distance education program regarding teaching activities, scientific research, and community service.

2. The capability requirements for faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants implementing the distance education program shall be determined and publicly announced. Recruitment and task assignment for faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants must meet the requirements of the distance education program and current regulations.

3. Faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants shall be trained and periodically retrained on methods, work skills, teaching, research, and application of information technology when implementing the distance education program.

4. The faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants shall be assigned tasks suitable to their specialized training to ensure the effectiveness of their work.

5. There shall be mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating the capabilities and workload of faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants to improve the quality of teaching, scientific research, and community service activities.

6. The training, retraining, and professional development needs of the faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants shall be identified and implemented through activities to meet those needs.

7. Performance-based management of faculty, researchers, and teaching assistants (including rewards and recognition) shall be implemented to create motivation and support for teaching, scientific research, and community service activities.

Article 10. Standard 6: Staff

1. There shall be a plan for developing staff (working in libraries, information technology systems, learning material development, and other support services) and implementing it to meet the needs of distance education, scientific research, and community service.

2. Recruitment, appointment, transfer, and utilization requirements for staff shall be appropriate to the distance education format and shall be determined and publicly announced.

3. Capability and workload requirements for staff shall be determined; there shall be mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating, and encouraging staff.

4. Training, retraining, and professional development needs of staff shall be identified and implemented through activities to meet those needs.

5. Performance-based management of staff (including rewards and recognition) shall be implemented to create motivation and support for teaching, scientific research, and community service activities.

Article 11. Standard 7: Students and student support activities

1. Admissions policies shall be clearly defined, compared with regular programs in the same field, publicly announced, and regularly updated.

2. Students shall be equipped with effective remote learning methods and skills.

3. There shall be counseling activities for students on remote learning methods and skills, occupational skills, and attitudes towards their profession; support services for students during their studies and extracurricular activities suitable for the distance education format.

4. Students shall have easy access to counseling activities and support services that enhance the quality of their learning.

5. A comprehensive and clear information system for counseling and supporting students shall be provided on the distance education portal of the educational institution; the support team ensures regular and timely interaction and feedback for students.

6. A planning, implementation, evaluation, and improvement system for the environment, health, safety, and accessibility for students with special needs shall be established and operated.

Article 12. Standard 8: Information technology infrastructure, equipment, and learning materials

1. Information technology infrastructure and software systems that meet management and distance education training requirements as stipulated in the Distance Education Training Regulation at the university level issued by the Minister of Education and Training.

2. The information technology system serving distance education is invested in, developed, and upgraded regularly.

3. Recording studios, equipment, and software systems that meet the requirements for developing learning materials and teaching and learning activities.

4. Libraries, including electronic libraries, ensuring a source of materials meeting the professional requirements of the training program and diverse, rich, updated resources, guaranteeing copyright compliance, easy access, and meeting the requirements set forth in the Distance Education Training Regulation at the university level issued by the Minister of Education and Training.

5. Learning materials, including electronic learning materials for distance education, are built in accordance with the program's output standards and objectives, meeting the requirements set forth in the Distance Education Training Regulation at the university level issued by the Minister of Education and Training.

6. Learning materials, including electronic learning materials for distance education, are fully issued for each course or study component in the training program and provided to students.

7. Learning materials, including electronic learning materials, are fully stored scientifically; they are periodically supplemented and updated to improve the quality of distance education activities.

8. Laboratories, practical facilities, and equipment suitable and updated to support training and research activities.

Article 13. Standard 9: Management and Implementation of the Training Program

1. An annual plan for implementing the distance education training program is established in line with the educational institution's development strategy.

2. The educational institution has regulations on organizing and managing the implementation of the distance education training program effectively and publicly disclosed to relevant parties.

3. Planning, appointing, and training management staff to meet the requirements of managing the implementation of the distance education training program.

4. Standards for environment, health, and safety are determined and implemented, taking into account the special needs of persons with disabilities and being appropriate to the form of distance education.

5. Ensuring financial sources and having plans to invest in developing the distance education training program and its implementation conditions.

Article 14. Standard 10: Ensuring and Improving the Quality of the Training Program

1. Feedback and the needs of relevant parties regarding the distance education training program are used as a basis for building, evaluating, and developing teaching programs.

2. The design and development of teaching programs are established, implemented, evaluated, and improved.

3. There is a specific periodic review and evaluation process for teaching and learning, a data-based analysis and evaluation process to ensure that students achieve the program's output standards and improve quality. Monitoring and storing information about student participation, progress, academic performance, and workload in distance learning.

4. Research results and international experience are used to evaluate and improve distance teaching and learning.

5. The quality of support services and amenities serving distance education is assessed and improved.

Article 15. Standard 11: Output Results

1. The dropout rate and graduation rate are established, monitored, and compared to improve quality.

2. The average graduation time is established, monitored, and compared to improve quality.

3. The level of satisfaction of stakeholders is established, monitored, and compared to improve quality.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 16. Quality Management Agency

The Quality Management Agency provides specific guidance on the use of evaluation standards, self-assessment guidelines, and external assessment for higher education institutions and quality assurance organizations to uniformly implement.

Article 17. Direct Administrative Authority of Higher Education Institutions

The direct administrative authority of higher education institutions urges and facilitates conditions for such institutions to strive to meet the educational quality standards at each stage through their training programs.

Article 18. Higher Education Institutions Implementing Training Programs

1. Based on specific circumstances, proactively develop plans to establish training programs that meet the educational quality standards at each stage and take measures to effectively implement these plans. Conduct self-assessments, register for external assessments, and comply with other relevant aspects of program quality assurance according to the current regulations of the Minister of Education and Training regarding the procedures and cycles for program quality assessment.

2. For each specific training program, it may choose to assess according to the standards issued in this Circular or according to the distance learning program evaluation standards of reputable foreign quality assessment and accreditation organizations recognized by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Article 19. Educational Quality Accreditation Organizations

Educational quality accreditation organizations base their evaluations and recognition of higher education institution training programs meeting the educational quality standards according to the current regulations of the Minister of Education and Training regarding the procedures and cycles for program quality assessment.

Article 20. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from November 25, 2020.

Article 21. Responsibility for Implementation

The Director of the Office, the Director of the Quality Management Agency, the Heads of related units under the Ministry of Education and Training, the Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees, the Heads of the direct administrative authorities of higher education institutions, the Heads of higher education institutions implementing distance learning bachelor’s degree programs, and the Directors of educational quality accreditation organizations are responsible for implementing this Circular./.