The PHER Project (Partnership for Higher Education Reform) is a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the form of non-refundable technical assistance, implemented by Indiana University, USA.

This five-year initiative (2022–2026) aims to enhance the capacity of three key higher education institutions in Vietnam—Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-HN); Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM); and the University of Danang—to become more sustainable and autonomous in governance, education, research, and industry engagement. The project supports these universities in meeting the workforce demands for Vietnam’s industrialization, modernization, and international integration.

As part of a series of events organized under PHER in 2024, on March 28, 2024, the seminar "Technical Support Session on the Academic Program Monitoring System" took place at the University of Economics and Business (UEB) – Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU-HN). The event gathered nearly 100 experts, faculty, and administrators working in education and quality assurance across VNU-HN.

Attending the event were:

• Dr. Richard Hopper – Director of the PHER Project Management Unit
• Professor Victor Borden – Senior Academic Advisor, Indiana University (USA)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nghiem Xuan Huy – Director of the Institute for Educational Quality Assurance, VNU-HN
• Master Dao Thi Thanh Huyen – Director of the Center for Educational Quality Assurance, UEB-VNU
• Along with faculty and administrators from various schools and institutes within UEB.

The seminar also welcomed leaders from VNU-HN’s member universities, including:

• The University of Science
• The University of Social Sciences and Humanities
• The University of Engineering and Technology
• The University of Education
• The School of Law

In his opening speech, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nghiem Xuan Huy highly valued the role of PHER in supporting VNU and its member universities. He emphasized that the project has helped institutions align more closely with international education standards, supporting students in achieving better learning outcomes and meeting the labor market demands.

Dr. Richard Hopper emphasized that academic program monitoring is a crucial activity for every educational institution. It involves the regular and periodic collection of data from students and relevant stakeholders to ensure that the program objectives and expected learning outcomes are met.

Discussion on the key topics of the five technical support sessions includes:

At the seminar, Professor Victor Borden emphasized that monitoring is a continuous process, requiring data collection at multiple stages, including from the beginning of a training program. The results of monitoring help the university determine which activities need adjustments to achieve the desired program objectives.

The seminar allocated significant time for participants to discuss challenges encountered during implementation. Experts provided immediate suggestions and solutions during the discussion session.

Notably, the seminar featured two presentations from member universities of Vietnam National University, Hanoi: the VNU University of Economics and Business and the University of Engineering and Technology. These two institutions were selected by PHER as pilot units for project implementation. Both presentations focused on the universities' training systems, assessment and monitoring methods for students, and the outcomes achieved. They also provided concrete examples and lessons learned during implementation, tailored to the specific characteristics of each institution.

The technical support session aimed to provide best practices for developing program monitoring systems to member universities of Vietnam National University, Hanoi. This allowed institutions to benchmark and explore ways to enhance their own systems. The sessions were conducted in an interactive format, including discussions, group work, and opinion polls.

Additionally, the session helped participants gain a more accurate understanding of program monitoring systems, utilize monitoring tools effectively, collect relevant evidence-based data, and determine key selection criteria for monitoring processes.

At the end of the technical support session, all participants took a commemorative photo. The seminar not only benefited the institutions directly involved in the project but also served as a platform for individuals and organizations within and beyond VNU-Hanoi to explore new solutions in governance, training, and research—especially in the context of Vietnam’s increasing international integration.