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

This five-year initiative, running from 2022 to 2026, aims to enhance the capacity of three key Vietnamese higher education institutions—Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City; and the University of Danang—to develop sustainably and operate more autonomously in governance, training, research, and business engagement. The project seeks to address workforce needs for Vietnam’s industrialization, modernization, and international integration.

The trends of internationalization and globalization pose both challenges and opportunities for Vietnam, allowing its higher education system to become a foundation for improving workforce quality and advancing research, technology transfer, and innovation. In this context, the Partnership for Higher Education Reform (PHER) project was introduced to support these three universities in achieving four key objectives: university governance reform, enhancement of teaching quality, strengthening of research and innovation capacity, and promotion of university-business collaboration. These efforts are expected to drive significant transformations in Vietnam’s higher education landscape in the coming years.

Based on these specific objectives, the project regularly organizes activities across various domains, closely aligning with the ongoing initiatives of universities and promptly addressing any challenges they encounter.

In Hanoi, from March 14 to March 16, 2023, the PHER project hosted a “Training Workshop on Quality Accreditation for Business Programs Based on U.S. Standards (ACBSP)”. The goal of this workshop was to provide an overview of ACBSP accreditation standards to facilitate the development of an implementation plan for achieving ACBSP accreditation in the near future. After completing the training, participants will be able to:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of ACBSP accreditation, including its criteria and implementation processes.
• Apply insights from the accreditation process and criteria to conduct a gap analysis and prepare a report on areas for improvement.
• Utilize the accreditation framework to develop an action plan for the upcoming period.

Attending the training workshop were faculty members from the VNU University of Economics and Business (UEB), including:

• Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Thuy, Head of the Accounting - Auditing Department and Leader of the ACBSP Accreditation Implementation Team.
• MSc. Dao Thi Thanh Huyen, Director of the Center for Educational Quality Assurance.
• Dr. Tran The Nu, Deputy Head of the Accounting - Auditing Department.

Additionally, lecturers from the Faculty of Finance and Banking, the School of Business Administration, the Faculty of Economics and International Business, and the Faculty of Accounting - Auditing also participated in the training.

Training Workshop Content:

The training workshop was conducted by Dr. Pham Thi Tuyet Nhung, Lecturer at the University of Foreign Languages, Hue University, and a consultant expert of the PHER Project.

The training workshop was attended by lecturers from various universities, including Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City; the University of Danang; and many other universities across the country. Notably, the workshop also welcomed the leadership team of the PHER Project and faculty members from Indiana University, USA.

During the workshop, the organizing committee meticulously prepared and delivered scientific and detailed content that aligned with objective requirements. The workshop met the expectations of universities that have adopted, are in the process of adopting, or plan to adopt the ACBSP accreditation standards. This content was particularly meaningful for the VNU University of Economics and Business (UEB), which is currently implementing its accreditation plan for academic programs following ACBSP standards. In 2023, UEB must complete its Self-Assessment Reports for the Accounting, Finance and Banking, Business Administration, and International Economics programs to submit to ACBSP for the accreditation process.

The training workshop provided UEB faculty members with a deeper understanding of the ACBSP criteria, the requirements of each standard, the process of report writing, and the accreditation implementation procedures. Challenges encountered during the accreditation process were also discussed, with the organizing committee and experts providing guidance and support.

At the end of the workshop, the organizing committee awarded certificates to the participating faculty members.

Here are some images of UEB faculty members attending the training workshop: