Circular No. 21/2018/TT-BLDTBXH dated November 30, 2018 prescribing criteria for determination of high-quality education programs at the intermediate diploma and associate degree level

CIRCULAR

PRESCRIBING CRITERIA FOR DETERMINATION OF HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE INTERMEDIATE DIPLOMA AND ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL

Pursuant to the Law on Vocational Education dated November 27, 2014;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 48/2015/ND-CP dated May 15, 2015 elaborating on certain articles of the Law on Vocational Education;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 14/2017/ND-CP dated February 17, 2017, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs;

Upon the request of the General Director of the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training;

The Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs hereby promulgates the Circular prescribing criteria for determination of high-quality education programs at the intermediate diploma and associate degree level.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope

This Circular provides for criteria for determination of high-quality education programs at the intermediate diploma and associate degree level, including: Curriculum and syllabus, high-quality education teachers, physical facilities, teaching equipment, students and management of high-quality education programs.

Article 2. Subjects of application

This Circular shall apply to intermediate or postsecondary education establishments, colleges and universities obtaining registration for provision of high quality education and training programs at the intermediate diploma and associate degree level (hereinafter referred to as educational establishment(s)).

Article 3. Definition

For the purposes of this Circular, terms used herein shall be construed as follows:

1. High quality education and training program refers to a program providing the intermediate diploma and associate degree training and education whose conditions conform to criteria specified in the Law on Vocational Education and provisions of this Circular.

2. Criteria for determination of a high quality training and education program includes regulations on curriculum, syllabus, physical facilities, teachers, organization and management of training program in order to meet requirements for implementation of high quality training and education programs.

Article 4. Objectives of criteria for determination of high quality programs

Criteria for determination of high quality programs shall serve as a basis for determination of expenditures on training and education programs, investment in physical facilities, equipment, hiring of teachers, lecturers and experts specialized in implementing high quality training and education programs on which tuition fee rates corresponding to investment expenses are determined under clause 6 of Article 29 in the Law on Vocational Education.

Chapter II

CRITERIA FOR DETERMINATION OF HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT THE INTERMIDIATE DIPLOMA AND ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL

Article 5. High quality training and education programs

1. High-quality training and education programs must fully satisfy regulations like those applied to common training and education programs which are designed as per the Circular No. 03/2017/TT-BLDTBXH dated March 1, 2017 of the Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and meet the following criteria:

a) Have graduation standards higher than those of common training and education programs in terms of academic knowledge, professional skills and moral conducts;

b) Graduates must obtain 4/6 level in the foreign language proficiency framework with respect to foreign language and culture disciplines or equivalent; attain 2/6 at the intermediate diploma level or 3/6 at the associate degree level with respect to other disciplines;

c) Students must have information technology competence in disciplines or specialties outside of the list of information technology and computer disciplines and specialties having the minimum requirement that students must be skilled in using information technologies in accordance with regulations adopted by the Ministry of Information and Communications;

2. If exchange programs, international association programs and training and education programs provided on order of enterprises must meet criteria defined in this Circular, they shall be recognized as high-quality training and education programs.

Article 6. Teachers of high-quality education programs

1. Teachers of high-quality training and education programs shall be required to fully meet academic and professional pedagogical standards of specific disciplines or specialties in accordance with applicable regulations.

2. Teachers delivering lectures on basic knowledge and professional subjects must hold at least bachelor’s degrees with respect to the intermediate diploma education level and at least master degrees with respect to the associate degree education level, and must have qualifications appropriate for disciplines or specialties that they are involved. Teachers acting as instructors and delivering lectures in laboratory or practice classes must have at least 3 years’ hands-on experience of disciplines and specialties.

3. Teachers delivering foreign language lectures in high-quality education and training programs must attain at least 4/6 foreign language competency level in the Foreign Language Proficiency Framework of Vietnam or equivalent.

Article 7. Physical facilities and teaching equipment used in high-quality training and education programs

1. Physical facilities and teaching equipment used in high-quality training and education programs must fully meet existing regulatory standards of physical facilities and teaching equipment which are relevant to specific disciplines and specialties, and must meet the following requirements:

a) Classrooms in high-quality education and training programs must be designed to be appropriate for specialized study, must have all necessary conditions for integrated theoretical and practical training and education, must be equipped with computers with internet connection and other teaching and learning aids relevant to specific disciplines and specialties;

b) Have the adequate number of domestic and foreign course books, textbooks, teaching materials which are updated regularly; have libraries and electronic libraries that enable teachers and students to have access to information and take most advantage of them to assist in their teaching, learning and scientific research; 

c) Have the adequate number of laboratories, practice and internship premises; have simulation software necessary for lecturers to deliver lectures to students and other essential facilities that each educational establishment need to be used in high-quality training and education programs;

d) Mobilize facility and equipment resources from enterprises to be used in high-quality training and education programs.

2. Programs transferred from abroad shall be required to meet teaching facilities and equipment requirements set out by transferring countries’ specific programs.

Article 8. Students admitted to high quality training and education programs

1. Students of high-quality training and education programs must have conditions necessary to take intermediate diploma and associate degree education programs in accordance with existing regulations, and meet the following requirements:

a) Attain at least good learning results at the lower and upper secondary education level; 

b) Attain 2/6 of the foreign language level as minimum enrolment requirements with respect to disciplines and specialties relating to languages and foreign culture; attain 1/6 of the foreign language level with respect to other disciplines and specialties according to the 6-grade Foreign Language Proficiency Framework or equivalent;

c) If students taking high-quality education and training programs are foreign nationals, they must hold graduation diplomas which are equal to lower secondary or upper secondary graduation diplomas in Vietnam, must obtain the Vietnamese language proficiency level meeting requirements of these training and education programs regulated by presidents of educational establishments providing these programs; 

d) Voluntarily apply for enrolment in these programs and make commitments on payment of tuition fees in accordance with regulations of educational establishments.

Article 9. Organization and management of training and education activities

1. Organization of training and education activities

Organization and implementation of high-quality training and education programs must fully meet existing regulations on intermediate diploma and associate degree training and education under the Law on Vocational Education, and must satisfy the following requirements:

a) Enterprise’s cooperation and involvement are compulsory during the processing of organization of activities of high-quality training and education programs. Have at least 30% of program duration intended for students’ performing practice and internship activities at enterprises, factories and business establishments specialized in sectors or industries the same as training disciplines and specialties;

b) Must have agreements on training and education cooperation and acceptance of students performing practice and internship activities between educational establishments and enterprises under which job objectives and students’ requirements are clearly stated during the process of carrying out practice and internship activities at these enterprises.  

2. Diplomas and degrees conferred after completion of high-quality training and education programs

Graduates from high-quality intermediate diploma and associate degree education programs shall be awarded diplomas and degrees corresponding to the disciplines and specialties that they have been trained and educated.   Graduation diplomas or degrees must show the title: "High-quality education".

3. Career and employment consultancy activities

a) Educational establishments providing high-quality training and education programs must have staff in charge of providing employment counseling for graduated students;

b) Have commitments on training specific to work addresses or offer jobs to students after graduation; must ensure that more than 80% of graduated students are offered jobs or find their jobs on their own appropriate for disciplines and specialties in which they have been trained and educated, or continue to take higher-level programs.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION

Article 10. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs

1. Preside over and cooperate with Ministries, sectoral administrations or localities in directing educational establishments applying for permission to provide high-quality education and training programs to make arrangements for compliance with provisions hereof.

2. Inspect, oversee and direct Departments of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs at localities to inspect and supervise implementation of high-quality training and education programs at the intermediate diploma and associate degree level.

3. Grant decisions on suspension of high-quality training and education programs at educational establishment if these programs fail to meet training standards and other inspection requirements according to high-quality program criteria.

Article 11. Responsibilities of supervisory bodies of educational establishments providing high-quality intermediate diploma or associate degree training and education programs

1. Cooperate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in directing and enabling affiliated educational establishments to comply with regulations upon implementation of high-quality intermediate diploma or associate degree training and education programs.

2. Inspect conditions and supervise implementation of high-quality intermediate diploma or associate degree training and education programs by affiliated educational establishments; expedite the update, revision and supplementation of these programs in order to make them appropriate for the development of science, technologies and employment markets of Ministries, sectoral administrations and localities.

3. Provide favorable facility conditions for, educate teachers serving in and invest funds in educational establishments’ provision of high-quality training and education programs.

Article 12. Responsibilities of educational establishments providing high-quality intermediate diploma or associate degree training and education programs

1. Develop proposals for implementation of high-quality training and education programs according to criteria specified herein; establish the Council for assessment of high-quality training and education programs with contribution of opinions made by enterprises and regulatory authorities over vocational education affairs. As for disciplines and specialties which have not yet been registered as vocational education activities, educational establishments shall need to submit application for registration of vocational education activities as provided in the Government’s Decree No. 143/2016/ND-CP dated October 14, 2016 prescribing investment and business conditions in the vocational education sector prior to formulation of proposals.

2. Educational establishment’s presidents shall issue their decisions on approval of high-quality training and education programs and report to supervisory bodies and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs. After 20 days from the date of issue of the decision on approval of a proposal, enrolment activities shall be allowed.

3. Report in writing to supervisory bodies and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs on results of implementation of high-quality training and education programs. After completion of each course, review, assessment, revision and supplementation of programs must be carried out to improve educational and training quality.

Article 13. Implementary provisions

1. This Circular shall enter into force on January 15, 2019.

2. The Directorate of Vocational Education and Training, educational establishments and entities involved shall be responsible for implementing this Circular./.