The Partnership for Higher Education Innovation (PHER) project is a five-year initiative to modernize Vietnam's three leading universities (VNU, VNU-HCM, and the University of Danang) and support the development of Vietnam's higher education system, within the framework of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Higher Education Development Assistance Program.
VNU President Le Quan spoke at the Summer Workshop of the Project for Collaborative Innovation in Higher Education (PHER) on July 25, 2022, affirming: "VNU benefits a lot from the PHER Project for its development strategy."
Speaking with USSH Medias on the sidelines of the 2023 PHER Project activities in the United States, President Hoang Anh Tuan said that the innovation of Vietnamese higher education in general, at national universities and regional universities participating in the Project in particular, needs to be carried out synchronously in all key areas and principles in the 5 years of implementation and persistently in the first years after the project.
As a member school of VNU participating in the PHER project, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities aims to make the most of opportunities to innovate and improve its operations. In 2022, the University discussed with PHER expert groups to focus on improving scientific activities, projects, research ethics, etc. In the following years, thematic areas of internal quality assurance, modern public university governance, training and research technology, etc. will continue to be optimally exploited.
Principal Hoang Anh Tuan presented a souvenir from the School to Professor Shawn Reynolds - Vice President for External Affairs and Educational Innovation of Indiana University
Within the framework of the PHER Project, the 2023 program focuses on the following main contents:- University management structure and organization
- Development of learning management system (LMS)
- Digital transformation and university management information systems
- Internal quality assurance and testing
- Promote a culture of faculty excellence and an environment for student success that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable
- Creating an environment for student success
- Ethics in scientific research
- Data centers and supercomputers in universities
- Business cooperation
- Commercialization
- Creating effective research infrastructure for universities
- Digital transformation and Management information systems
- Support innovation in teaching and learning
- Connecting alumni and preparing students for success in their careers
- Designing successful online education programs
- Annual evaluation of faculty and staff
Examples of some key content in the university innovation areas of the PHER Project:- Internal quality assurance and inspection:
- How to build a quality culture for the whole school and units.
- Link between internal quality assurance (IQA) and management information (MIS).
- Who has access to the data and how is data security maintained?
- What analyses are run with the data and how is the data used as a decision-making basis for the university's strategic plans?
- Quality related policies, tools, procedures: IU case.
- The “tension” between accountability and improvement
- Creating effective research infrastructure for universities:
- Research support system: IU case
- Research support policies with specific issues such as research promotion, compliance, quality management and control, and interdisciplinary
- What can universities do to help faculty secure outside grants and contracts?
- What can the university do to improve in the following areas: funding support, proposal development, research methodology support, interdisciplinary research, support for researchers (support, motivation, encouragement)?
- How can universities encourage research collaboration and improve faculty research skills?
News and articles related to PHER Project:
Vietnam National University, Hanoi:Overview of the Partnership for Higher Education Innovation (PHER) Project
United States Agency for International Development (USAID): Higher Education Innovation Partnership Project
Ministry of Education and Training:Launching Ceremony of the University Education Innovation Cooperation Project
People's Newspaper:Launching the project of cooperation in innovation of higher education
Youth Newspaper:US launches $14.2 million project to help 3 major universities in Vietnam
Vietnam National University, Hanoi:VNU benefits greatly from the PHER Project for development strategy.
Vietnam National University, Hanoi:USAID: Strengthening Governance to Modernize Vietnam's Top Universities
