Assessing English proficiency according to TOEIC standards.

On November 17, 2012, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, in collaboration with AMA International English Academy, held the first session of the English proficiency assessment exam. 421 students from four high-quality training programs and the Faculty of Tourism Studies took the 120-minute exam. The exam was in the standard TOEIC format of IIG Vietnam.Dr. Nghiem Xuan Huy (Deputy Director of the Training Quality Assurance Center, Head of the Training Advisory Team) stated: The primary purpose of this exam is to help students assess their English proficiency based on an international standard. Subsequently, the results will provide the university with a more objective perspective and allow for necessary adjustments in foreign language training. The ultimate goal is to identify promising students to award English scholarships. The exam questions relate to everyday situations in work and daily life, with particular attention paid to knowledge and vocabulary related to economics, accounting and auditing, finance and banking, etc. The difficulty level of the exam will gradually increase in each section. For students, this is a self-assessment exam, referenced against the TOEIC standard. Therefore, even though the training program follows European standards, students' actual abilities are revealed through this exam. The official results are expected after 5 days of testing. Immediately afterwards, the Training Counseling and Support Team will plan to provide counseling for students who need it. After 4 testing sessions, 8 scholarships for the Real TOEIC English course organized by AMA International English Academy will be awarded to students with high scores. According to the schedule, on November 24, 2012, students majoring in Linguistics and Oriental Studies will participate in the next testing session. Students majoring in Journalism, Vietnamese Studies, Political Science, and International Studies will take their final exam of the first semester on January 26, 2013.