Peer evaluation of the quality of Political Science programs

The expert team consisted of: Dr. Bui Vu Anh (Deputy Director of the Institute for Educational Quality Assurance, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, head of the team), Prof. Dr. Le Ngoc Hung (Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, member), and Dr. Vo Thi Hoa (Deputy Head of the Department of Political Science, Academy of Journalism and Communication, secretary). The Bachelor of Political Science program was the third of four programs to undergo peer quality assessment in 2017 at the University.

Associate Professor Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hoa (Vice Rector of the University), in charge of quality assurance activities, presided over the opening ceremony. The leadership team, faculty members of the Faculty of Political Science, the Center for Educational Quality Assurance, and leaders of functional departments within the University attended in full and accompanied the expert team throughout the evaluation process.

The Faculty of Political Science was established on September 27, 2011, based on the Department of Political Science (established on October 24, 1995). To date, the Faculty has a rich tradition of over 20 years of development. Beginning in 2005, the Faculty was tasked with training master's and doctoral students in two specialties: Political Science and Ho Chi Minh Studies. From 2008 to the present, the Faculty has continued to be tasked with training bachelor's students in Political Science.

Associate Professor Dr. Tran Thi Minh Hoa, Vice Rector of the University, presided over the opening ceremony.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Associate Professor Tran Thi Minh Hoa emphasized the importance of evaluating the quality of the Political Science program. Political science is a very important field of study worldwide. Although newly established, the Political Science program at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has made remarkable progress. These advancements aim to meet the development requirements of research and training of human resources in the field of political science in Vietnam, in the context of a rapidly changing global socio-political landscape. Conducting a peer evaluation of the Bachelor of Political Science program will help promote strengths and identify weaknesses, enabling the Faculty of Political Science and the University to develop solutions to further improve the program.

The expert team consists of the following members (from right to left): Dr. Bui Vu Anh, Deputy Director of the Institute for Educational Quality Assurance, VNU Hanoi (team leader), Prof. Dr. Le Ngoc Hung, Deputy Director of the Institute of Sociology, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (member), Dr. Vo Thi Hoa, Deputy Head of the Department of Political Science, Academy of Journalism and Communication (secretary).

Dr. Luu Minh Van (Deputy Head of the Faculty of Political Science) presented a summary report on the Bachelor's program in Political Science. Political science is a fundamental and continuous field of study throughout the development of the Faculty of Political Science. The Faculty's educational philosophy is: "Deeply understand Vietnam, keep pace with the times, and orient towards practicality." The Faculty's mission is: "To strive to become a reputable unit in training high-quality human resources in the field of political science, in scientific research, and to proactively integrate internationally, meeting the requirements of the cause of national defense and construction in the present era." The Faculty's vision is to develop into a research university of the University, a reliable address for research, training, and fostering high-quality human resources for society, gradually integrating internationally and regionally in science and education. The Bachelor's program in Political Science is built on the orientation of: Modern, Vietnamese, integrated, and responsive to the practical development of society. The report also presents the methods the Faculty has used to develop the curriculum, the methods used to implement training activities, and highlights the strengths and weaknesses identified by the Faculty.

The expert team's evaluation activities included: reviewing supporting documents, interviewing the School's Board of Directors, functional departments and centers, Deans of Faculties and Heads of Departments, lecturers, and student support departments; interviewing students and alumni, surveying training facilities, etc., and concluded on December 19, 2017.