As scheduled, from 27th to 28th February 2017, the NUCE will be welcoming a delegation of experts from France – the High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES – Haut Conseil de l’ Évaluation de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur in French language). This organization will be coming to evaluate the training quality offered by the NUCE. The NUCE is one of the first four universities in Vietnam to be externally evaluated and assessed by an international evaluating organization from Europe (three other universities in Vietnam to be evaluated at the same time are: 1. Hanoi University of Science and Technology, 2. Ho Chi Minh City University of Science and Technology – the National University and 3. Danang University – Danang University of Science and Technology).
With a strategic vision “to become a top-ranking university in Vietnam in civil engineering by 2030 and to reach the regional as well as international levels in higher education”, the NUCE has always striven for its core values: Quality – Efficiency – Development – Integration. Assigned by the Ministry of Education and Training, the NUCE has been running a series of training programs of excellence for students in engineering called PFIEV (Programme de Formation d’Ingénieurs d’Excellence au Vietnam in French language) since 1999 sponsored by the French Government following the Intergovernmental Protocol, along with other universities such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Science and Technology – the National University and Danang University – Danang University of Science and Technology. The training programs in three specialized engineering areas offered by the NUCE have been evaluated and recognized by the French Committee of Engineering Qualifications (CTI), for the periods 2004 – 2010, 2010 – 2016 and 2016 – 2022.
In early 2016, during a working visit to France, Mr. Bui Van Ga – Deputy Minister of the Minister of Education and Training – met the HCERES and demanded an HCERES evaluation of the training quality of the four participating universities in the PFIEV programs. On 4th April 2016, the Ministry of Education and Training sent an official document to the HCERES and required an evaluation and assessment of the training quality at these four institutions. Soon afterwards, the NUCE began to prepare for the self-assessment based on the rating systems given by the HCERES.
A group of HCERES experts visited the NUCE and conducted a preliminary survey. The HCERES experts came to a conclusion that the NUCE had met the requirements for an HCERES standard evaluation and assessment, and approved of an evaluation plan. They also gave instructions of how to follow the evaluation process and provided a full rating system with the methodology for a self-assessment report.
On Friday, 20th January 2017, the NUCE completed that self-assessment report based on the HCERES standards with the following six categories for evaluation: Strategy and Administration; Training and Scientific Research; Training Process and Orientation for Professional Integration; International Relations; Management and Operation, Quality and Morals.
Based on the analyses of that self-assessment report and the forthcoming on-campus evaluation on 27th and 28th February 2017, the HCERES experts will be able to establish a comprehensive report on the NUCE’s training quality and then submit this report to the HCERES Commission of Education Assessment for the final decision of the quality assessment. The results will be announced in July 2017.
So far, the NUCE has completed a welcome program for the HCERES experts and the University hopes that the results should be positive.
Information on the HCERES
The HCERES was established on 22nd July 2013 under the Act No. 2013-660 on the basis of the AERES (Agence d’Évaluation de la Recherche et de l’Enseignement Supérieur in French language) and in continuation of the activities undertaken by this organization. The HCERES is an independent agency responsible for the evaluation and assessment of training quality of universities as well as research activities of institutes. The HCERES is also an official member of the European Network of Quality Assurance (ENQA), European Standard Guidelines (ESG) in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Apart from universities and research institutes in France, the HCERES has even evaluated and assessed many institutions from other countries in the EHEA system. Annually, on average, the HCERES conducts evaluation and assessment at 50 universities and research institutes, 630 research units, 600 undergraduate degree programs, 300 postgraduate degree programs and 70 PhD programs.
In addition, the HCERES evaluates the quality of universities outside the EU, French higher education providers abroad and international research organizations.
The HCERES standards to be used for the evaluation of universities and research institutes abroad consist of 6 categories, 17 standards and 29 criteria: Strategy and Management (missions, development strategies, implementation of strategies, communication and media); Training and Scientific Research (training and research policies, modes of training to meet the different needs of students); Training Process and Orientation for Professional Integration (learning environment and training/education management); International Relations; Management and Operation (financial system, facilities, human resources, information system); Quality and Morals (quality assurance policies, morals in training and research).
The National University of Civil Engineering
