“The content of the draft criteria catalogue for High Quality TVET Institutes and CoE is highly relevant and useful, especially for the future of Vietnamese TVET institutes in the context of autonomy”, Mr Do Thanh Van of the Department of Labour, Invalides and Social Affairs (DoLISA) of Ho Chi Minh City stressed at the “Training course on external evaluation for piloting draft criteria and assessment process of High Quality TVET Institutes and CoE”, held in Hanoi on January 12^th, 2017. The training for external auditors is a step in the revision process of the criteria for High Quality TVET Institutes and CoE in Viet Nam. The training was jointly implemented by the Viet Nam Vocational Training Accreditation Agency (VVTAA/GDVT), the GIZ Programme Reform of TVET in Viet Nam and KOICA.

During the one-day training 19 selected auditors from TVET institutes, authorities representing different regions in Viet Nam and experts from the hosting institute Hanoi Vocational College of Electro-Mechanics (HCEM) as well as the organising partners discussed the revised criteria catalogue taking into consideration the feedback from the self-evaluation process by selected TVET institutes that was implemented in December 2016. Furthermore, the assessment process itself was a focus of the discussion. So far, the assessment process, as important step in the accreditation, is not a component of the existing Decision 761, but to be added as an important element to the revised draft that is to be finalized in summer 2017. The training received a high level of attention and contributions to the draft revised criteria and the guidelines, since the participants brought along diversified experiences and deep knowledge in assessment and accreditation. Upon completion of this training, the guidelines will be further updated for pilot application in the external evaluation scheduled for February 2017.

Ms Britta van Erckelens, Deputy Director of the Programme Reform of TVET in Viet Nam, expressed her appreciation of the close cooperation between VVTAA/GDVT, KOICA and GIZ. She stressed that the criteria catalogue will not only serve the accreditation of High Quality TVET Institutes and CoE in order to meet the objectives of the TVET Strategy 2011-2020. Its additional potential to serve as a quality management tool and promote the cooperation between TVET institutes and the business sector will furthermore contribute to achieving the quality breakthrough in TVET.