Vietnamese-German Programme Reform of TVET in Viet Nam
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Digital Transformation (DX) has become an inevitable trend and triggers comprehensive changes in organisations and in individuals’ everyday life. The digital environment has been growing each day, creating new ways of working, communicating and living. The Vietnamese Government therefore attaches great importance to DX in government, society and economy and has already issued many important documents to orientate this trend. Due to impacts of the changing world of work, the 4th Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), the increased autonomy and competitiveness in education and training, and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, vocational training urgently needs DX to become more flexible, open, adaptive and responsive.
Viet Nam currently has 56 million people in the working age, but only 26% of the workforce has a professional qualification (General Statistics Office 2021). The TVET system in Viet Nam is providing training for 2.2 million learners per year. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) under the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour – Invalids and Social Affairs forecasts a significant increase in the demand for vocationally trained workers, both in retraining and advanced training, in the coming years, especially for highly skilled workers. The current context shows that the needs, opportunities and potentials that DX can bring to TVET in Vietnam are huge. For example, scaling up TVET can be achieved through digital platform solutions such as e-learning and open educational resources..
The Programme “Reform of TVET in Viet Nam II” (the Programme) is financed by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in corporation with DVET. DX has become a key support topic of the Programme since September 2020. The Programme focuses on the three main supporting areas: 1) DX strategic and policy advice, 2) DX capacity development for staff and teachers, 3) Development of digital solutions for TVET partners at macro and micro levels. The support activities of the Program are based on the status-quo research, the pilot carried out in 11 partner colleges, from which practical experiences can be drawn to help analyze and identify needs, consult strategically, and multiply DX initiatives at the system level. DX will create a solid foundation for digital governance and management in TVET, online teaching and learning activities, and data analysis to inform the development of college policies, innovate training content and services for students, contributing to better meeting the needs of the business sector.
The Programme “Reform of TVET in Viet Nam II” promotes a holistic, comprehensive and systematic approach to DX in TVET by adopting the DX ecosystem. This ecosystem, recommended by GIZ, is accepted by DVET as well as TVET partners and is used widely in the system. The digital transformation ecosystem consists of 06 key components: 1) digitalize training contents; 2) teaching and learning methods; 3) digital teachers and learners; 4) digital infrastructure, platforms and learning materials; 5) digital governance and management; 6) institutions and the regulatory framework that enables DX and two overarching contents: Data connection and Cyber security-safety. These components are interconnected and closely aligned with each other, meaning changing one component can impact the other ones. The DX process encourages the involvement of relevant key stakeholders, including leaders, managers, staff, teachers, in-company trainers, students, and workers from TVET management organizations, TVET institutions, enterprises, and professional associations..
Ecosystem of DX in TVET supported by TVET Programme
At the macro level, the Programme supports DVET, eleven partner TVET colleges and other relevant stakeholders with strategic and policy advice on DX. The Programme provides capacity development for senior leaders, line managers and staff in the TVET system. These supporting activities are implemented based on the results of scientific research, DX on-site survey, annual DX process and result evaluation of the Programme at the eleven partner colleges and colleges in the system. At the meso level, the Programme promotes the involvement of relevant stakeholders such as Departments of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs (DoLISA), Departments of of Information and Communications, Departments of Planning and Investment, provincial People’s Committee in DX activities in TVET. On the one hand, the Programme helps raise and unify awareness as well as advises DX policies for these organizations. On the other hand, these meso-level organizations also contribute to the 06 DX components in TVET, for instance, updating training contents, regulatory frameworks, digital management and governance in TVET. Currently, the Programme is supporting the development of a digital platform to support the operation of Industry Advisory Boards at 11 partner colleges. This is a channel to promote information exchange, dialogue on updating training content, and advising on TVET policies.. At the micro level, the Programme provides each partner TVET institution with direct advice on developing DX strategies and operation plans. Capacity development activities focus on managers, DX taskforces, core teachers as multipliers at TVET institutions to help raise their awareness of DX, and improve digital literacy, e-pedagogy, and promotes a culture of innovation using digital technology. The program promotes the effective development and exploitation of digital solutions in management, learning management, cloud solutions, equipment and software for the production of digital learning materials at partner colleges.
For policy and strategy advice, the Programme has carried out six (06) major studies, namely:
1) Research about the status of DX in TVET in Vietnam in 2021,
2) Fact-finding research on DX at 11 partner colleges in 2021,
3) Review of policies and regulatory framework for DX in TVET in 2021,
4) Research and evaluation of the effectiveness of distance training and guided self-study in TVET (according to 33/2018/TT-BLDTBXH),
5) Research on the progress and results of DX activities at 11 partner colleges in 2022,
6) Research on the model and criteria and standards for digital/smart TVET institutions at 06 partner colleges in 2023.
In addition, the Programme also conducted a pre-feasibility study and advised DVET on a national open vocational educational and training resources system.
The research results were the basis for the Programme to conduct the consultation with DVET and 11 partner TVET colleges in achieving crucial achievements including:
1) Supporting DVET in developing the National Programme of DX in TVET for the period of 2021-2025 with a vision to 2030, approved by the Prime Minister under Decision 2222/QD-TTg dated 30/12/2021.
2) Advising 11 partner TVET colleges to develop DX strategies in appropriation with their conditions and context.
3) Reviewing and systematizing the system of legal documents related to DX in TVET with recommendations to update and develop new policies for facilitating DX.
4) Supporting DVET to organize a national competition for TVET teachers to encourage the development of e-lessons.
5) Supporting DVET in developing “Criteria and Standards for Smart TVET institutions”.
6) Supporting DVET in developing the Digital Literacy Training Module, which is officially issued via offcial letter of DVET encouraging the exploitation and use of the module as an advanced or elective subject for colleges and intermediate schools throughout the TVET system.
7) The DX ecosystem in TVET, consulted by GIZ and experts, is adopted by DVET and partner schools and used as a unified DX approach.
From September 2020 until now, there have been 135 events organized for DVET and 11 partner colleges with the attendance of 6,064 participants including: 51 workshops and webinars, 49 training courses, 35 strategy meetings.
DX events supported by the Programme
01 platform Open Vocational Education and Training Resources (OVETR) for pilot use at 11 partner colleges and consultancy on upgrading the OVETR platform for the whole TVET system. 01 digital platform supporting the operation of Industry Advisory Boards at 11 partner colleges. 06 learning management system (LMS) for 06 partner colleges. 04 digital management platforms (DMP) for 04 partner colleges. 02 cloud servers for 02 partner colleges 11 E-learning studios for production of digital learning materials for 11 partner colleges. 01 virtual conference room for DVET. 04 free online training courses about “Digital Transformation in TVET in Viet Nam”, “Basic green skills: Environmental protection, efficient use of energy and resources in vocational schools”, “Inclusive teaching: How to tailor curricula, lectures, and assessments to meet the diverse needs of learners”, “Pedagogical skills for beginner In-company trainers”.
Digital solutions supported by the Programme
