On August 18, 2020, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and ASEAN University Network – AUN Secretariat jointly organised the International Conference on University Performance Metrics and launched a first-ever comparative ranking system named “University Performance Metrics” (UPM); at the same time, it announced the first matching and star rating results for 28 higher education institutions in Vietnam and ASEAN. In particular, the University of Engineering and Technology (VNU-UET) is one of the five educational institutions rated 5 stars.

The seminar was attended by Minister of Education and Training – Phung Xuan Nha, VNU President- Nguyen Kim Son, AUN Executive Director – Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti, representatives of higher education institutions and scientists. On the side of the University of Engineering and Technology, there were Prof. Chu Duc Trinh – Vice Rector; Prof. Nguyen Huu Duc – Chairman of the Council of Science and Training, leader of the research team “University Performance Metrics System”.

Addressing the event, Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha highly appreciated the significance and importance of the international conference today and gave his thank for the efforts and research results of the VNU Research Group.

Minister of Education and Training assessed that the construction and operation of the University Performance Metrics (UPM) system is very meaningful. First of all, UPM is a data and analysis center, which can provide consultancy and support to the national higher education system, as well as to national and regional higher education institutions. Higher education institutions can use UPM’s criteria to self-evaluate their performance, and at the same time as a tool for strategic management, brand development, and partner development. Learners have the correct information about the universities so that they can choose schools, choose fields and careers in accordance with their capabilities, strengths and future career orientations. Employers have the basis to develop human resource recruitment strategy, research and technology transfer cooperation plan.
Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha stressed the need to have quality management tools in order to improve university governance capacity both at the macro and micro level, especially to compare quality assurance indicators among higher education institutions.
UPM is a data and analysis centre, which can provide consultancy and support to the national higher education system, as well as to national and regional higher education institutions, he said.
Higher education institutions can use UPM to self-evaluate their performance, at the same time use it as a tool for strategic management, brand development, and partner development, he went on.

Speaking at the Conference, VNU President Nguyen Kim Son said that VNU always strives for the goal of building a quality orientation of international education and quality culture. In the journey of implementing its national missions and responsibilities, especially in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, VNU constantly surpasses its limits and traditional missions with entrepreneurship, innovative orientation, students’ adaptability, personalized education and digital transformation. Therefore, VNU focuses on and facilitates so much for research to increase the standard value of a leading higher education institution in Vietnam.

With the support of the leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training, under the sponsorship of a National Educational Science Program, the VNU research team is led by Prof.Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc, as the team leader, has successfully a higher education comparative ranking system called “University Performance Metrics” (UPM). At the same time, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc announced the results of the ASEAN Regional Higher Education Quality Comparison Ranking 2020 according to the UPM criteria set. The initial results achieved are that VNU and its two member universities, the VNU University of Science and the VNU University of Engineering Technology, together with the Hanoi University of Science and Technology and Kasetsart University (Thailand) achieved a five-star standard. The group of 4-star higher education institutions with research orientation includes Hue University (with member schools: University of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Sciences, University of Education) and Hanoi National University of Education, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Vinh University, Thuyloi University, Hanoi University of Mining and Geology, University of Transport and Communications, University of Phenikaa and University of Burapha (Thailand), University of Malang (Indonesia). Hue College of Economics under Hue University is the first social science university to evaluate the research orientation of 3-star standard. According to the application-oriented, 4-star standard, there are Foreign Trade University Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Thu Dau Mot University, Quy Nhon University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University. The 3-star group includes Thanh Do University, Nam Can Tho University, Tay Do University, Phan Thiet University, Centro Escalar University and West Visayas University (Philippines).

Prof. Nguyen Huu Duc presented 02 speeches: “UPM and its relevance in the context of 4.0 IR” and “Announcement of 2020 ASEAN Regional UPM Rating Results”

Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) Choltis Dhirathiti said the Secretariat of AUN supports UPM because the system helps open up a new approach in the field of university quality evaluation, with eight groups of criteria and 54 highly synthetic indicators. UPM can provide reliable information serving the comprehensive comparison and evaluation of the quality of universities, he said.

Participants at the workshop discussed issues related to vision and strategy of educational institutions based on indicators of the 4th industrial revolution and sustainable development, university governance based on social impact assessment, development of educational ecosystem and data management platform, among others.

Closing the Conference, on behalf of VNU University of Engineering and Technology, Prof. Chu Duc Trinh, Vice Rector congratulated on the success of the scientific conference on “University Performance Metrics”. At the same time, he also congratulated the research team, led by Prof. Nguyen Huu Duc has released a set of UPM standards with advanced criteria, reflecting the trend of regional and international integration.

Prof. Dr. Chu Duc Trinh – Vice Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology spoke at the conference

He affirmed that, in the coming time VNU University of Engineering and Technology committed to accompany the research team to promote and widely deploy the UPM standard set for universities in the country and Southeast Asia.

Some information about “University Performance Metrics” (UPM): http://upm.vn/

The UPM system follows a trend of matching and staring, whereby, the universities with close performance are ranked in the same group and rated from one to five stars. On the basis of the traditional ranking, UPM has developed more unique criteria of universities in the Industry 4.0 era.

Specifically, UPM includes 8 groups of fields and 54 criteria. Each field has its own benchmark and weight for a total of 1,000 points. The 8 criteria are strategic administration; training; research; innovation and creativity; innovation and creativity ecosystem; information technology and digital resources; internationalization level; and community services.