Speaking at a conference “Self-assessment - Ensuring and Enhancing Quality in Higher Education” held by the Ministry of Education and Training, in cooperation with the British Council in Vietnam in Hanoi on October 19, he said since 2004, the Ministry of Education and Training has asked 20 universities in Vietnam to self-assess their education quality according to certain criteria. He added that in the process of knowledge integration universities will have to identify training plans and renew training methods if they want to exist and develop.

According to Richard Lewis, President of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), upgrading infrastructure and renovating methodology are important factors for students to better study and research.

Mr Lewis noted that many universities in the world are equipped with modern facilities and libraries and give students more time for self-study. He hoped that Vietnamese universities will invest more in upgrading their infrastructure.

Participants in the conference also spoke of other measures to enhance the quality of higher education in Vietnam, such as distance training for ethnic minority students, building a competitive environment among universities and developing a model of higher education management.