14 UEH Initiatives in 2021 - The transition from development to sustainable action (Part 1)

It is the year 2021 that marks the 45-year milestone of establishment and development of University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) with proud achievements in the Vietnamese higher education system with impressions on the international education map. Constantly striving to become stronger, UEH has implemented a restructuring strategy, forming a Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University with the consensus, solidarity and efforts of all collective leadership, lecturers, officials and employees. Those efforts have been clearly demonstrated through 14 outstanding initiatives in all fields, contributing to UEH overall development.

Within 2021-2030 period, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City officially implemented the restructuring strategy to form a Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University with a reputation in Asia. UEH brand positioning strategy takes contribution to the sustainable future of the community and the society as a destination with 05 core pillars: Training, Research, Administration, Operation and Community Connection along with 04 positioning values: (1) Learners at UEH are oriented to become global citizens who act for sustainable development; (2) From research and consultancy to positive results for the community and the society; (3) UEHer community together towards sustainable development and artistic inspiration; (4) Contribution for a sustainable future.

With the determination to implement the restructuring strategy, all UEH leaders, lecturers, officials and employees have joined our hands in efforts to contribute to UEH common development. These valuable efforts are reflected in the following 14 UEH 2021 initiatives as follows:

[1] Building a training system in the forms of face-to-face and online hybrid learning (hybrid learning) at UEH

The Covid-19 pandemic has seriously affected the global socio-economic life, including the education sector. The epidemic took place in the context of digital transformation and 4.0 Revolution that have led to revolutionary changes in education. With the available platforms in online learning application, UEH actively builds a training system in the form of face-to-face and online hybrid learning (hybrid learning) to ensure the benefits of learners, adapting to the new normal. This form of implementing synchronous classes for face-to-face and online teaching concentrates on connecting traditional classrooms and virtual learning spaces together. UEH has prepared classrooms with all necessary equipment (microphones connecting to online computers, pens written on touch screens, cameras recording the entire classroom and so on) and organized training and experiences for teaching staff. Starting from November 1^st, 2021, a number of subject classes have been piloted in hybrid learning form and will be officially deployed and widely applied at UEH from the 2022 school-year. In the future, hybrid learning will be a suitable form of learning, bringing the trend of the times. UEH will gradually research, perfect and apply this method in training activities towards UEH comprehensive and sustainable development.

[2] Building an online exam organization system at UEH

The initiatives regarding the process of managing and organizing online exams at UEH as well as development and application in the context of complicated epidemic conditions in Ho Chi Minh City in particular and the whole country in general have brought about practical and satisfying effects, meeting the professional requirements in training at UEH, listed as: ensuring the strict implementation of regulations in terms of the Covid-19 epidemic prevention; ensuring that students do not have to interrupt their exams in the context of complicated epidemics; maximizing support for learners who can take the exam in the worst conditions (like isolation) and so on.

In addition, the initiative helps UEH overall training progress not to be interrupted or delayed; saving costs of exam organization (cost of exam paper, scratch paper, ink, paper for copying exam questions and so on); helping to be more proactive in scheduling exams; saving a lot of funds for examination rooms and examination staff compared to those of direct exams; most exam forms are automatically graded by software so it saves time to mark tests faster and gives accurate and objective results.

[3] A series of admission counseling activities for learners on the online portal

In the context of the pandemic impacts, with the aim of providing the most complete and timely information for candidates admitted to Regular Universities in 2021 and their parents as well as ensuring the enrollment target completion was entrusted by UEH Board of Directors, UEH Training Department actively cooperated with Units providing a series of online counseling activities at the Admission portal nhaphoc.ueh.edu.vn with topics, listed as: Consulting procedures admission procedures and procedures; Consulting on Standard programs, high-quality Bachelor programs, Talented bachelors; Advising on English entry standards and Regulations on transfer of English scores; Consulting on integrated bi-disciplinary training and so on.

This is the first time that all admission counseling activities are held online compared to the previous courses; nevertheless, it has brought great efficiency, completely contributing to the enrollment success of Course 47 – Regular Course of 2021 at UEH. The number of UEH students enrolling has been the largest in more-than-45-year establishment and development of UEH. This is also a premise for UEH to continue pioneering digitalization in the field of education.

[4] Model to optimize training program to enroll Regular College Union students through the method of combining working and learning while studying at Vinh Long Branch

Since Business Accounting Major and Management Major of Regular College Union are not enough to open classes as prescribed; therefore, UEH builds a model to optimize the training program to enroll full-time College students in accordance with the method of combining with working-and-studying university at Vinh Long Branch.

This is the first initiative ever applied at UEH, the development of a training plan for Regular University is based on a combination of the progress and plan of the physical education system, ensuring optimization in enrollment and training. When it is put into operation, this model enrolls two full-time college-university classes majoring in Business Accounting (18 students) and Administration (17 students), contributing to achieving the enrollment target of Vinh Long brand in 2021. Since there is no need to open a new course, the model does not incur related costs and brings many economic benefits.