Standardizing vocational education according to international standards

Training must aim at global standards

On the afternoon of October 29, the Department of Vocational Education and Continuing Education ( Ministry of Education and Training ) coordinated with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to organize a mid-term review conference on the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of vocational education between the two sides.

Speaking at the Conference, Mr. Pham Vu Quoc Binh - Deputy Director of the Department of Vocational Education and Continuing Education (Ministry of Education and Training) - emphasized that in the context of Vietnam aiming to become an industrialized country by 2030 and a developed country by 2045, vocational education must be strongly innovated, deeply integrated and ensure international standards.

Mr. Pham Vu Quoc Binh - Deputy Director of the Department of Vocational Education and Continuing Education (Ministry of Education and Training) spoke at the conference.

In an integrated economy , Vietnam cannot train human resources only for the domestic market, but must meet international labor standards. Economic competition today depends largely on the quality of human resources, so training must aim at global standards, in accordance with the requirements of sustainable development.

Referring to the field of finance and accounting, Mr. Binh said that this is not only a tool to reflect the economy but also a foundation to ensure transparent governance and international integration. In the context of strong development of artificial intelligence, big data and international financial reporting standards (IFRS), the vocational training system needs to quickly adapt to prepare for new career requirements.

Connecting businesses and schools

Since 2022, the Department of Vocational Education and Continuing Education has signed a memorandum of understanding with ACCA to bring international standard training content to colleges and secondary schools. After more than two years of implementation, although only 10 schools out of a total of about 400 vocational training institutions have participated, the initial results are very encouraging: teacher training, vocational skills competitions, and training of more than 1,000 students.

“We have localized the training program, creating a solid foundation for replication in the future,” said Mr. Binh, affirming that the cooperation model between the Department of Vocational Education and Continuing Education and ACCA is a typical example of public-private cooperation in vocational education, demonstrating the close cooperation between schools, businesses and learners. Graduates are highly appreciated for their capacity, skills and professional ethics.

He emphasized that this is also a symbol of cooperation between Vietnam and the UK in the field of vocational education, inheriting the spirit from the 2014 bilateral cooperation memorandum. Expanding and replicating this model will help improve training quality, bringing Vietnamese human resources closer to international standards, meeting the requirements of development and integration.

Experts and speakers discuss in a roundtable.

At the conference, the business representative – Ms. Dao Phuong Thuy, Operations Director of Forvis Mazars Vietnam – said that building employability skills for students is an urgent requirement from businesses. Businesses want schools and students to have substantial preparation in terms of professional capacity, thinking and soft skills, and highly appreciate the efforts to connect ACCA with training institutions in forming high-quality human resources, capable of adapting to the international working environment.

Dr. Nguyen Minh Tien - Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Foreign Economics spoke at the conference.

Representatives of colleges also shared their orientations for the coming period. Dr. Nguyen Minh Tien - Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City College of Foreign Economic Relations (COFER) and Dr. Dong Trung Chinh - Principal of Hanoi College of Industrial Economics acknowledged that vocational training institutions are facing many difficulties in renewing programs, lecturers' capacity and facilities, while having great opportunities in international cooperation and expanding training models according to global standards.

Delegates also appreciated ACCA's Vietnamization of the Foundation Accounting program, considering this a step in the right direction to remove language barriers, helping learners easily access international standards, and at the same time creating a foundation for studying programs in English in the future.

Mr. Ren Varma - Director of ACCA Southeast Asia spoke at the event.

Looking forward, Mr. Ren Varma – Director of ACCA Southeast Asia – affirmed that the cooperative relationship between ACCA and the Department of Vocational Education and Continuing Education (Ministry of Education and Training) is built on the foundation of mutual respect, shared common goals and deep belief in the power of education. “Let us continue to nurture this relationship, continue to dream big, act boldly and create real results,” he emphasized.

The mid-term review conference is expected to open a new phase of cooperation between ACCA and the Ministry of Education and Training, towards a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding in the coming time. This is considered an important step in standardizing accounting and finance vocational education in Vietnam according to international standards.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/chuan-hoa-giao-duc-nghe-nghiep-theo-chuan-quoc-te-post754553.html