The High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES) has accredited that University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH) complies with French and European standards for educational institutions. This institutional accreditation will remain valid for five years, from 2023 to 2028.
HCERES is the official member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and applies The Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG) under the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). HCERES is known as a prestigious education quality accreditation organization not only in France but also in Europe.
In addition to evaluating institutions in France, HCERES also conducts international assessments for universities abroad, as well as French educational institutions and international collaborative research institutions.
Before receiving the HCERES accreditation, USTH underwent one year of preparation for the evaluation process.
In November 2022, the HCERES evaluation team conducted a preliminary assessment at USTH and confirmed that the University met the conditions for evaluation. They also provided guidance for USTH to conduct a self-assessment according to the HCERES standards and procedures.
By March 2023, USTH had completed and submitted a self-assessment report in accordance with HCERES’ schedule.
In May 2023, the HCERES evaluation team conducted a quality assessment at USTH. They held independent interviews with various groups including the University Council, the University Senate, the Science and Education Council, the Rector Board, representatives of academic and administrative departments, lecturers, researchers, students, alumni, domestic and international partners, and employers to assess the effectiveness of the university’s management, the quality of training and research activities, and the contribution and impact of USTH on the community as well as the development prospects of students and alumni. Besides, they directly inspected the physical facilities that serve research and training at USTH.
HCERES highly commended all criteria of USTH, and they also proposed strategies and development directions for the University to achieve its set goals in the near future.
Prof. Jean-Marc Lavest, Principal Rector of USTH, stated: “With the decision by HCERES, USTH has officially joined the group of Vietnamese universities accredited according to international standards. This achievement is the result of the efforts and contributions of both Vietnamese and French sides; of the Consortium of French universities and research institutes for the development of USTH (USTH Consortium), of Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, of the ministries and governments that have placed their trust in us over the years.”
Prof. Jean-Marc Lavest emphasized that becoming an educational institution accredited by HCERES marked an important milestone in the 14-year journey of USTH’s establishment and development. He also noted that the comprehensive evaluation according to European standards held special significance for USTH in the current phase of rapid development in terms of training and research scale.
The evaluation report from HCERES would provide crucial information for USTH to continually improve its management, training, and research activities according to international standards, with the aim of further development and the aspiration to become an excellent university in science and technology training, not only in Vietnam but also in the region.
