Dr. Michelle Vickers RMIT University Vietnam
ABSTRACT
RMIT University is a global university of technology and design. RMIT was invited to establish a campus in Vietnam in 1998 and began teaching students in Ho Chi Minh City in 2001 and Hanoi in 2004. At present RMIT Vietnam has almost 7,000 graduates and approximately 6,000 current students.
RMIT Vietnam provides the same curriculum to students as studied at other RMIT locations, including Melbourne. RMIT Vietnam aims to provide a comparable student experience as that of Melbourne. This is achieved through global processes to review curriculum and programs, a global quality assurance framework, and utilizing the global network for input into technology and facilities.
Innovation is achieved through the global collaboration provided by the RMIT network, but with an understanding of the local context. RMIT Vietnam works closely with local industry, alumni, government and increasingly with Vietnamese universities. The rich information and experience gained from being part of the Vietnamese education sector and industry partners, combined with our international experience and global network ensures our graduates have modern and innovative learning opportunities and campus experiences.
This paper will discuss how our international and local experience provides innovative approaches to teaching and learning, student experience on campus, infrastructure design and information technology.
KEY WORDS
Innovation, international, student experience, technology
INNOVATION THROUGH GLOBAL REVIEWS OF DEGREE PROGRAMS
RMIT University teaches a range of tertiary award programs in campuses located in Australia, Vietnam and Spain, and with partners in 5 other countries. This global network provides opportunities for RMIT to consider various perspectives and incorporate innovative approaches to ensure ongoing high quality in education and the students’ experience.
One way in which innovation is considered for programs at RMIT is through an annual global review of all degree and postgraduate programs. The process involves senior academics working across locations to discuss their programs. Program managers use videoconference facilities to discuss the progress of their individual courses and programs to consider quality, relevance and viability.
Quality is a key focus for all RMIT programs. The Australian Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) provides the standards and requires evidence of student
99
progression, learning outcomes, qualifications and experience of teaching staff, standards in assessment, and a range of other factors to ensure each program is being taught at the high standard of quality expected by the Australian government for all tertiary programs.
Feedback from students and academics is collected and reviewed every semester, and student assessments and marking are moderated across locations. RMIT therefore has strong quality control mechanisms in place for teaching and learning, however it is the opportunities for innovations in continuously developing quality that RMIT Vietnam particularly benefits from being international. Academics from around the world teach at RMIT Vietnam and they come together in learning communities to share ideas and experiences. These learning communities link with other RMIT academics particularly in Australia, and also extend their networks outside RMIT through collaborations with other universities and international conferences.
RMIT Vietnam is conscious of the Vietnamese government prioritization of quality within higher education and has had preliminary discussions on how RMIT might assist. RMIT aims to further develop quality and innovative approaches to teaching and learning through collaborative partnerships with other universities.
To ensure the relevance of programs within a particular country while maintaining the global curriculum, innovative thinking is required. During the annual review of programs, academics discuss opportunities for internationally applicable concepts and assessments, with locally relevant examples and case studies. The information contributed by RMIT Vietnam to this part of the review discussions is based on our understanding of industry within Vietnam.
RMIT Vietnam has strong relationships with a number of companies within industries relevant to our current program suite. Industry is involved in discussions with senior management on program development, graduate attributes and outcomes, research opportunities, internships and employment opportunities for graduates.
RMIT Vietnam often works with industry and Vietnamese universities to provide students with guest speakers, and these discussions provide insight into what aspects of the curriculum are more relevant for graduates who will work in Vietnam, the region, and in multinational organisations. This leads to creative approaches such as international student teams working via technology on joint assignments, class groups undertaking study tours or students studying for a semester or more at an RMIT campus in another country.
INNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY AND TEACHING
RMIT University is differentiated from other universities in Australia and elsewhere as specializing in technology and design. RMIT is early adopter of online technologies and was part of the group of founding universities, with significant involvement in the online university
‘Open Universities Australia’. This online university offers full degree programs with awards from recognized universities in Australia, as well as a series of free short courses through
‘Open2Study’.
RMIT Vietnam is currently working on technology advances for our operations in this country.
With the intention of introducing increasing numbers of “flipped classrooms”, high quality lectures are being recorded for online viewing and podcasting, with students then undertaking more practical application of their studies when in the classroom. As with many universities, our academics are increasingly using social media and cloud-based technology to connect with students, providing higher levels of engagement in topics of discussion.
The use of technology is extending to the library system. Whilst RMIT Vietnam has an impressive Library and Learning Commons and this will remain as a central place of learning
100
on campus, increasingly academics are sourcing online journals and books to provide for student reading, moving away from the traditional textbook approach that so quickly can be outdated.
All of these technological approaches to education benefit from global networks sharing and collaborating. Opportunities for education institutions within Vietnam also exist to share online resources and expertise.
INNOVATION WITH PROCESSES AND COST MANAGEMENT
RMIT Vietnam is a fully foreign owned campus that operates as financially independent from RMIT University. No funding is received from Australia or elsewhere to support operations in Vietnam, and no profits are sent back. For RMIT Vietnam to be able to offer the high quality of teaching and a comparable student experience to that of Australia, costs of operations are high. Yet a student undertaking a program at RMIT Vietnam pays approximately half the fees that a student studying the same degree program in Australia is paying. Given these circumstances, how is financial viability achieved? RMIT Vietnam strives for efficiencies in operations and processes, focusing on the student experience as the primary outcome and reducing unnecessary administrative burden where possible.
An example of innovation within processes is a recent initiative currently being implemented within our student support departments. Instead of multiple departments for student services such as applications, enrolments, course advisement, career services and graduations, RMIT Vietnam is adopting the a new process recently introduced by RMIT University in Australia of a single contact point for student services. A concierge style single desk, where regular queries can be addressed immediately and more complex queries case managed.
Administrative staff not required for discussions with students are removed to a non-student facing area of campus. The student experience is enhanced through this initiative by reducing the both staff and student time spent moving from one department to the next, and the processes are streamlined with staffing capability to address multiple student needs.
Recent administrative and operations processes have been reviewed and streamlined, with key measures established to monitor productivity, reduce wasted time and effort, and establish cost savings from the general administrative functions. An Australian consultant agency introduced the review technique, which was based on Lean Manufacturing principles that consider value stream process mapping and focused outcomes. The results of this innovative review process are currently being implemented and efficiencies are already being realized. Management at the Australian campus are also monitoring the outcomes with a view to adopting the new processes within that campus, thereby allowing the innovative approach to be applied internationally for RMIT.
CONCLUSION
International connections provide a broad range of perspectives and fresh ideas for the higher education industry. The varied approaches can challenge the old traditions and, in the adoption of what another campus or university has tried, often ends up evolving the initiative.
As such, the sharing of ideas and approaches in itself provides innovations, and the international perspectives allow for creative thinking.
For universities in Vietnam, connecting with international universities such as RMIT is beneficial to both parties and the education sector as a whole. RMIT learns from local partners and connections to contextualize Australian curriculum and localize global RMIT research. The mixture of foreign and Vietnamese staff working with RMIT Vietnam provides
101
the campus with a multitude of experiences, perspective, and ideas, and these are encouraged through discussion and debate as they provide the foundation of true innovation.
The outcomes of encouraging international approaches and the resulting innovating thought can be seen in the experiences for students throughout their studies, and the graduate outcomes achieved. RMIT Vietnam has very high rates of graduate employment within a few months after completion of studies, and this is seen as a key indicator of the success of an ongoing focus on continually developing quality.
102