Enhancing Quality Assurance in Vocational Education: Reflections from New Zealand and Implications for Vietnam

As part of its commitment to international collaboration and continuous improvement, the Accreditation Centre for Education Quality Assurance (CATD), under the Vietnam Association of Community Colleges (VACC), organized a seminar on June 16, 2025, focused on enhancing quality assurance in vocational education.

The event featured Ms. Ha Ngo, Co-convenor of the Adult & Higher Education Special Interest Group of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE) and former officer with the Quality Assurance Division of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). Representatives from the VACC-CATD side included Mr. Can Tien Dung, Deputy Director of CATD; Ms. Nguyen Huyen Chau, Chief of Office at VACC; as well as officers from the VACC-CATD.

During the seminar, Ms. Ha Ngo shared detailed insights into New Zealand’s integrated approach to vocational education, including the roles of:

• Government agencies (MoE, MBIE, TEC, NZQA) in policy, funding, and quality assurance;
• Non-university tertiary providers, including including Te Pūkenga, Wānanga, PTEs, and GTEs; 
• Workforce Development Councils (WDCs), which set standards and develop qualifications; 
• Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) focusing on industry-linked training excellence.
  
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Ms. Ha Ngo emphasized the importance of aligning stakeholders—from learners and employers to education providers and regulators—to deliver coherent outcomes. Notably, she illustrated how quality assurance processes in New Zealand include self-assessment, external evaluation, and regular monitoring of graduate outcomes.

Mr. Can Tien Dung, Deputy Director of CATD, shared that CATD is committed to internationalizing Vietnam’s vocational education quality assurance system through experience exchange and partnerships with international credentialing and QA bodies such as NZQA, and with employers that support professional associations, as seen in New Zealand. CATD takes pride in its team of experienced, curious, and dedicated assessors who are ready to contribute knowledge about Vietnam’s vocational education quality assurance practices.

Following this engaging dialogue, VACC looks forward to deepening connections with relevant partners in New Zealand and around the world.