(Nhan Dan) – In 2025, National Economics University (NEU) is expected to transition to the National Economics University model. On this subject, a Nhan Dan newspaper reporter interviewed Meritorious Teacher Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU, about the University’s main strategic directions for this transition.

Meritorious Teacher Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong, President of NEU.

Reporter: The transition from a university to a university system is an important step in the University’s development. Could you share specific details about NEU’s current strategic directions for achieving this goal?

Meritorious Teacher Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong: For several leadership terms, NEU has pursued a policy and an aspiration to make developmental changes to become a university system. The enactment of documents such as the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Higher Education and Decree No. 99/2019/NĐ-CP detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of that law provided a legal basis for universities to become university systems.

To realize this aspiration, NEU developed and issued its development strategy for 2021-2030, setting out a clear roadmap toward becoming a university system, from goals, vision, mission, and directions to specific implementation steps. In 2024, the University plans to carry out activities, prepare documentation, and complete the necessary procedures to have its transformation into a university system recognized in 2025. The most important initial step has already been taken: the Party Committee and University Council issued a Resolution establishing three constituent colleges in accordance with regulations: the College of Economics and Public Management, the College of Business, and the College of Technology.

Reporter: The establishment of three constituent colleges will build on the University’s strengths and help complete NEU’s development model. How will these colleges operate under the new model?

Meritorious Teacher Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong: Of the three colleges established, the College of Economics and Public Management and the College of Business cover the University’s traditional fields of education and areas of strength. The College of Economics and Public Management primarily aims to educate managers, researchers, and those who plan, formulate, and implement macroeconomic policy. The College of Business primarily educates entrepreneurs, administrators, and managers in economics and business.

The College of Technology is built on the foundation of three academic units that are attracting strong student interest and have been established and developed throughout the University’s long history: the Institute of Information Technology and Digital Economics, the Faculty of Mathematical Economics, and the Faculty of Statistics. We aim to develop the College of Technology with a distinctive focus on technology applied to economics, management, and business. Its engineers and bachelor’s degree graduates will therefore differ from technology engineers in that they will have a business and economics mindset and understand the technological issues that businesses and management organizations need to address. They will also serve as a bridge enabling specialized companies to work with economic organizations to apply technology and improve business performance. The college is expected to focus on several new fields of study, notably Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. We have been inviting a group of experts and lecturers who are professors, associate professors, and PhD holders educated abroad in these fields to teach.

Reporter: The development from a university into a university system will involve many changes to the governance model. What will NEU’s governance model look like after the transformation?

Meritorious Teacher Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong: After establishing the three constituent colleges, the University will introduce a new governance model with greater specialization. Faculties and constituent colleges will focus primarily on research and teaching. Functional departments and offices will handle all administrative management. The University will therefore continue to use a centralized functional management model, while ensuring independence and substantial delegation of academic authority to its constituent colleges and faculties. Previously, Divisions were responsible for courses, while faculties were responsible for fields of study. This will now change: faculties will be responsible for both academic programs and courses, reducing the number of units responsible for courses and fields of study.

Reporter: What breakthroughs in quality will the new governance model bring?

Meritorious Teacher Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong: The University expects to achieve further breakthroughs and even higher standards of quality. Under its plan, by 2025, the University will move toward becoming a smart university, with a system of modern smart classrooms and teaching and learning organized according to the Lecture – Seminar model. Under this model, students in Lecture classes who do not come to campus can still follow classroom lectures online or download lecture videos to watch and study at any time. For Seminar classes, with a maximum class size of 25 to 30 students, students must come to campus for discussions or practical coursework. This new form of learning requires better, more systematic class organization and more work from lecturers, and is the best way for students to apply all their knowledge, skills, and competencies to solve practical problems.

At the same time, the University will separate learning from examinations and use software to make the assessment of student learning more objective and accurate and encourage greater student self-discipline, thereby improving educational quality.

Reporter: The transformation into a university system is a sound policy for NEU. As President, what are your expectations for this transition?

Meritorious Teacher Prof. Dr. Pham Hong Chuong: In fact, my personal aspirations are also those shared by the entire University. Our greatest aspiration is to achieve an entirely new level of educational quality, linked to outcomes in two respects: first, a close connection with the labor market, so that students attract employers even before they graduate; second, breakthroughs in every aspect, meaning that students’ earnings after graduation must also be among the best.

We also hope to improve the University’s position in international rankings. The University’s Journal of Economics and Development has just been included in the list of Scopus-indexed journals, recognizing the University’s efforts and dedication.

Personally, I hope that every faculty and staff member at NEU will feel a greater affection for the University and that their incomes will increase compared with the previous year. NEU is a place worth working at and remaining committed to.

Source: Nhan Dan newspaper

This is an automated translation. If you notice any errors, please contact the Department of Communications, National Economics University at phongtruyenthong@neu.edu.vn.