Nguyen Thu Thuy, acting director of the University Education Department under the Ministry of Education and Trianing (MOET), said that 110 out of 240 higher education establishments have organized e-learning at different levels. 

At least 45 percent of schools have organized e-learning, while 42 percent still have not used this training method, and 13 percent are security and national defence.

Universities are classified into three groups: those that use LMS (learning management system) and LCMS (learning content management system); those without LMS and LCMS and only use real-time online teaching tools (live-video communication) and communication tools (Google Hangouts Meet, Microsoft teams, Adobe Connect, Zoom, Skype, Email and social networks) between lecturers and students; and schools that do not offer online training at all.

Universities have had to provide lectures online as a temporary solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, but experts believe that e-learning will become an indispensable part of higher education in Vietnam.

Around 57 percent of state-owned schools still have no online training, while the figure is just 20 percent for non-state schools.

Thuy noted that most schools are thinking of organizing online training for long-term training, rather than a temporary short-term solution. Covid-19 has heightened their awareness of the importance of e-learning and the need to restructure lecturing staff.

However, many schools complain of difficulties when organizing online training. Only Hanoi and HCM City Open Universities can provide fully worked out e-learning. These higher education establishments have been providing training from a distance for many years.

MOET has encouraged schools to join forces to build open e-learning courses, open school materials and design free lessons.

According to Nguyen Son Hai, director of the Information Technology Agency, 11 ICT groups have registered to assist education establishments to organize online training, and settle problems in infrastructure, software solutions and internet access fees.

The Hanoi University of Science and Technology is one of the first schools to provide online lessons. Its rector Hoang Minh Son said the school will use AI to personalize online training.

“MOET should cooperate with the Ministry of Information and Communications to carry out digitalization. The Hanoi University of Science and Technology is ready to pioneer the process,” Son said.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc said the ministry is revising regulations on full-time higher education. The new regulations will mention blended education (traditional and online education), providing a legal foundation for schools to organize e-learning.

Thanh Lich