n the year 2021, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy is implemented an external assessment by AUN-QA. This is a crucial event for the University to affirm its brand name in Thai Nguyen University and in the whole country as well.

At this assessment, the Thai Nguyen University has four programs assessed. Among these four programs, Medical Doctor Program and Bachelor of Nursing Program belong to Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy. As planned the assessment consists of 3 main phases: a self-assessment report of the two programs; site visits and assessor’s internal meetings. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of the site visits have to be done online. From March 1st to 5th, the online/remote site visits are conducted at Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy. The main activities of online/remote site visits include remote interviews of stakeholders to the two programs, including student representatives, alumni, and lecturers, supporting personnel, employers and businesses, and live streams facilities at university and program level.

AUN-QA – ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance – has established a group of Chief Quality Officers and professionals appointed by the AUN member universities who serve as a panel of AUN-QA assessors in actual quality assessment and have conducted activities with the mission of “seeking continuous improvement of the academic quality of universities in ASEAN”. AUN-QA has assessed hundreds of programs in the region over the years and has become a worldwide prestige assessing organization. In this assessment, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy applies the guide to AUN-QA assessment at program level version 3.0 in accordance with 11 criteria and 50 sub-criteria.

Two of the University training programs assessed have the most numerous students and are central to the University’s training mission when they always draw much more attention from stakeholders. Annually, doctors and nurses graduating from these programs are essential healthcare human resources for most of the Northern provinces in the country. The AUN-QA assessment of the two programs will certainly make great contributions to enhancing the quality of the training programs, which in turn helps to develop the healthcare services of the country.

Understanding the importance of this external assessment, Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy has made much effort in the preparation for the assessment and is now ready to receive the assessment of two training programs. The University has invested to improve the facilities for teaching and learning, as well as released mechanisms for the sake of boosting teaching and learning quality meeting the social requirements. The University takes this AUN-QA assessment as a chance to consider any existing issues and find out solutions to proper adjustment, changes, and innovations since the AUN-QA assessors are to point out both the strengths and limitations in the two programs.

With all the preparation done, all the University staff are eager to receive the assessment and hopefully it will be completely successful.