In search of suitable professional development models for administrators in Vietnamese higher education

This paper, therefore, aims to investigate international experience in providing professional development for educational administrators, particularly models of professional development, through which proposing the models that are suitable for administrators working in Vietnamese universities.
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In search of suitable professional development models for administrators in Vietnamese higher educationHNUE JOURNAL OF SCIENCE DOI: 10.18173/2354-1075.2017-0169Educational Sciences, 2017, Vol. 62, Iss. 12, pp. 3-10This paper is available online at http://stdb.hnue.edu.vn IN SEARCH OF SUITABLE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODELS FOR ADMINISTRATORS IN VIETNAMESE HIGHER EDUCATION Nguyen Huu Cuong School of Education, The University of New South Wales, Australia Abstract. Professional development plays a vital role in improving knowledge, skills and expertise of lecturers, staff members and educational administrators. In Vietnamese higher education context, while there have been many professional development programs designed and implemented for lecturers and staff members, there seems to be little concern about professional development for administrators. This paper, therefore, aims to investigate international experience in providing professional development for educational administrators, particularly models of professional development, through which proposing the models that are suitable for administrators working in Vietnamese universities. First, this paper presents the context for the study focusing on professional development in Vietnam’s education system. Second, the research highlights several concepts of professional development, especially those are for administrators. Third, it discusses the significance of professional development for higher education administrators. Next, the research reviews models of professional development. Lastly, the paper provides discussion and recommendations which suggests the possibilities of implementing professional development models for higher education administrators in Vietnam. Keywords: Professional development, models, administrators, higher education, Vietnam.1. Introduction Professional development is the popular strategy educational institutions and organizations acrossthe world use to ensure that educators continue to strengthen their practice throughout their career.Professional development in the education area refers to many kinds of educational experiencesrelated to an individual’s work. Teachers, staff members, educational managers and leaders participatein professional development activities to learn and apply new knowledge and skills that will enhancetheir performance on the job. The associated literature has shown that teaching quality and educationleadership are the most important factors in improving student achievement. Professional developmentis an effective way teachers and educational administrators can learn so that they are able to bettertheir performance and raise student learning outcome [1]. Professional development also receives great concern in Vietnamese higher education setting.The Government and the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) have promulgated severalpolicies in professional development. Universities have also organized many professionaldevelopment activities. However, most of them were for teachers and staff members. Leadershipprofessional development programs are argued to be limited. This study is expected to fill part of thisgap through an investigation of professional development models for educational administrators.Received: October 19, 2017. Revised: December 18, 2017. Accepted: December 21, 2017Contact: Nguyen Huu Cuong, e-mail address: cuong.h.nguyen@student.unsw.edu.au 3 Nguyen Huu CuongThrough a synthesis of professional development concepts, significance and models, the researchsuggests suitable models of professional development for administrators of Vietnamese highereducation.2. Content2.1. Background of the Study The area of professional development in education has been of growing interest in Vietnam forthe past few years. There are several legal documents issued by the government and MOET in thisregard. For example, Circular No. 20/2013/TT-BGDĐT promulgated by the Minister of MOET on 6June 2013 regulates professional development contents, programs, organizational and assessmentmethods for lecturers of higher education institutions. The main professional development contents areinnovation in Vietnam’s higher education, global trends in higher education, and updating ofknowledge, expertise, research and instructional methods. The professional development method isonly full-time training (short-term or long-term) at the institutions that are assigned by authorizedorganizations [2]. Also, the Prime Minister approved a project on training and providing professional developmentfor school teachers and educational managers (Decision No. 732/QĐ-TTg dated on 29 April 2016).The main contents of this project focus on improving professional capacity, abilities in foreignlanguages, informatics and technology, and abilities in management and administration for schoolteachers and educational managers. No specific professional methods or models are stated in thisproject [3]. Many universities in Vietnam have also organized professional development programs andactivities. However, the majority of them were for teachers, supporting staff or middle-level managers(department directors/vice-directors, deans/vice-deans). Otherwise, the professional developmentprograms were designed for core institutional managers [4]. This means that educational leadersparticipated in the same professional development programs with other staff members. Actually, therehave been not any programs or activities developed for them. Professional development for educational administrators has received co ...