Over the years, the University of Science and Technology( DUT) – a member school of the University of Da Nang (UD) has constantly innovated and improved the quality of training, mobilized resources and connected stakeholders to realize the goal of providing high-quality human resources being capable of innovation, creativity, and starting up in the field of engineering – technology, scientific research and technology transfer to serve the sustainable socio-economic development of the Central regions - Central Highlands, domestically and internationally.

The DUT signed a cooperation agreement with Fujikin in September 2022. Photo courtesy of the university.

Continuously improve the quality of training

In the trend of comprehensive and extensive integration, since 2006, the university has boldly reduced the number of students studying while working and was one of the universities that soon switched to the credit system. As a result, the training results changed positively with the percentage of students graduating with excellent degrees annually reaching 70%-75%. Students' initiative in learning has been significantly improved. Also, the foreign language skills of graduates meet and exceed the output standards required for foreign language proficiency according to the current regulatory framework, meeting the needs of society.

In addition, the DUT has innovated teaching methods, improved and updated the programme to be more suitable for the new situation, contributing to improving the quality of training, getting closer to the training standards of advanced countries, and better meeting the recruitment needs of enterprises.

The improvement of the training program has been carried out for all 3 undergraduate, master and doctoral programmes. By 2021, the university has built 16 high-quality programs with a full range of majors, improving quality according to the requirements of society.

In addition, the teaching staff has been trained to innovate teaching methods from HEEAP, TRIG projects, to develop 16 high-quality training programs based on CDIO approach, quality assurance orientation according to ABET and learning through Project Based Learning (PBL)

In particular, the "Project-Based Learning" model of the DUT, which has been implemented since 2018 for 14 high-quality training programs, has brought numerous positive effects. So far, this model has spread to all traditional training programmes, advanced programmes, and PFIEV engineering programmes of the university.

In June 2016, the school was recognized by the Ha Noi Centre for Education Accreditation for its educational quality. In June 2017, it was recognized by the European Education Accreditation Organization HCERES for its educational quality. The school has 15 training programmes meeting AUN-QA standards, 3 programmes meeting CTI standards and a number of programmes that meet other educational standards.

On top of that, the university has paid attention to building a team of highly qualified and professional teaching staff. Over the years, the DUT has had many policies to encourage young lecturers to actively foster professional and foreign languages, creating favorable conditions for postgraduate training in foreign countries.

Most of the lecturers return to the university to become the core force in teaching after studying abroad. Among them, numerous lecturers obtained their doctorate degrees at a very young age. By July 2021, the total number of lecturers with postgraduate qualifications has reached 100%, and that of lecturers with doctorate degrees reached nearly 70%, the highest percentage in the whole University of Danang as well as in the Central region - Central Highlands.

Moreover, the university houses spacious facilities with 2 working blocks, 5 blocks served for studying with more than 130 classrooms, and a system of laboratories, workshops, and modern computer rooms serving teaching, learning, scientific research and technology transfer.

Holding a team of qualified lecturers and modern facilities, the DUT is capable of meeting the requirements of improving training quality, becoming a key unit and taking the lead in realizing the objectives of the comprehensive and fundamental Renovation Project in the education of the Ministry of Education and Training, contributing to further improving the quality of human resources for the cause of industrialization and modernization of the country.

Students participate in BK Techshow organized by the DUT. Photo courtesy of the university.

Moving towards a research university

Scientific research and technology transfer activities of the DUT in recent years have become a large movement not only among staff and lecturers but also attracting a large number of students to actively participate with the number of topics increasing year by year.

Besides, the university has hundreds of articles published in prestigious domestic and international scientific journals on an annual basis. Over the past 10 years, there have been nearly 1,200 articles published in journals of the ISI catalogue, Scopus.

The DUT is one of the first units to have technological innovation in Viet Nam, earning many achievements in the application of scientific and technical advances and the movement to promote the initiative, technical improvement and environmental ecological protection. Also, an array of scientific topics and inventions of lecturers and students of the university have received high awards at all levels.

Intellectual property activities have been significantly promoted through supporting policies in registering to perform scientific research projects and rewarding when having recognized intellectual property degrees. In recent years, the number of applications submitted and recognized has increased significantly. In the past academic year, the university had 10 applications accepted and 1 application recognized by the Department of Intellectual Property, the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Notably, many scientific research projects have transferred technology with external enterprises, bringing efficiency, and serving the development of science and technology in the Central-Central Highlands regions and the whole country.

In particular, the DUT's scientific research results are effectively applied in practice such as robots to transport food and hospital necessities, and automatic hand sanitiser machines serving during COVID-19 resurgences.

Besides scientific research activities, international cooperation is considered as a crucial tool to realize the goal of building the DUT into a research university. Since 2011, the university has had 160 signed cooperation documents. Every year, there are hundreds of national and international seminars and conferences organized and reported by the university. The results of international cooperation activities have created breakthroughs in scientific research and training.

For the time being, the university determines that building a development strategy in the medium and long term must adhere to four main pillars, including well implementing the autonomy mechanism associated with accountability; renovating university governance towards integration with the world; diversifying training methods, promoting international quality scientific research, strengthen community cohesion and social innovation; effectively mobilizing and using all resources for investment in the sustainable development of the university to achieve its mission and vision.

DUT lecturers received the Science Research Award of Da Nang. Photo courtesy of the university.

In the process of strategy formulation, the university bases its analysis on the context of higher educationin the country, the legal basis of Vietnamese higher education, the results of the implementation of the strategy for the 2015-2020 period,  and identifies the trend of higher education in the ASEAN region and the world, in tandem with analyzing opportunities and threats along with strengths and weaknesses. The university also develops key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with the development strategy for the 2020-2025 period, with a vision for 2035.

“The university has directed the establishment of an internal quality assurance system; regularly self-evaluates and improves the quality of the training program; registers for accreditation of educational institutions and training programs; reviews and formulates the university’s development strategies in a scientific and reasonable manner; mobilizes resources and connects stakeholders to realize the set goals in governance, management, training, scientific research, and community service.

That is the key policy to fulfil the mission of the university as a higher education institution providing high-quality human resources, being capable of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in the field of engineering - technology; carrying out scientific research and transferring technology to serve the sustainable socio-economic development of the Central - Central Highlands regions, domestically and internationally. With the vision to 2035, the university will become a research university recognized by the international community, actively cooperate globally in solving socio-economic challenges in the country and the world”, said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Doan Quang Vinh , Rector of the DUT.

The DUT was established in 1975 after the event of liberation of the south of Viet Nam. In April 1994, the University of Danang was established under the decision of the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training. The university was renamed the University of Technology. In 2004, according to Decision No. 1178/QD-BGD&DT-TCCB dated March 9, 2004, of the Minister of Education and Training, the University of Technology was renamed the University of Science and Technology under the University of Danang.
Training more than 50,000 engineers and bachelors; 1,200 doctorates, masters.

The university has constantly strived to innovate training, improve quality and promote scientific research, thus attracting many students. The annual enrollment target remains stable at more than 3,000 students.

The total annual training scale is stable, with around 16,000 PhD students, trainees and students. Over more than 47 years of establishment and development, the university has trained more than 50,000 engineers and bachelors; 1,200 doctorates and masters.

Reporting by NGOC HA- Translating by T.VY