sar aun-qa mechanicaleng

AUN Self Assessment Report Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering (Honors) Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................... 3 ABBREVIATION ........................................................................................................................... 5

PART 1 .................................................................................................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 6

PART 2 .................................................................................................................................. 11 AUN-QA CRITERIA REQUIREMENT ............................................................................... 11 CRITERION 1 THE EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES .............................................. 12

CRITERION 2 PROGRAM SPECIFICATION ..................................................................... 17 CRITERION 3 PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND CONTENT .............................................. 21 CRITERION 4 TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY ............................................. 30 CRITERION 5 STUDENT ASSESSMENT .......................................................................... 35

CRITERION 6 ACADEMIC STAFF QUALITY .................................................................. 42 CRITERION 7 SUPPORT STAFF QUALITY ...................................................................... 50

CRITERION 8 STUDENT QUALITY .................................................................................. 53 CRITERION 9 STUDENT ADVICE AND SUPPORT ......................................................... 55

CRITERION 10 FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE .................................................... 58 CRITERION 11 QUALITY ASSURANCE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS.62 CRITERION 12 STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES ..................................................... 68

CRITERION 13 STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK ................................................................... 71 CRITERION 14 OUTPUT ...................................................................................................... 73

CRITERION 15 STAKEHOLDERS SATISFACTION ......................................................... 76 PART 3 .................................................................................................................................. 78

STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS ANALYSIS ....................................................................... 78

CHECKLIST ON THE QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM ..................................................... 84


LIST OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Relation between current learning outcomes and training objectives ...................... 13

Table 1.2 Knowledge and skills blocks in curriculum learning outcomes ............................ 15 Table 3.1 Required and Elective knowledge ............................................................................ 21 Table 3.2 Relation matrix of courses and Expected Learning Outcomes ................................. 24 Table 3.3 Elective courses ........................................................................................................ 28 Table 5.1 Annual Enrolment Rate ............................................................................................ 35

Table 5.2 Example of Assessment method in the course syllabus ........................................... 38 Table 6.1 List of lecturers studying in foreign countries from 2003 to 2008 ........................... 41 Table 6.2 Age Structure of Mechanical Engineering Faculty lecturers .................................... 42 Table 6.3 The number of staff members in the Faculty ............................................................ 42 Table 6.4 The number of staff members teaching in honors program ...................................... 43

Table 6.5 The proportion of students / lecturers and graduates / lecturers ............................... 43

Table 8.1 Intake of second year ............................................................................................... 52 Table 8.2 Total number of Honors students ............................................................................. 52 Table 10.1 Information resources of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology library ...... 57

Table 10.2 List of Mechanical Engineering Faculty laboratories .............................................. 59 Table 10.3 Approved budget for laboratory equipment ............................................................. 59

Table 12.1 Ratio of lecturers degrees ....................................................................................... 67 Table 12.2 Plan for development of human resources ............................................................... 67 Table 12.3 The training and development activities .................................................................. 69

Table 13.1 Student evaluation schedule ..................................................................................... 71 Table 14.1 The number of students graduating the Honor Program following batches ............ 72

Table 14.3 Percent of graduated students from Honor Program get jobs .................................. 73

Table 14.4 Number of project and budget for student every year ............................................. 74

Table 14.5 Scientific research statistics of the lecturers of Honors Program ............................ 74 Table 15.1 Survey on students satisfaction (Number of surveyed courses: 24) ....................... 75 Table 15.2 Survey on enterprises opinion ................................................................................ 76 Table 15.3 Scholarship awarded annually ................................................................................. 77


LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1 Process of developing learning outcomes ................................................................ 16

Figure 3.1 Coherence of knowledge blocks .............................................................................. 26 Figure 6.1 Organization chart of Faculty .................................................................................. 45 Figure 11.1 Design and development model of academic program 2008 .................................. 62 Figure 11.2 2010 CDIO based academic program design &development process .................... 62 Figure 11.3 Feedback from various stakeholders is used for improvement .............................. 64

Figure 11.4 Student learning assessment process ...................................................................... 66


ABBREVIATION

ABET Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology

ANOVA Analysis Of Variance

AUN-QA ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance

BKe-Learning Bach Khoa E-Learning

CAD Computer Aided Design

CAM Computer Aided Manufacturing

CDIO Conceive Design Implement Operate

CIM Computer Integrated Manufacturing

CNC Computer Numerical Control

DSP- FPGA Digital signal processing Field Programmable Gate Array

FME Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

FTE Full-Time Equivalent

GPA Grade Point Average

HCMUT Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology

HEEAP Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program

IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

LO Learning outcome

NCT National Center of Technology

PLC Programmable Logic Controller

QA Quality Assurance

Robocon Robot Contest

SCADA Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition

TOEIC Test of English for International Communication

Vifotec Vietnam Fund for Supporting Technological Creations

VND Vietnam Dong

VNU-HCM Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh


PART 1

INTRODUCTION


SELF-ASSESSMENT REPORT (SAR) FOR AUN-QA

The Mechanical engineering Manufacturing engineering program of the Faculty of

Mechanical Engineering (FME) was selected for quality assessment according to AUN-

QA standards; and the Self-Assessment Report has been conducted as one of

requirements. This report was written with data updated until October 31, 2010. An

implementation team was formed on January 2011 to fulfill this task based on the

decision of the Board of Faculty. This team included five members involving four

members of the Board and the Head of Manufacturing Engineering Department, in which

the leader is the Dean of Faculty. In addition, there was a support team including five

secretaries and three assistants of Faculty. Each member of the implementation team was

responsible for one group of criteria; he had to collect data and evidences and then write

the report. However, the team leader is responsible to link the data from individuals and

finalize into a general and whole report. The first draft was completed on June 2011. It

was then distributed to all lecturers of the FME, especially those of honors program. The

modified report was then sent to experts to get their comments on August 2011. The final

report was completed at the end of October 2011. The data and evidences were collected

from the FME and related functional offices of the HCMUT.

VIET NAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HO CHI MINH CITY

Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) is the largest and most

distinguished university in Vietnam. It was founded in 1995 by merging a number of

prestigious universities in Ho Chi Minh City. In 2008, there have been more than 50,000

students enrolled in VNU-HCM, into 120 Bachelor, 90 Master and 90 Doctorate

programs. To ensure that the University maintains its reputation as being the center of

excellence in education and research in Vietnam, our dedicated administrators are

continually striving to enhance the quality of education and academic programs within

VNU-HCM. This commitment guarantees highly capable graduates for the benefit of our

country.


With a fast-growing economy on the road towards global integration, Vietnam is in urgent

need of more and more young and well-trained talents of high educational standards to be

the driving force of our national advancement goals.

VNU-HCM endeavors to provide society with a high quality of human resources through

its innovative academic and research programs. VNU-HCM has ensured its relevance in

the international arena by forging reciprocal agreements with over 120 universities in 20

countries, to allow Vietnamese students to study abroad and also to train overseas

students at our campus.

VNU-HCM aims to develop the University into a leading institution in this region,

becomes a world-class university, and allows students and staff members to enjoy an

environment conducive to education and creativity.

HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (HCMUT)

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT) is the leading university in

teaching and research activities of Vietnam. We play the active role in the fields of talents

cultivation and providing manpower with strong technical skills to the Southern areas of

Vietnam.

HCMUT is a center of technology - industry and management training. Graduate students

from HCMUT have strong professional skills, which are recognized equivalent to those of

advanced countries in the Southeast Asia. Our training activities have made remarkable

contributions to satisfy the requirements of man power for the industrialization and

modernization in Vietnam generally and in Southern Vietnam areas particularly.

Moreover, HCMUT is also the science research and technology transfer center which

plays the key role in providing information and applying advanced technologies of

developed countries and transferring to concerning industries in the Southern areas of

Vietnam.

Up to 2010, HCMUT has 11 Engineering Faculties, 10 science research and industry

transferring centers, 4 training centers, 10 functioning offices and one limited company.

Actually, there are 35 undergraduate programs and 42 Master programs and 42 Doctorate


programs. Since the Liberation of South Vietnam and country unification, 48,000

engineers and Bachelors have been graduated from our university. Many of them are

either keeping management roles and/or leading experts in state-owned or foreign-

investment enterprises of different industries in Ho Chi Minh City and other southern

provinces

The university has 02 campuses:

- The 1st Campus locates in the inner of Ho Chi Minh City, which has an area of

14,8 hectares at 268 Ly Thuong Kiet, ward 14, dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh City. This

campus has 117 class rooms (14,479m2), 96 laboratories (12,197 m

2), 3 workshops

(6,950 m2), and 01 library (1,145 m

2).

- The 2nd campus is located in the outskirts of the city. It, with an area of 26

hectares, is located in Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc Dist., Ho Chi Minh City. In May

2005, the first building of the campus was constructed with a building area of

17,600 m2, totally costing 66 billion VND.

The HCMUT has an inner city dormitory at 497 Hoa Hao st., dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh City,

which is 1.5 km away from main campus. It was rebuilt and used as a new one in 2009.

The new dormitory has 12 floors with underground parking lot sitting on 38,000 square

meters. There is also the dormitory located in Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc Dist., Ho Chi

Minh City for about 1,000 students.

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING-FME

The FME is one of the largest and oldest Faculties of the HCMUT. Up to now, the FME

has been 55 years old. The FME has the missions to provide a high quality human

resource in the field of Mechanical engineering to meet the demand of the

industrialization and modernization of the country, integrate into working environment in

the country and the world as well as conduct research in technological innovation to apply

into manufacturing. Actually, there are about 2,500 students enrolled into 6 undergraduate

programs, 6 Master and 6 Doctorate programs. The Mechanical engineering

Manufacturing engineering program is hereafter called Manufacturing Engineering


Program. This program aims at training engineers who have engineering knowledge and

skills of machining, manufacturing, and processing to produce quality products with high

productivity and economic efficiency. This field of study is currently served by three

Departments including Machine Design, Manufacturing Engineering, and Material

Processing Technology.

HONORS PROGRAM

The FME has offered a full-time honors program specialized in Mechanical Engineering

under supports of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh since 2002. Enrollment

norm is about 30 40 students annually.

Based on Manufacturing Engineering curriculum, the Honors Program is designed to

meet the high quality. However, it has some its own properties:

- The curriculum contents are designed in breadth and depth to provide students

enough foundation knowledge and skills to study themselves afterwards. There

are many electives that allow students study and select as much and wide as

their interest. The electives are based on science and technology trends as well

as social demand.

- Lecturers of the honors program are selected from the best lecturers of the FME

who have advanced teaching methods.

- The active teaching and learning methods have been applied for students of

Honors program.

- The assessment methods are based on course learning outcomes and student

progressions.


PART 2

AUN-QA CRITERIA

REQUIREMENT


The undergraduate program of FME is designed to perform the HCMUTs mission and

the FMEs mission in the context of HCMUT. In addition, the expected learning

outcomes for undergraduate students are presented to show the relationship between the

program objectives and the expected learning outcomes.

1.1 The expected learning outcomes have been clearly formulated and

translated into the program

The manufacturing engineering program at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh

City University of Technology trains mechanical engineers in the field of manufacturing

engineering serving for the development of the country and contributing to the development

of science and technology. Mechanical engineers of manufacturing engineering program

have abilities to detect and solve problems relating to design and manufacturing technology

in industrial systems. In addition, they must have abilities to adapt and apply advanced

technology of the region and the world. Objectives of the academic program can be

summarized as follows:

Objective 1. Engineers have knowledge on mathematics, underlying natural

science to understand core and advanced engineer knowledge and pursue higher

level study.

Objective 2. Engineers have underlying and advanced engineering knowledge on

physical processes of manufacturing engineering, manufacturing and maintenance

systems, new products design and development, as well as economics, business

and entrepreneurship to work in industries.

Objective 3. Engineers have enough professional skills to work in the

interdisciplinary and multi-cultural environments.

Objective 4. Engineers have knowledge on economics, politics, socio-science and

humanities to contribute effectively to the sustainable development of the society,

community.

CRITERION 1 THE EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES


These objectives are reflected through 11 learning outcomes of the academic program as in

table 1.1.

Table 1.1 Relation between current learning outcomes and training

objectives

No. Learning outcomes Program objective

1 2 3 4

1 An ability to apply fundamental knowledge of

mathematics, science, and mechanical engineering

2 An ability to design and conduct experiments for

thermal, fluid and mechanical systems, as well as to

analyze and interpret results

3 An ability to design a system, component, or process

to meet desired needs include costing,

manufacturability, environmental, societal, ethical,

sustainability and other constraints

4 An ability to function as a successful team member

on multi-tasking and multi-disciplinary issues

5 An ability to identify, formulate, and solve well-

defined and open-ended mechanical engineering

problems

6 An ability to understand and practice professional

and ethical responsibilities

7 An ability to communicate effectively, minimum

level of English - TOEIC 450

8 An ability to recognize and apply knowledge to solve

mechanical engineering issues in a global, economic,

environmental, and societal context

9 An ability to recognize the needs and motivation to

engage in life-long learning

10 An ability to apply knowledge of current and

contemporary issues

11 An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern

engineering tools (CAD/CAM/CNC, PLC

programming) necessary for mechanical engineering

practice

1.2 The program promotes life-long learning

Expected learning outcomes aim to provide a modern, healthy and ethical person who can

quickly adapt to any working environment with enough expertise and ability to self-


learning, self-research and self- develop. With the purpose of encouraging the capability

of self-learning, self-research and life-long learning, the expected learning outcomes of

the manufacturing engineering program have been designed with the skills and attributes

needed for self-learning, namely problem identification and formulation skills, survey of

print and electronic literature, curiosity and life-long learning, time and resource

management, communication skills. Such skills are integrated in subjects of the

program with appropriate methods of teaching and assessment to make sure students can

be aware of life-long learning. Most of courses have a good balance of the theory and

practice, group work and individual work. Students are also welcomed to ask for

lecturers assistance and encouraged to investigate the case studies with an aim to

enhancing the ability to use the obtained knowledge to solve the issues in real life.

In order to encourage students self-learning ability via scientific research activities, the

programs expected learning outcomes included research and knowledge discovery skills,

such as creative thinking, critical thinking. A number of the programs students have

been awarded with high prize in National Olympic, Robocon contest, scientific research.

To enable the students to access high - level knowledge, the Faculty has also introduced

the masters and doctoral programs in manufacturing engineering. The Faculty has also

given the advantage of being directly admitted to the master program for their graduate

students from manufacturing engineering program. In the past years, the number of

students who graduated from this Honors Program and continued their postgraduate study

in Vietnam and abroad has increased greatly, accounting for about 28% of 2004s batch

(Table 14.3).

1.3 The expected learning outcomes cover both generic and specialised skills

and knowledge

Expected learning outcomes of the academic program is designed and completed during

development process. Based on expected learning outcomes of academic program 2008

and 2010, the knowledge and skills blocks are shown as in table 1.2. These knowledge


and skills are provided to help manufacturing engineering engineers having enough

specialized knowledge as well as knowledge on socio-economics, and personal and

professional skills.

Table 1.2 Knowledge and skills blocks in curriculum learning outcomes

Knowledge and skills Learning outcomes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

1 TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND REASONING

1.1 Knowledge of underlying

science

1.2 Core Engineering

Fundamentals

1.3 Advance Engineering

Fundamental knowledge

1.4 Other supportive knowledge 2 PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

2.1 Engineering Reasoning and

Problem Solving

2.2 Experimentation and

Knowledge discovery

2.3 System thinking 2.4 Personal skills and attitudes 2.5 Professional skills and

attitudes

3 INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION

3.1 Multi-disciplinary teamwork 3.2 Communications 3.3 Communications in Foreign

languages

4 CONCEIVING, DESIGNING, IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATING SYSTEMS IN THE ENTERPRISE AND SOCIETAL CONTEXT

4.1 External and societal context 4.2 Enterprise and Business

context

4.3 Conceiving and Engineering

Systems

4.4 Designing 4.5 Implementing 4.6 Operating


1.4 The expected learning outcomes clearly reflect the requirements of the

stakeholders

Our training objectives are often reviewed. Since 2002, particularly in 2008 and 2010, we

have reviewed twice and adjusted the program objectives and the curriculum.

Based on CDIO standards, learning outcomes of the Mechanical engineering program

were developed as in following figure.

Figure 1.1 Process of developing learning outcomes

According to this process, feedback of stakeholders is one of factors affecting the

development of course and program content as well as teaching methods change and

update.


FME provides information about the program specification on the HCMUT website. It

can also be found in the student handbook.

1. Awarding body/institution: Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

2. Teaching institution: Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

3. Accrediting Organization: Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City

4. Name of the final award: Bachelor of Engineering - Honors Program

5. Program title: Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing Engineering

6. Program objectives:

To train mechanical engineers in the field of manufacturing engineering who have strong

abilities to solve problems relating to design and manufacturing technology in industrial

manufacturing systems, as well as abilities to adapt and apply advanced technology in the

region and the world to the industrialization and modernization of the country.

7. Learning outcomes:

Graduated students from the Mechanical Engineering-Manufacturing Engineering have:

1. An ability to apply fundamental knowledge of mathematics, science, and

mechanical engineering

2. An ability to design and conduct experiments for thermal, fluid and mechanical

systems, as well as to analyze and interpret results

3. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs include

costing, manufacturability, environmental, societal, ethical, sustainability and other

constraints

4. An ability to function as a successful team member on multi-tasking and multi-

disciplinary issues

5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve well-defined and open-ended

mechanical engineering problems

6. An ability to understand and practice professional and ethical responsibilities

7. An ability to communicate effectively, minimum level of English - TOEIC 450

8. An ability to recognize and apply knowledge to solve mechanical engineering

issues in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context

9. An ability to recognize the needs and motivation to engage in life-long learning

10. An ability to apply knowledge of current and contemporary issues

11. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools

CRITERION 2 PROGRAM SPECIFICATION


(CAD/CAM/CNC, PLC programming) necessary for mechanical engineering

practice

8. Program structure

The designed program includes 156 credits which can be accumulated in 4.5 years on

average. There are two main semesters in which each semester lasts 18 weeks (included 2

weeks for midterm exam and 2 weeks for final exam) and a summer semester (10 weeks).

Each student has to cumulate at least 14 credits per semester. Summer semesters are

usually dedicated for students to visit companies in the technical practice and internship

programs. However, they can also take courses in summer semesters to cumulate credits.

In addition, students can register for auditing classes to shorten study period. At the final

year, all students have to fulfill a final project that relating to design-manufacturing.

Students are assessed based on a 10-score scale. In order to graduate, students have to

fulfill all courses of academic program (with score of 5 or more for each course). Students

are ranked based on their accumulated GPA, as in following table:

Rank Cumulative GPA

Excellent

Very good

Good

Fairly good

Fair (Average)

From 9,0 to 10,0

From 8,0 to less than 9,0




9. Strategies for teaching and evaluation:

Active learning strategy together with problem-based learning strategies is used in

implementing the program. Syllabi, documents, resources, assignments, and requirements

for each course are provided on the course website. In addition to official class hours,

students are allowed to come in labs, workshop for self-learning. Student evaluation is

the measurement of the students comprehension during his or her study. The process of

student evaluation uses different approaches and methods in order to cover the content

and objectives of the course. Each course has its detailed syllabus and metrics for


evaluation and also requirements to complete the course. For example, individual or

group assignments, practical exercises, weekly assignments, mid-term examination,

seminars, projects, and final examination. Besides, lecturers are trained on professional

knowledge and skills locally and overseas. Scientific research and technology transfer

activities are promoted at the Faculty.

10. Support for students during their study

Homeroom teachers are people who directly guide students in academic issues. The

Faculty has a system of enthusiastic and well understanding on academic regulations

homeroom teachers, so that they are mainstay for students during their study.

Online lectures and E-learning tools create a new learning mode that satisfies modern

education criteria like study everywhere, anytime, study as demanded, and lifelong

learning. E-learning system at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology was

established to support traditional learning system.

Forum is place students can exchange academic information as well as express their

opinions to the Faculty and University.

A system of more than 80 computers enables students to access information from the

Faculty and the University. The University and the Faculty also provide workspace and

open workshops that enables students acquire integrated and experience learning as well

as practice their skills by doing project works, research projects, and laboratory or

experiment courses.

The university library with abundance, variety, and up-to-date information sources

meeting the demand of readers and all academic programs is a good place to provide

materials and information for students. At the library students can also access and retrieve

materials from central library of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh where

stores a huge amount of study and research materials among universities in Vietnam.


During study period, students have opportunities to meet companies at conferences,

company visiting programs, and internship programs and so on. Thank to these chances,

students have deeper understanding on real working environments.

11. Admission

The Sophomore of FME can apply the Honors Program if they fulfill the following

requirements:

- Number grade GPA 7.0.

- Number of accumulative credits is at least 34.

Intake: 30 40 students.

12. Achievements

Students of Honors program have been obtained many achievements in National Olympic

Competitions, Robocon contest, Vifotech awards and etc. Graduated student can pursue

higher levels studying or undertake important position in big companies.

All of information is available on the websites of the University and the Faculty of

Mechanical Engineering.

http://en.vnuhcm.edu.vn/en/

http://www.fme.hcmut.edu.vn/fme/index.php?tin=91

http://www.aao.hcmut.edu.vn/


3.1 Program content shows a good balance between generic and specialized

skills and knowledge

The Faculty has been operating 3 training degrees: bachelor degree, masters degree, and

Doctorate degree. The bachelor degree program of Manufacturing Engineering is based

on the program specification promulgated by the Ministry of Education and Training. It

contains a total of 156 credits with detailed program objectives and learning outcomes.

These courses are allocated in four years and a half (9 semesters).

The curriculum includes mainly underlying science and engineering fundamental

knowledge, so that students can acquire strong fundamental knowledge to continue their

life-long learning as well as pursue higher study. In addition, students are provided

personal and professional, team work, communication, and problem solving skills.

Curriculum is allocated to knowledge blocks as shown in Table 3.1:

Table 3.1 Required and Elective knowledge

Knowlegde block Credits %

Required

1 General Education 55 35,2%

2 Engineering and mechanical fundamental knowledge 43 27,5%

3 Manufacturing engineering knowledge 21 13,5%

4 Practice, Internship and final project 21 13,5%

Elective

5 Engineering fundamental knowledge

16

10,3% 6 Second major Engineering fundamental knowledge

7 Manufacturing, supportive knowlegde and scientific

research

Total 156 100%

CRITERION 3 PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND CONTENT


Knowledge

The general education knowledge is taught for all students, which is considered as

common courses including mathematics, natural science, social science and

humanities, economics, and politics and English. This knowledge block is considered

as fundamental knowledge enabling students to continue their life-long learning as

well as pursue higher studying.

Officially, engineering and mechanical fundamental knowledge is taught for all

students in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, which is considered as common

courses of mechanical engineering. This knowledge block provides students

fundamental knowledge to study advanced or specialized knowledge and solve basic

engineering problems.

In addition, manufacturing engineering knowledge enables students going into

professional works, solving specialized technical problems. This knowledge block

includes mechanical engineering design, manufacturing processes, measurement

techniques, and machinery and so on.

Furthermore, elective courses following technology and modern orientations provide

students core mechanical engineering fundamental knowledge, so they could apply in

their jobs and also study higher and deeper.

Professional skills and attitudes:

Engineering communication skills (Engineering communication and skills), experiments,

practice-work, project-work and humanity and social science courses (General Laws of

Vietnam, Project Planning and Analysis Ho Chi Minhs Ideology, Basic Principles of

Maxims-Leninism...) support students develop necessarily professional and engineering

skills and ability to work in modern and complicated environment as well as life-long

learning ability.


English:

English course 1, 2, 3 and 4 are allocated at the first semesters in orderly as in the

program structure, so students would have a certain English proficiency for studying,

doing research and making communication. As in design, English learning outcome has

been required on students, which equals TOEIC score of at least 450 from 2006.

To balance the knowledge and skill in curriculum, Faculty referred to ABET criteria,

undergraduate programs from Universities in Southeast Asia region, Asia, and the world

beside stakeholder survey.

3.2 The program reflects the vision and mission of the university

Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT) is the leading university in

teaching and research activities of Vietnam; provide high quality manpower with strong

technical skills to industry in the Southern areas of Vietnam; is a center of technology -

industry and management training. Graduate students from HCMUT have not only deep

knowledge but also strong professional skills.

The Honors Program is developed with learning outcomes adapting labor market and

development of technology. Graduated student have deep underlying knowledge with

basic courses and professional knowledge with electives, strong personal and professional

skills. Basic science and professional knowledge are about two-third of programs load.

3.3 The contribution make by each course on achieving the learning outcomes

is clear

Beside knowledge, each course provides students personal skills, professional skills and

attitudes, teamwork, communication and problem solving skills. A relation matrix of

courses and Expected Learning Outcomes is shown in table 3.2.


Table 3.2 Relation matrix of courses and Expected Learning Outcomes

Semester

Code

Expected Learning Outcomes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Credit, Courses

1st

semester

101 2 English 1

102 4 Algebra

103 4 Mathematical analysis 1

104 3 Physics 1

105 3 General Informatics

106 2 General laws of Vietnam

2nd

semester

201 2 General Chemistry B

202 2 English 2

203 4 Mathematical analysis 2

204 4 Physics 2

205 1 Physics Lab

206 3 Engineering mechanics

207 2 Engineering Drawing 1A

208 2 Engineering communication and skills

301 2 Basic workshop Practice 1

3rd

semester

302 2 English 3

303 2 Method of Calculus

304 2 Strength of materials 1

305 2 Fluid Mechanics

306 1 Fluid Mechanics Lab

307 2 Electrical Engineering

308 2 Probability and statistics

309 2 Safety Engineering & Environment

310 2 Engineering Drawing 2A

4th

semester

401 3 Materials and heat treatment

402 2 English 4

403 2 Mechanical Drawing

404 2 Strength of materials 2C

405 3 Electronics Engineering C

406 3 Theory of Machine and Mechanism

407 2 Thermodynamics

408 2 Basic workshop Practice 2

5th

semester

501 3 Machine Elements

502 5 Basic Principles of Maxims-Leninism

503 2 Practice of Electronics and Electrics

504 2 Hydraulic and Pneumatic Engineering

505 2 Hydraulic and Pneumatic Engineering

Lab

506 3 Tolerance and Measurement

Techniques

507 2 Manufacturing engineering 1

6th

semester

601 1 Machine elements Project

602 1 Tolerance and Measurement

Techniques Lab

603 3 Automatic Control Engineering


604 2 Ho Chi Minhs Ideology


606 2 Elective A1

607 2 Elective A2

7th

semester

701 2 Electronic and Electric equipment for

Machines

702 2 Mechanical Engineering Design

Process

703 2 Project Planning and Analysis

704 3 Manufacturing Automation Projects


706 2 Technical Practice

707 3 Revolutionary Policy of Vietnamese

Communist Party

708 2 Elective A3 709 2 Elective A4

8th

semester

801 3 Internship

802 3 CAD/CAM/CNC

803 1 Manufacturing engineering project

804 2 Machine tools

805 2 Elective C1

806 2 Elective B1

807 2 Elective B2

809 2 Elective B3

9th

semester 901

10 Final Project

Skills are integrated into courses at different levels as teaching. When students graduate,

they obtain expected learning outcomes.

3.4 The program is coherent and all subjects and courses have been

integrated

To find out relations among courses, a black-box method was used, in which each course

is investigated by input and output knowledge that helps to determine the course

sequence. Knowledge blocks of the curriculum 2010 were arranged as in figure 3.1.


General Education (57 credits)

Manufacturing

knowledge

(27 credits)

Internship,

and Final

project

(21 credits)

Mathematics

and Natural

science

(29 credits)

Social

science and

Humanities,

economics,

political (18 credits)

English

(8 credits)

Electives

2 credits

Manufacturing

engineering

(8 credits)

Practice

(8 credits)

Metrology,

tools (11 credits)

Internships

(3 credits)

Fundamental knowledge (51 credits)

Electives

(6 credits)

Final project

(10 credits)

Fundamental

Engineering

(21 credits)

Fundamental

Mechanical

(22 credits)

Elective

Fundamental

Mechanical

(8 credits)

Figure 3.1 Coherence of knowledge blocks

3.5 The curriculum is structured to show breadth and depth

Curriculum is shown in table 3.2. All knowledge are arranged in order of

proficiency, from low to high, from basic to advanced. Conceive, Design,

Implement, Operate (C,D,I,O) skills increase from low (with Basic Project Work) to

high (with Final Project)

Semester

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Mathematics and Natural Science

Internship

Final

Project

(C,D,I.

O)

Social science and Humanities,

economics, political knowledge Engineering Fundamental and Manufacturing

Knowledge

Basic project work

(C,D,I,O)

Machine design project

(C,D)

Manufacturing

Engineering

project

(D, O)

Figure 3.2 Curriculum structure


3.6 The curriculum structure shows clearly the basic courses, the intermediate

courses, the specialized courses and the final project, thesis or dissertation

Curriculum structure of Manufacturing Engineering program includes following

knowledge blocks:

- Courses in general education block.

Mathematics and natural

science courses

Algebra, Analytic Analysis, Physics and Lab, General

Chemistry, Method of Calculus, Probability and Statistics,

General Informatics,

Social science and

Humanities, economics,

political knowledge

General Laws of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minhs Ideology, Basic Principles of Mac-Lenin, Revolutionary Policy of Vietnamese

Communist Party

- Core engineering fundamental knowledge.

Mechanics knowledge Fluid mechanics and Lab, Strength of Materials 1 and 2,

Engineering mechanics, Theory of Machine and Mechanism,

Machine Elements,

Electrics Electronics and Automatic control

Electrical Engineering, Electronics engineering, Automation

Control Engineering

Graphical communications Engineering Drawing 1 and 2, Mechanical drawing

Others Thermodynamics, Heat transfer, Materials and heat treatment

- Mechanical engineering manufacturing engineering knowledge.

Manufacturing process Manufacturing Engineering 1, 2, 3

Metrology Tolerance and Measurement Techniques, Quality assurance

Equipment and tools Manufacturing Automation, Machine Tools, CAD/CAM/CNC

Design Mechanical Engineering Design Process, Electronic and

Electric equipment for Machines

- The knowledge block on practice, experiment, and workshop is very important in

the academic program. Allocation, assessment, and contribution of this knowledge

block in students skills accumulation are presented as followings:


Lab courses illustrate and interpret theory courses, so they are allocated after

theory course was just finished at previous semester.

Practice workshop courses in the university provide students practice skills on

manufacturing engineering, mechanical and electric- electronics engineering

Internship programs help students to be familiar with real working

environments. As in academic programs 2008 and 2010, internship course was

increased to 3 credits in comparison with 2 credits in academic program 2002.

Project works require students apply multidiscipline knowledge to solve a

specific engineering problem. These courses help students practice and

enhance presentation, team working, communication skills, as well as problem

solving skills by applying underlying science knowledge, core and advanced

engineering fundamental knowledge to solve a specific engineering problem.

The final project helps student to apply studied knowledge and skills following

CDIO approach to solve manufacturing and design problems in reality.

- Elective courses (Table 3.3) following technology and modern orientations.

Table 3.3 Elective courses

Economics, Engineering

skills (2 credits from 6)

Part C

Manufacturing and Second major (6 credits from 46)

Part B

Production management

Business Administration

Project management

Maintenance Management

Quality assurance

Concurrent Engineering

Precision Engineering

Advanced Manufacturing

Processes

Principles of Material

processing

Design for Manufacture and

Assembly

Design fixture and tools

Metals forming technology

Metals Rolling

Material Welding

Powder Metallurgy

Welding Metallurgy

Material Coatings Technology

Metals Casting Technology

Design of Forging Die

Rapid Prototyping

Technology of Plastic and Molding

Conveying and Lifting

Micro-Controller

PLC system

Industrial Robots

Mechatronics system Design

Fundamental mechanical

(8 credits from 18) Part A Heat transfer

Geometric Modeling

Finite Elements Method

Reliability Engineering

Composite Materials

Engineering Vibration

Optimization and DOE

Dynamics of Mechanical

Systems

Theory of Plasticity


3.7 The program content is up-to-date

Undergraduate academic programs of all majors in the Faculty are revised after

every 5-6 years. In addition, they are reviewed and updated annually (around 5-7%), in

order to meet the demand on high quality human resource for the socio economic

development of the country.


4.1 The faculty or department has a clear teaching and learning strategy

To realize visions and missions of the University and Faculty as well as meet the demand

of the socio-economic development of the country, the lecturers always pay attention on

innovation of teaching and learning methods. The objective of the innovation is to help

students acquire expected learning outcomes of the program. All advanced learning and

teaching methods consider students as a center of teaching and learning activities

(Student-centered teaching strategy). Since 1993 onwards, the university has applied a

credits-based system in training and also innovated in teaching and learning methods,

curriculums and course syllabi.

From education accreditation campaign in 2005, the University began considering that

students would be who have to study actively new knowledge, and have to link new and

acquired knowledge. Lecturers would become the ones who implement or guide to

encourage and enhance students study activities by creating favorable study conditions

based on their owned teaching methods. The lecturers, therefore, have been initiative and

revising their teaching and learning methods towards the student-centered strategy. The

University has been implementing many activities like plan to enhance teaching quality of

lecturers; development of expected learning outcomes of course and program; creating a

friendly study environment to encourage students responsibility and activeness in their

study; and developing workspace to enable student conceive, idea development and

practical experiences.

From 2007 onwards, with support of BKe-Learning system, lecturers have applied active

and experience learning methods to enhance students activeness, creativity and

experience.

CRITERION 4 TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGY


4.2 The teaching and learning strategy enables students to acquire and use

knowledge academically

Many teaching and learning methods are implemented by lecturers, which enable students

to acquire and use knowledge academically.

Integrated learning experiences enable students to obtain knowledge, personal and

communication skills, process implementation skills. These personal and professional

skills, teamwork, communication, and CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, and

Operate) skills are integrated into courses such as Introduction to Engineering,

Mechanical design process, project works on Machine elements, Manufacturing

Engineering, Manufacturing Automation, and Final project.

Active learning methods are implemented in many theory courses under the support of

BKe-learning. BKe-learning (Bach khoa E-learning) was introduced from 2007 to

facilitate interactive learning on the basis of student-centered learning. This facility

creates active and possible environment for students and lecturers to communicate and

deliver subject matter via internet. Students have a chance to get more information and

resources related to the subjects. It also allows the lecturers to monitor the student

progress by using the discussion forum provided in the portal. Lecturers can also put the

assessments online or ask the students to submit an assignment through the portal.

Lecturers can track the students activities related to the subject, as well as their progress.

In addition, this method forces student and lecturer become more creative and innovative.

As a result, intensive communication between student and lecturer is high. With this

model, student can learn anytime, anywhere what are provided by available network. This

method is used for all honors programs courses.

Teaching and learning through seminar and discussions are applied often to students.

They are practiced on critical thinking, skills to define, display and solve problems and

propose their opinions. The communication environment between lectures and students is

open and friendly, which creates favorable conditions for students to raise questions or

opinions, and for lecturers to communicate with students via BKe-learning or course


websites. All mentioned above activities create an effectively interactive learning and

teaching method.

Learning by research: Beside teaching and learning activities, students research is also

considered seriously in FME. Lecturers start forming up student research groups from

their 3rd year school. Students are also encouraged to look for available research groups

to participate. In those groups, lecturers guide students to study and solve real problems.

The problems often lead to a topic of the final project later. Students who are active in

research with good results can participate in annual research contests at different levels

from university to nationwide.

In addition, students are encouraged to participate in student creation competition

(organized annually by the Faculty), Robocon contests, Olympic Competition and other

student research activities. In order to do so, University provides fund for students of the

Honors Program to attend conference domestic and/or oversea. These activities encourage

students to apply knowledge in to real problems, enhance creativity, as well as stimulate

students career passion.

Internship is a required course (with 3 credits) which enables students to familiar to real

working environments in mechanical engineering companies. The internship program

provides students practical job experiences before doing a final project. In addition, the

Faculty also organizes field trips for students to visit many companies in Mechanical

engineering field to see real working environments.

4.3 The teaching and learning strategy is student oriented and stimulates

quality learning

In the student-centered strategy, students are center, and they are supported by lecturers to

find out suitable study method and strategy. They have to determine accurate study

motivations, be responsible and active in study, experience accumulation and

establishment of suitable self-learning skills like skills to survey and summarize literature,

skills to study associated with practice, and skills to define, display, and solve problems.


The student-center strategy is shown clearly by the teaching and learning methods as well

as supportive tools that help students forming their knowledge and skills gradually, so that

they study effectively and have a good development potential. Student-oriented teaching

methods like think-pair share, questions-answers, debate, problem-based learning, group-

based learning, role play, game, project-based learning, simulations, case studies, demo,

and so on have been applied and received highly evaluation.

In recent years, study environment at the university has been improved significantly by

the renovation of classrooms, laboratories, change of regulations of laboratories,

workshops, which creates friendliness to help students develop ideas and study more

effectively.

Course syllabi are developed based on criterion that courses expected learning outcomes

are consistent with program outcomes; and associated with teaching and assessment

methods; so that the training quality can be accredited and learning quality of students is

assured.

4.4 The teaching and learning strategy stimulates active learning and

facilitates learning to learn

To generate the innovation of teaching method towards the active teaching strategy, and

to encourage active studying, University pays much attention to the innovation of learning

environment like improving facilities and equipment as well as learning materials and the

usage of BKe-learning as an effective tool for students to interact with lecturers at

anytime and anywhere.

Besides, to create favorable learning conditions, the Faculty has been designing

workspace at the 1st stage including workspaces and support laboratories that support and

encourage learning experiences in product, process and system design, team work and

communication. Some typical types of teaching and learning in CDIO workspace:

- Design and implement products, processes, and systems: support students doing

required project works such as base project, design, implement and final projects;


support courses with assignments and model making requirements; support

students to make model to participate technical creation competition; and so on.

- Consolidate knowledge: provide favorable conditions for active and experiential

learning so that students have to think and solve problems by themselves.

- Explore knowledge: support students doing scientific research projects


5.1 Student assessment covers student entrance, student progress and exit

tests

5.1.1 Students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering are recruited from pupils who

have been graduated from high schools. The enrollment is based on national entrance

examination scores. Annually, on July the university organizes the entrance examination

in a common university/college entrance examination of the whole country. The amount

of admitted students of the Faculty is based on its education capability and entrance

examination score of applicants. Table 5.1 shows the rate between number of applicants

and training target which can be called as competitive ratio.

Table 5.1 Annual Enrolment Rate

Year 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Training target (quota) 500 500 370 210 210

Number of applicants 1488 1092 1034 728 607

Competitive ratio 2.98 2.18 2.79 3.47 2.89

According to historical data of recent five years, the competitive ratio has been

fluctuated lightly even though the training target has more than doubled, and it has a

promising increasing trend. This is an incentive which suggests that the number of

applicants has increased in absolute value.

After being enrolled, all students study the same courses in the first school year. After

finishing one school year, the Faculty will select students to join the Honors program.

In order to attend the Honors program, students must have a cumulative GPA (Grade

Point Average) of over 7.0, and the cumulative credits of over 90% of first school

year general academic program. Admitted number is about 35 students annually.

Students not only join the Honors program from the second year, but they can also

CRITERION 5 STUDENT ASSESSMENT


join from 4th

, 5th

or 6th

semester if there are excluded students. Students of the Honors

Program would be excluded if their cumulative GPA was less than 6.5 or semester

GPA was less than 6.0 according to the regulation of the Honors Program.

5.1.2 Student assessment has been done through studying process

In order to graduate, students have to fulfill 62 courses, 2 project-works, and 1 final

project to cumulate 156 credits. Usually, a course grade includes a grade for quiz, a grade

for homework, one for midterm examination and a grade for final examination.

The program consists of theory, experiment, and practical, two project works (1 credit per

each one) and a final project (10 credits). Project works require student having large

knowledge from many courses to find out solutions for an engineering problem, and then

they defend projects in front of a committee.

Final project would be done after students complete all engineering courses as in

curriculum. Students have to solve a specific technical problem relative to their major, and

then defend the final project in front of a committee. The final project committee evaluate

the final project based on students understanding on engineering knowledge, creativity,

and skills.

5.2 The assessment is criterion referenced

Student quality assessment is also based on initial suggested criteria for students. At the

beginning of courses, lecturers would setup initial required criteria for students, which could

be an ability to search studying materials, presentation skills, and team-work skill and so on.

Students are assessed based on many activities such as assignments, presentation, team work,

and understanding of lecture, and so. Beside the evaluation of lecturers, the Faculty currently

applies a peer assessment method, which helps to evaluate students more closely and also to

avoid hunch decisions from lecturers.

For example the syllabus of Manufacturing automation


5.3 Student assessment uses a variety of methods

Process based evaluation attracts much attention. Before 2007, courses were assessed based

on only midterm and final examination. Since 2007, University has encouraged to applied

process-based evaluation to assess theory courses. Lecturers have the right to choose

evaluation methods for the courses which they are teaching based on common regulations

about grading system. Each course is usually assessed based on different assessment. (See

Table 5.2).

However, the processing of many score components is quite complicated, so currently

student evaluation score includes two parts:

- Part 1 includes scores of mid-term examination, skills evaluation, in-class discussion

evaluation, exercises and homework.

- Part 2 is final examination score.

The assessment methods and process during the course are listed clearly in the course

syllabus which is provided to students at the beginning. Grading results reflect students

performance throughout the course. Evaluation methods cover all contents of the course

and fulfill the course learning outcomes.

Manufacturing automation

Level: Basic Number of credit: 3

Course objectives

1. Given a manufacturing line, identify the principles of the automated equipment in the line and determine the capacity and output.

2. Given the concept of the work at a position in the line, design the body of equipment in 3D without inside details. 3. Given a manipulation of a worker, using the studied knowledge in previous course, design an automated equipment in detail

Assessment

Final exam 30% Mid-term test 30%

Mini design project and presentation 35%

Homework 5%

Assignments

Homework: Given a product, each team must design basically a vibrating feeder with given methods

Mini design project and presentation: Each team will find out an automated manufacturing system by using internet and given books. Analyze the strong and weak points of the system and show a method to solve the weak points. Each team

must show all works done and analyze by using power point software.

Exam and test

There are a mid-term test (90 minutes) and a final exam (120 minutes). They are both opened-book.


Table 5.2 Example of Assessment method in the course syllabus

No. Assessment method Percentage

1 Midterm examination 20 %

2 Final examination 30 %

3 Midterm practice test

4 Final practice test

5 Seminar presentation 10 %

6 Class exercises 5 %

7 Homework 20%

8 Oral test

9 Project work

10 Quiz 15%

Score calculation formulation

5.4 The assessment reflects the expected learning outcomes and the content

of the program

Since the implementation of CDIO model, course assessment methods, teaching methods

to obtain expected learning outcomes are clearly stated in course syllabi. In addition, the

correlation between course and program outcomes is also presented. Recently, some

courses such as Theory of machine and mechanism, Machine elements, Manufacturing

automation and so on have been assessed based on course outcomes, for example the

Rubric form of Manufacturing automation course


The lecturers have been developing processes to help assessing students more

completely. Formative assessment is implemented through evaluation of lecturers on

in-class exercises and discussions. Summative assessment is implemented by midterm

and final examinations. These two tests cover all teaching content of the course.

5.5 The criteria for assessment are explicit and wellknown

At beginning of each course, course syllabus is announced for all students in class and on

BKe-learning website. All essential information relating to a course like session schedule,

student assessment, content outlines, as well as textbooks and reference books are clearly

stated. Especially, assessment method and percentage of elements score must be

announced in class and at BKe-learning website. Explicit assessment method is an

important requirement for all courses in Honors program; and course assessment

percentage must be posted in the Facultys website.

All midterm and final examination questions and solutions as well as student scores must

be posted on the Faculty and/or BKe-learning websites. Students can directly request

RUBRIC PRESENTATION EVALUATION FORM ON INSPECTION

No. CRITERIA MAXIMUM POINTS MARKS

1 Technical Explanation 70

1a Effectively explain information of the project to the audience 10

1b Clearly explain inspected dimension and origin for inspection. 10

1c Clearly explain principle of operation of inspection 10

1d Explain principle of operation of gauge and sensor 10

1e Suggested inspecting system is feasible. 10

1f Prove that suggested inspection is the best one 10

1g Apply innovation into inspecting system 10

2 Oral Presentation 30

2a Effectiveness of presentation (present well, does not block screen, does not exhibit nervous behavior, Makes eye contact, Can be heard easily, Finishes on time,

Explains slides effectively).

10

2b Group cooperation

- Materials divided among group member appropriately - Smooth transition between group members presentation

10

2c Professional appearance 10

0,1: Do nothing; 2,3: Weak performance; 4,5,6: Performed; 7, 8 Good performance; 9, 10: Excellence performance

Team number:.. TOTAL POINTS:

Assessed by:. Date:..

COMMENTS:


lecturers to re-evaluate their examination. For final examination, students can ask for a

secondary check in two weeks counted from the time score is announced.

5.6 The assessment methods cover the objectives of the curriculum

In the process of perfecting assessment methods to cover the objectives of the curriculum,

midterm and final examinations are based on courses expected learning outcomes which

are consistent with program outcomes. All questions in these examinations satisfy all

expected learning outcomes of the course at detail level as in CDIO syllabus.

5.7 The standards applied in the assessment are explicit and consistent

The regulations on organizing examinations are announced and written in the academic

regulations. Homework, quizzes, class exercises, seminar etc. are held by lecturers and

teaching assistants based on teaching schedule. However, midterm and final examinations

are held according to the common timetable of the whole university. The content of

examinations are reviewed and adopted by the Head of Department in order to assure the

course outcomes and course coverage. Examination scores are then announced publicly to

students after about 2 weeks. A student is failed if his score is less than 5.

For well assessment, the Faculty has set criteria to select assessment methods:

- Have to cover all course content

- Have to satisfy course outcomes

- Explicit and understandable for everyone

- Can be controlled

To perform the assessment of students learning quality well, assessment methods are

trained frequently for lecturers. In the training sessions, many assessment methods

were introduced and lecturers were advised to use method that most suitable to their

course outcomes. These academic programs were conducted by experts from oversea

or from domestic universities or consultant companies. On this basis, the assessment

methods applied for midterm and final examinations must be uniformed for all

lecturers teaching the same course, and must be approved by the Head of Department.


6.1 The staff are competent for their tasks

Lecturers were graduated from different countries such as USA, England, France, Germany,

the Republic of Korea, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, East EU, Thailand, Singapore, and Viet

Nam. Age structure of lecturers is logical, in which experience lecturers and inheriting young

ones are equal in quantity. Most of them join the Honors Program permanently. Annually,

lecturers of Honors program are trained new teaching and assessment methods in line

with CDIO standards by foreign experts from USA, Singapore. Besides the teaching staff,

there are some experienced lecturers from university who are responsible for teaching

fundamental sciences courses

Table 6.1 List of lecturers studying in foreign countries from 2003 to 2008

Quantity (people) Country Level

02 Canada Doctor

10 South Korea Doctor

04 Taiwan Doctor

04 Taiwan Master

01 Norway Master

02 USA Doctor

01 Portuguesa Master

03 Australia Doctor

01 Singapore Doctor

01 England Doctor

CRITERION 6 ACADEMIC STAFF QUALITY


Table 6.2 Age Structure of Mechanical Engineering Faculty lecturers

Age 24-30 30-39 40-49 50-59 60

Quantity 37 43 18 30 01

Ratio 29,25% 34% 12,25% 23,80% 0,68%

6.2 The staff are sufficient to deliver the curriculum adequately

Total number of Mechanical Engineering Faculty staff is recently 141. Among 141 staffs

of Mechanical Engineering Faculty, there are 78 teaching staffs. In addition, there are

about 15 experienced lectures of the university and 12 visiting professors teaching in the

honors program. As shown in table 6.4, number of student per FTE training is little high.

To support the lecturers in teaching, there are 51 teaching assistants as in table 6.3. The

TA number is equal to the number of lecturers approximately. Thus, the teaching staffs

are sufficient if TAs are included.

Table 6.3 The number of staff members in the Faculty

Category Male Female Total

Percentage of PhDs People FTE

Professor 1 0 1 1 100

Assoc. Prof.

(Equiv.)

22 3 25 25 60

Full time lecturer 42 10 52 52 40

Visiting Professors 22 5 27 10 52

Serving staff 1 11 12 12 0

Teaching assistant 39 12 51 51 0

Total 168 151


Table 6.4: The number of staff members teaching in honors program

Category Male Female Total

Percentage of PhDs People FTE

Professor 1 0 1 1 100

Assoc. Prof.

(Equiv.)

20 2 22 22 41

Full time lecturer 9 0 9 9 44

Visiting Professors 20 1 21 4.2 83

Total 53 36.2

Table 6.5 The proportion of students / lecturers and graduates / lecturers

Total FTE

for training

Number of

student

Number of

graduates

per year

Number of

students per

FTE-training

Number of

graduates per

FTE

graduates

Academic

year

79 2228 428 28.20 5.41 2008

80 2136 405 26.70 5.06 2009

88 2245 455 25.51 5.17 2010

6.3 Recruitment and promotion are based on academic merits

Recruitment process is very important to recruit the qualified lecturers. Recruitment process

of the university is very strictly. Recruitment processes in three steps:

- Step 1: Candidates are interviewed at the Department

- Step 2: The Department must defend the recruitment against the recruitment

committee of Faculty. If necessary, the candidates have to be interviewed by the

committee.

- Step 3: The Recruitment committee of the university make the final consideration and

issue the recruitment decision.


Period of probation is a year. During this period, new lecturer plays a role of teaching

assistant.

Criterion for recruitment consists of:

- Education and academic activities (50%).

- Foreign languages (20%).

- Research activities (10%).

- Interview at the Department (20%).

The lecturer promotion process is based on seniority. Accordingly, their salary is

increased after every three-year period. However, this period can be shortened when they

have following achievements:

- Have an excellent research achievement and proposed by agreement of

department.

- Have an excellent achievement on academic activities, and/or outstanding

publication on their research works.

- Actively participate in all activities of the Faculty.

Lecturers can improve their position by promoted from lower to higher rank as follows:

Lecturer, Senior Lecturers, Associate Professor, and Professor. The promotion based on

the research and academic achievement. There are Rank Committee and Title Committee

(In case of Assoc. Prof. and Prof.) to consider allocating higher rank for lecturer.

Faculty and Department always enable lecturer to teach well such as to train new teaching

method, to go abroad to get high degree; and to do research at the laboratories.

6.4 The roles and relationship of staff members are well defined and

understood

Roles and relationship of staff members are well defined in teaching regulation and

published on webpage of the Office of Academic Affair. According to the teaching

regulation, lecturers are doing academic and research activities in their Department under

the administration of the Head of Department. Head of Departments are responsible to the

Faculty for activities of his Department. Academic and research activities are discussed at

the Department. The Head of Department assign a specific lecturer to teach courses. If


there is a disagreement, it should be propose to the Department, then to the Faculty,

before going to the University.

The organization chart of Faculty is shown in figure 6.1. With this structure, all

administrative commands will come from top, and opinions will come from the bottom.

Roles and relationship of staff members is often reminded in meeting at the Department

and the Faculty. However, a few lectures are still unmindful of teaching regulation.

Figure 6.1 Organization chart of Faculty


6.5 Duties allocated are appropriate to qualifications, experience and skills

The lecturers who teach in the Honors Program have to satisfy following criteria:

- Has a Doctorate or higher degree; if having Masters degree, he or she must have

at least five year experience in teaching.

- Have good teaching performance. He or she has never missed classes.

Experience lecturers with high major knowledge would be invited firstly.

Mechanical Engineering Faculty allocates teaching courses based on lecturer major

diploma, ability and expectation. From the school year 2009-2010, lecturers teaching the

courses for the Honors Program of Manufacturing Engineering would be invited directly

by Mechanical Engineering Faculty and they must sign a contract of teaching every

semester. This contract assigns the right and responsibility of lecturer. At the end of

semester, this contract is used to evaluate the performance of lecturer.

At the end of semester, teaching process would be evaluated by students. Their feedback

opinions are lecture contents, teaching methods, and assessment method. Based on

feedback of student, lecturers improve teaching method and enhance education

qualification and the Faculty will decide whether to invite that lecturer or not.

6.6 Staff workload and incentive systems are designed to support the quality

of teaching and learning

In Honors Program, each lecturer teaches 1 to 2 courses in a year. To maintain the quality

of the program, two lecturers are responsible for one course. The teaching load of each

lecturer varies from 200 to 600 hours per year. This workload is acceptable, thus lectures

still have time to conduct research activities. In addition, teaching assistant system is also

a measurement to reduce the workload of the lecturers.

Lecturers in Honors program have priority to train professional skills and enhance

academic degree in foreign countries.

Besides, to encourage lecturers in teaching and doing scientific research, the University

has an award system to good lecturers voted by lecturers of the Department. To receive


this award, lecturers must not miss class or interact with student in BKe-learning system;

and/or not receive bad comments from students about teaching method or not follow the

course syllabus in student opinion survey.

Finally, income is also an incentive issue. The allowance of lecturers in honors program is

higher than the one of regular lecturers.

6.7 Accountability of the staff members is well regulated

According to university regulation, lecturer must clarify feedback of students at the

Department. The Head of Department will monitor the remedy of lecturer in teaching

activities.

Every lecturer has to make a self-evaluation report annually; the Department assesses

report of all lecturers and notes a comment. The assessment is based on teaching

regulation. The Emulation Committee of the Faculty will gather these reports and conduct

an assessment. Then, the Committee will issue a list of lecturers who receive awards of

the year.

6.8 There are provisions for review, consultation and redeployment

The Department reviews activities of lecturers based on the self-evaluation report of the

lecturers and evaluate the improvement of lecturers. If he does not have any

improvement, Head of Department remind him. He can be redeployed if he has no

improvement more. The second lecturer will replace him to teach his course.

6.9 Termination and retirement are planned and well implemented

According to government regulations, all staffs are state employees therefore all lecturers

will have all benefits from government retirement system. As in regulations, the female

employees would retire at age 55 and the male employees would retire at age 60. If they

have worked more than 20 years and had social insurance, their pensions will be paid in

accordance with the government standards. If not, they will receive a large lump sum of

money known as social insurance. Faculty has done well in government policies on social

policies for labors. Lecturer who reaches retirement age would be invited to continue their


teaching job if they got during a limited period high diploma and/or academic title.

However, their research contributions are always welcomed at any time.

Every year, the Office of Personnel and Administrative Affairs review the list of lecturers

who will retire in coming years and send it to the Board of Faculty. Faculty and

Department discuss to make the decision of the retirement or to extend contracts of these

lecturers and make the recruitment plan.

The termination and retirement are planned and implemented well. Therefore, the

teaching staff of the Honors Program is stable.

6.10 There is an efficient appraisal system

There are two assessment systems: Student feedback and assessment of the Department.

Student assessment is implemented regularly, student get and answer questions in the

questionnaire from the Office of Quality Assurance. Questions in the questionnaire cover

all the activities of the lecturer in the class. The Office of Quality Assurance processes the

information, give comments and send back to the Faculty. The Faculty and the

Department then discuss with lecturers as mentioned above.

At the Department, the assessment is based on the teaching regulation. All the members

of Department vote the good lecturer. The vote is done in a democratic manner. The voted

lecturers will receive awards from higher management level.


Support staff includes library, laboratory, computer and service staff. They play an

important role in implementing program and linking lecturers and students.

7.1 The library staff is competent and adequate in providing a satisfactory

level of service

The university has two campuses. At each campus, there is a library to serve students. The

library at the main campus can serves 500 students at a time. There are more than 22.000

books and journals and about 2,600 e-books. Besides the libraries of the university, student

can access the Central Library of the VNU-HCM.

The total library staff is 33, in which 16 ones graduated bachelor degree. To enhance the

competent of library staff, they are often trained on professional skills. Ratio of

student/Library staff is 1,000 now. It is rather high. However, students can refer

specialized books from lecturers at the department.

7.2 The laboratory staffs are competent and adequate in providing a

satisfactory level of service

Mechanical Engineering Faculty has had 8 laboratories directly managed by respective

Departments, 2 general laboratories managed by Faculty, 1 practical workshop, 1 computer

room. To manage laboratories and workshop, there are 12 experiment teaching lecturers with

bachelor degree, 4 researchers and 38 young teaching assistants. Total students of the

mechanical Faculty are around 2500 people, so the ratio of students per laboratory staff is

around 46/1. The open scheme of laboratory and workshop can also reduce the load of the

laboratory staff. According to the open scheme, students can register and do more experiment

without supervisor. The development of experiment course frameworks mainly has been

done by professional lecturers

CRITERION 7 SUPPORT STAFF QUALITY


7.3 The computer facility staffs are competent and adequate in providing a

satisfactory level of service

At Faculty, students can use computers at following places: computer room with more

than 40 personal computers, CAD/CAM laboratory with more than 30 computers, and

about 10 computers at library. At computer room there are one lecturer in charge and two

other for supporting. At CAD/CAM laboratory, there are one staff in charge and two

practical teaching lecturers. All staff is professional, they we

sar aun-qa mechanicaleng

Documents

student quality

support staff quality

learning process

current learning outcomes

list of tables table

curriculum learning

learning strategy

expected learning outcomes