The CDIO-Based Curricular Framework and Guidelines For An OBE Implementation

Along with the integration into the global economy through the ascension into the World Trade Organization, Vietnam, a developing country is facing a challenge of training a skilled labour force. In higher education, it was concluded that the changes in the education system have not kept up with the need of society and the demand for global integration. These conclusions have been an impetus for many ongoing efforts focusing on improving the higher education system at national level and educational programmes at intitutional level. There are many feasible approaches to address educational programme issues, which collectively form a systems problem that requires a solution that ranges from improving curriculum, courses, teaching, learning, and instructor competence; to implementing continuous assessment of student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness. It is a well known consensus that a key aspect to the systems solution is the development of a model framework to systematically address interrelated issues.

In response to those programme improvement needs, Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM System) is adopting and adapting CDIO approach to build a curricular framework and guidelines to help Vietnamese higher education institutions (HEIs) establish and ensure sustainable implementation of an outcome-based education system (OBE) to meet society needs of international quality standards. It became the collaborator of the CDIO Initiative in 2010 and since joining has implemented a number of significant changes that have been directed by the CDIO methodology. In this paper, we present (i) the overall results and achievements of the first four years of CDIO pilot implementation at two strategic university departments, (ii) the curricular framework, its components, and guidelines generalised from the CDIO implementation that can be exported and replicated at universities within VNU-HCM and at other HEIs, and (iii) the implementation of curricular framework at other 13 university departments at VNU-HCM. It is concluded that involvement with CDIO implementation has enabled VNU-HCM to leverage remarkably the expertise of a great number of committed programme leaders and faculty members and accelerated a process of change which has enhanced essentially the learning environment. The implementation of the curricular framework and its effectiveness suggest that it has a potential to accelerate educational programme improvement, and most importantly, impact the HEIs to accelerate OBE implementation to meet society needs of international quality standards.

Proceedings of the 10th International CDIO Conference, Barcelona, Spain, June 15-19 2014