Building University-Industry Learning and Development Through Innovation and Technology (BUILD-IT)

The Government of Vietnam’s ultimate goal is to grow from lower-middle-income status to upper-middle-income status by 2030. Despite Vietnam’s impressive economic gains, low-skilled, labor intensive industry remains dominant. To drive the transition to a knowledge-centric economy, Vietnam needs to invest in producing a highly-skilled workforce that can meet the technology-intensive demands of today’s global economy. The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Building University-Industry Learning and Development Through Innovation and Technology (BUILD-IT) project partners with academia, industry, and Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training to modernize technology and engineering higher education. 

STRENGTHENING UNIVERSITIES’ ABILITY TO SELF-GOVERN 

The Government of Vietnam enacted the Revised Law on Higher Education in 2018 granting public universities more autonomy in governing their own operations, including more control over their own academic programs, organizational structure and personnel, and finances. In support of this, BUILD-IT convenes university leaders and government policymakers to chart the way forward together. In addition, BUILD-IT coaches university leaders on developing academic-corporate partnerships to ensure that curriculum meets private sector needs, developing digital immersion learning, and creating a university charter to guide each institution’s development. 

IMPLEMENTING INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES

BUILD-IT partners with U.S. universities to help Vietnamese universities implement international best-practices in their academic and governance systems. Through quality assurance programs, such as international accreditation and recognition, Vietnamese universities are able to continuously assess and improve their delivery of high-quality education. 

TRANSFORMING THEORY-BASED CURRICULUM TO PROJECT-BASED 

Vietnamese universities historically graduate students steeped in technology and engineering theory, but with few real-world skills. BUILD-IT collaborates with government, industry, and academic partners to directly link higher education to the needs of the private sector through project-based curriculum. This approach focuses on team-based problem solving and the application of technologies. BUILD-IT develops curricular partnerships, mentorships, and industry-sponsored practical opportunities to build students’ professional and technical competencies in preparation for technology and engineering careers.

IMPACT

To date, 102 engineering and technology programs across nine partner universities have obtained accreditation from regional or international bodies with USAID support. Over $8.1 million in private sector investment mobilized through BUILD-IT for curricula improvement, faculty training, and modern facilities and innovation centers have positively impacted over 4,000 faculty and staff, and thousands of students. 

TARGETED LOCALITIES

The project works with partner universities in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and in Dong Nai, and Can Tho provinces.