Limitation on the development of skills in higher education in…在中发展高等技术教育的限制.pdfVIP

High Educ (2013) 65:631–644 DOI 10.1007/s10734-012-9567-7 Limitation on the development of skills in higher education in Vietnam Thi Tuyet Tran Published online: 20 February 2013 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013 Abstract This study investigates the perceptions of higher education students, recent graduates and employers in Vietnam on the issue of skill development in the higher education system in Vietnam. Enhancing skill development is considered essential for students, not only to pursue their study, but also for their success later, at work and in life. The results suggest that though there is evidence of effort to change, to include and to develop soft skills in the system, the central-controlled curriculum, the traditional teaching method, the prevalence of passiveness among students and cultural features all hinder the effort of developing skills for university students. The limitation in skill development during university is considered one of the biggest barriers preventing university graduates from making a smooth transition to the workplace. Keywords Skill development · Higher education · Vietnam · Limitations · Transition · Employment Introduction Since the economic liberalization in 1986, both the Vietnamese economy and its higher education system (HES) have been developed very quickly. Paradoxically, despite the fact that each year thousands of students graduate, many having difficulties finding work, employers still complain that it is hard to find graduates with the required knowledge and skills. Complaints are made about university graduates being weak in planning their future, having impractical professional knowledge and lacking necessary skills required by the contemporary workplace. Skill limitation is considered one of the biggest barriers T. T. Tran () La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia