Introduction
Ho Chi Minh City Open University (HCMCOU) is an institution of higher education offering a variety of programs ranging from distance learning, on-site, learning at satellite academic centers, aiming at meeting various learning needs of society and contributing to the enlargement of the human recourses for the country.
Training is provided by HCMCOU with such kinds of training: full-time, part-time training course and distance education. Since 1990s, Open and Distance Education (ODE) has been used to meet changing labor market needs and demand for higher education The market economy has generated new motivation to learn, either for advancement in the workplace or for change of occupation. ODE has been also used by many students at traditional universities, who simultaneously enroll in Open University courses in order to add computing, language professional skills, etc. to their degree subjects, in preparation for a competition job on graduation. This time was marked by the establishment of Ho Chi Minh City Open University. Ho Chi Minh City Open University is “a university which is concerned with training and researching all modes of education including distance education, face-to-face education, etc.in order to meet the variable learning needs of the people contributing to increasing the scientific and technical potentiality of the country”, (The Prime Minister’s Decision 389/TTg on Establishing Ho Chi Minh City Open University).
Center for Distance Education was founded on November 20, 1996 according to the Decision No. 196/QĐ/TC-96 signed by the President of HCMCOU. Up to now Center for Distance Education owns about 27.000 students who come from everywhere ranging from Binh Dinh to Ca Mau in 40 training local centers. By August, 2016, it has had 40,000 graduates of Distance Education for all specialities.
Training specialities
- Currently, HCMCOU has senventeen specialities of distance education including:
- 1. Economics
- 2. Construction
- 3. Computer Science
- 4. Business Information Management
- 5. Business Administration
- 6. Accounting and Auditing
- 7. Finance-Banking
- 8. Business Law
- 9. English language
- 10. Social work
- 11. Sociology
- 12. Biotechnology
- 13. Civil engineering
- 14. Marketing
- 15. Human Resource Management
- 16. Construction Management
- 17. International Trade
Student support services
- To help students study on their own, HCMCOU employs distance teaching techniques and uses the following media to impart instruction:
- Main Media
- Print-based Approach
- Textbooks
- Workbooks (undergraduate courses)
- Study guides (graduate courses)
- Computer-based Approach
- Online LMS
- Course materials on CD ROM mirror those available online
- Supplementary Media
- Radio programs
- Audio tapes/CDs – recordings of radio programs
- Media on demand – audiovisual resources available through the HCMCOU website
- Online e-learning resources
- Tutorial sessions – face-to-face interaction
Function
- Center for Distance Education has major funtions as follows:
- 1. To co-ordinate with faculties and office of Academic Affairs to establish educational programmes, to propose developing scale of distance learners in the future.
- 2. To provide educational programs to radio station of Ho Chi Minh city and to many radio station in provinces. Broadcasting programs bring knowledge to millions of distance learners .
- 3. To organize distance training activities, to make learning schedules and distribute teachers; to prepare final exams and manage learning results of students and cooperate with others units in the university and branches in provinces to develop distance education.
- 4. To support and serve for learning and teaching activities, academic training as well as educational services in distance learning system.
- 5. To operate other activities assigned by the university.
Mission
- At the beginning of its establishment, Center for Distance Education determined its own missions:
- To provide multiple opportunities for working adults to pursue for higher education certificates and degrees.
- To meet the increase demands for continuing, life-long education for those in the work force to upgrade the quality of their life and their work to keep up with scientific and technological advances.