On July 7th, 2025, at the University of Technology and Education – The University of Danang, Ho Chi Minh City Open University participated in a training conference on “Student Life and Support Services”. This conference is a vital part of the implementation of the DIVE (Digitalising Vietnamese Education) Project.
The DIVE (Digitalising Vietnamese Education) Project is an international cooperation program aimed at promoting the digital transformation process at universities in Vietnam. Through a partnership among domestic higher education institutions, three European universities, and a global education network, the project carries out many practical activities, such as organising professional training courses, study tours abroad, developing appropriate digital transformation strategies for each university, and simultaneously creating a national forum to exchange and disseminate best practices.
The conference was organised with the participation of representatives from 13 universities/higher education institutions involved in the DIVE Project, including 03 European universities (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Universidad de Alicante, Université libre de Bruxelles) and 10 universities in Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh City Open University delegation included: Dr. Nguyen Thi Dieu Linh – Deputy Head of the Department of Student Affairs and Communications; Mrs. Tran Thi Le Quyen – Deputy Director of the Centre for Distance Education; and Mrs. Dinh Uyen Phuong – Deputy Head of the Administration Department.
During the program, the institutions collectively discussed the core elements of student support in digital and distance education. The content focused on enhancing the experience for first-year students, promoting learner engagement and retention, and applying best practices based on the “Community of Inquiry Framework” and the “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Higher Education”. Concurrently, the conference also guided participants in developing a Digital Service Development Strategy to improve the effectiveness of student support services.
Within the training series, participating universities had the opportunity to present and discuss their existing student support systems and to share effective support models for distance education. As a result, delegates clarified the characteristics, needs, and challenges students face in the online learning environment. They not only identified quality assurance criteria for support services but also proposed directions for developing support programs tailored explicitly for freshman to enhance their learning experience and reduce the dropout rate.
Participating in the conference allowed Ho Chi Minh City Open University to access effective student support models from UNED and Alicante. This will guide the university in developing a comprehensive learner support ecosystem tailored for distance education. The conference provided extensive practical experience, enhancing the university’s and other Vietnamese higher education institutions’ digital transformation capacity.
Article: OUNews
Photos: DIVE Project Organising Committee