Vietnam: What is the newest list of 35 universities and academies eligible for holding the English Proficiency Assessment Exam? What does the application for taking the English proficiency assessment exam include?

What is the newest list of 35 universities and academies eligible for holding the English Proficiency Assessment Exam?

The Department of Quality Management (Ministry of Education and Training) has just announced the list of universities and academies eligible for holding the English Proficiency Assessment Exam according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework for Vietnam updated until November 2024 as follows:

1. Ho Chi Minh City University of Education

2. University of Foreign Languages - Hue Parent University

3. University of Languages and International Studies - Vietnam National Parent University, Hanoi

4. University of Foreign Language Studies - The Parent University of Danang

5. Thai Nguyen University

6. Can Tho University

7. Hanoi University

8. Hanoi National University of Education

9. Vinh University

10. Saigon University

11. Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City

12. Tra Vinh University

13. Van Lang University

14. Quy Nhon University

15. Tay Nguyen University

16. People's Security Academy

17. Academy of Journalism and Communication

18. University of Industry and Trade

19. University of Commerce

20. Academy of Military Science

21. University of Economics and Finance, Ho Chi Minh City

22. University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National Parent University, Ho Chi Minh City

23. People's Police Academy

24. Hanoi University of Science and Technology

25. Southern Can Tho University

26. Foreign Trade University

27. Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City

28. National Economics University

29. University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

30. Lac Hong University

31. Dong Thap University

32. Duy Tan University

33. Phenikaa University

34. Banking Academy

35. University of Finance and Marketing

Note: The list of universities and academies eligible for holding the English Proficiency Assessment Exam according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework is updated until November 2024.

What is the newest list of 35 universities and academies eligible for holding the English Proficiency Assessment Exam? What does the application for taking the English proficiency assessment exam in Vietnam include? (Image from the Internet)

What does the application for taking the English proficiency assessment exam in Vietnam include?

Under point a, clause 2, Article 7 of the Regulation on Foreign Language Proficiency Assessment according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework for Vietnam issued together with Circular 23/2017/TT-BGDDT, the exam registration dossier includes:

- 2 photos, in 4cmx6cm size, which are taken within 6 months before the date on which the application for the exam is submitted; the overleaf of the photo shall bear the full name, and date of birth of the exam taker;

- A copy of any of the documents that remain valid below: ID card, passport, citizen identification card, student card (if the exam taker is a primary or lower secondary student);

- An application form for a foreign language proficiency exam according to Vietnam's foreign language proficiency framework (including full name; date of birth; number and date of issue of identity papers that remain valid; time, date, exam level, and other information deemed necessary).

What are the eligibility requirements for holding the foreign language proficiency assessment exam in Vietnam?

According to the provisions of Article 6 of the Regulation on Foreign Language Proficiency Assessment according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework for Vietnam issued together with Circular 23/2017/TT-BGDDT as amended by clause 3, Article 1 of Circular 24/2021/TT-BGDĐT, the eligibility requirements for holding the foreign language proficiency assessment exam in Vietnam are as follows:

1. There is an independent division in charge of language proficiency assessment (hereinafter referred to as specialized division)

2. There are managerial staff, examiners, question paper-makers, question paper analysts, and technicians that meet requirements pertaining to quantity and qualifications to administer language proficiency exams; these people are public employees who are employed and managed under law on public employees or non-public employees who have entered into an indefinite-term employment contact under Labor Code; in which:

- The head of specialized division must have managerial capability, sense of responsibility, stay honest and impartial. At least one head of specialized division who: has a foreign language proficiency at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (or Level 4 of Vietnam's language proficiency framework) of one of the foreign languages taught in the education program of the national education system; and obtains at least a master’s degree in one of disciplines below: measurement and evaluation in education, foreign language discipline under Foreign language, literature and culture discipline group; foreign language discipline under Education science discipline group;

- At least 20 English speaking and writing examiners, 10 writing and speaking examiners for each foreign language (if any); the examiners must have the documents certifying the completion of the marking competency training program in accordance with the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training;

- At least 12 English question paper-makers, 04 question paper-makers for each foreign language (if any); each question paper-maker must have a document certifying the completion of the question paper-making training program in accordance with the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training;

- At least 3 question paper analysts; each exam analyst must have a master's degree, a doctorate in measurement and evaluation in education;

- The technician staff satisfies the requirements for the use of computer, audio and video equipment in service of the administering of examinations and marking.

3. There is pedagogic-learning and safe environment for administering of examination.

4. There are adequate facilities and equipment meeting the following requirements:

- exam rooms and functional rooms must be sufficient to serve at least 100 exam takers per session, including four skills listening, speaking, reading, and writing, in specific: Each exam room must be soundproofed and provided with adequate lighting, desks, chairs, chalks or markers, board(s) or projector screen(s); a system of surveillance cameras which record the whole course of the exam room continuously throughout the exam period; and a shared clock for all exam takers to keep track of the exam time; adequate equipment for sound recording, sound generating, video recording and specialized software must be sufficient to serve administration of exams;

- A system of servers, clients, consolidated security appliances for system, data backup devices, uninterruptible power supply, backup power, and auxiliary equipment meeting technical specifications are available to administer computer-based exams for at least 100 exam takers for a session;

- A website is available to provide information about question paper format, sample question papers, exam-delivery modes, list of exam takers; notices of exam schedule, exam venues, exam results; access to exam results and certificates;

- There is a separate site for question paper making;

- The exam area must meet requirements pertaining to safety, security and fire safety; security equipment must be provided, namely walk-through metal detectors or han-held metal detectors to control and prevent materials and illegal articles along with examinees into exam rooms; working rooms for the Council of examiners, conducting exams, delivering question papers and papers are available; lockable trunks, cabinet or safes to protect question papers and papers must be provided; cabinets or trunks are available to keep exam takers’ belongings.

5. There is a question bank and question papers developed from the question bank meeting the requirements in Article 12 of this Regulation and guidance of the Ministry of Education and Training; the question bank shall be controlled by software to ensure security and authorization in use and must satisfy the following requirements:

- From July 1, 2022, the numbers of equivalent question papers at a time for exam formats intended for primary, lower secondary and upper secondary students are as follows: at least 50 equivalent English question papers; at least 30 equivalent question papers in other languages; in which the similarity rate of exam questions between question papers does not exceed 10%;

- From July 1, 2022, the numbers of equivalent question papers at a time for exam formats intended for other entities are as follows: at least 70 equivalent English question papers; at least 30 equivalent question papers in other languages; in which the similarity rate of exam questions between question papers does not exceed 10%;

- Every year, the exam-administering entity shall review, modify the question bank, and add at least 10% of questions in respect of every skill;

- The exam-administering entity may cooperate with an exam center that has available exam questions and question papers developed and managed in accordance with this Regulation to administer language proficiency exams under Vietnam's language proficiency framework; ensure that the rights and obligations of the parties are clearly specified and reported to the Ministry of Education and Training (via Department of Quality Management) before administering an exam.

6. There is computer-delivered exam software that meets the requirements below:

- Possess friendly interface, easy to install and use; able to disconnect applications and external devices unrelated to the exam content;

- Allow exam takers to log into the software to take the paper using his/her personal exam account;

- The question bank is classified for updating and supplementing;

- Have the function to automatically select randomly and uniformly the questions in different parts of knowledge to create the equivalent multiple choice exams in terms of difficulty from the bank exam questions;

- Have the functions: take pictures of exam takers and put them in exam data; timers; preview the next question, statistics on questions answers; automatic scoring of multiple choice papers; automatic exporting and keeping answer sheets, exam results of the exam takers when the allotted time runs out; automatic analysis of exam takers’ results according to classical and modern methods; backup and security.

7. Having a project for administering language proficiency exams

- The project for administering language proficiency exams must provide sufficient information and evidence in terms of requirements for language proficiency exams as prescribed in Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this Article;

- The exam-administering entity shall make and publish the project for administering language proficiency exams on its website and on the Ministry of Education and Training’s website before a language proficiency exam is administered; be answerable to the project’s contents; and send the project to the Ministry of Education and Training for inspection.