Following its successful domestic accreditation, the Faculty of Marketing at the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) has proactively initiated internal training sessions. This step-by-step preparation aims to meet the international accreditation standards of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) from the UK, driving training quality improvements and international integration.

In a higher education landscape that increasingly values quality and integration, accreditation serves as both an evaluative tool and a catalyst for institutions to innovate and enhance their training programmes. Building on its domestic accreditation milestones, PTIT’s Marketing degree programme continues to pursue international accreditation in line with the Institute’s overarching strategic vision.

PTIT’s Marketing programme was officially recognised as meeting national quality standards by the Centre for Education Accreditation – Association of Vietnamese Universities and Colleges, satisfying 88% of the required criteria for the 2023–2028 accreditation cycle. This achievement provides a vital foundation for the Faculty of Marketing to leverage its strengths, review its curriculum, and refine the programme to meet the evolving demands of the industry and the labour market.

Following the Institute’s strategic direction, the Marketing programme is benchmarking itself against the international standards of the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). Crucially, the QAA’s International Programme Accreditation (IPA) framework covers the fields of Business and Management, which includes Marketing. The evaluation criteria focus on aims and learning outcomes, programme design, teaching and assessment methods, teaching staff, student support resources, and quality assurance systems. This approach emphasises assessing programme quality through the lens of continuous maintenance and improvement of training standards.

This strategic path aligns seamlessly with the developmental foundations of PTIT’s Marketing programme. The curriculum is built upon the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) model, with a strong emphasis on digital technology applications and increased English-medium instruction. These elements provide a solid framework for tightening the alignment between educational objectives, learning content, pedagogical methods, and student achievements.

This approach is particularly meaningful given that the marketing industry is transforming rapidly under the impact of digital technology, data, and artificial intelligence. Benchmarking the programme against international standards offers a prime opportunity to review how current the specialised knowledge is, alongside assessing students’ technology application skills, analytical thinking, and professional adaptability. Consequently, the programme gains a robust basis for boosting its practical relevance, meeting real-world industry demands, and incrementally sharpening the competitive edge of graduates in an integrated global workforce.

To actualise this international accreditation objective, the Faculty of Marketing identifies raising awareness and enhancing the quality assurance capabilities of its academic staff as a core priority. Driven by a proactive and constructive spirit, the Faculty regularly hosts internal meetings and training sessions for all lecturers, focusing on three key pillars: Outcome-Based Education (OBE); the Institute’s quality assurance system requirements; and the orientations and benchmarks of the UK’s QAA international accreditation standards.

Regarding OBE, internal discussions help lecturers fully grasp the correlation between programme learning outcomes (PLOs), course learning outcomes (CLOs), teaching content, learning activities, and student assessment methods. As a result, training quality is evaluated not merely by what is taught, but by the extent to which students attain the predefined knowledge, skills, and competencies. This provides a rigorous basis for reviewing every single course within the broader context of the overall programme, ensuring cohesion and consistency throughout the educational journey.

In parallel, disseminating the requirements of the Institute’s internal quality assurance system helps lecturers understand their responsibilities in maintaining and upgrading educational standards. Academic activities must be deployed systematically, backed by appropriate evidence, evaluative data, and feedback mechanisms. On this basis, the review, bottleneck identification, and adjustments of training activities can be conducted proactively and substantively, rather than merely focusing on fulfilling accreditation paperwork.

From the learners’ perspective, these initiatives aim to elevate the quality of the learning experience, ensuring that students directly benefit from curriculum enhancements. When learning outcomes are clearly defined, course modules logically linked, and assessments transparently conducted, students are empowered to monitor their own progress, identify areas for development, and prepare for future career requirements. Furthermore, gathering and analysing feedback from students and stakeholders will provide practical insights to refine content, teaching methods, and student support services. Through this, the role of learners is reflected not only in the final educational outcomes but also within the very process of improving programme quality.

Alongside internal training, the Faculty of Marketing remains committed to reviewing and improving the curriculum, developing academic staff, and expanding collaborations with both domestic and international partners. These efforts enhance the programme’s responsiveness to real-world marketing trends while strengthening the foundations for curriculum development toward higher quality benchmarks.

International accreditation is a demanding process that requires meticulous preparation, long-term commitment, and the consistent participation of all stakeholders. By proactively organizing internal training and boosting the quality assurance capacity of its lecturing staff, the Faculty of Marketing at PTIT is building a step-by-step foundation for this ambition. Preparing proactively today is not only about meeting international accreditation standards tomorrow; it represents a genuine commitment to improving educational quality for the empowerment and future careers of Marketing students.