Industry Engagement in TVET and the Japanese Cooperation in Vietnam: The Case of Hanoi University of Industry

This chapter examines the development of the industry engagement system in Vietnam through a case study of the Hanoi University of Industry (HaUI). There is a world-wide consensus on the importance of industry engagement in technical and vocational education and training (TVET). However, a question is how to strengthen and institutionalize it. Preceding studies often display developed countries’ models as ‘best practice,’ but simple import of these models does not work in developing countries due to the difference in socio-economic, institutional, cultural contents, and stages of industrial development. Therefore, translative adaptation of foreign models are required to establish a workable industry engagement system in developing countries. This chapter analyzes how HaUI learned and adapted to foreign models. After studying various foreign models related to industry engagement, HaUI selected the Japanese training process management system, taking into account the current capacities of HaUI and the extent of support from industry. However, as the translative adaptation is dynamic process, it is predicted that HaUI will keep transforming the current model. It also discusses challenges of scaling up the HaUI experience to the national level, in part due to the insufficient involvement of government at the learning and adaptation stage.