As always, despite the pandemic, high school graduates must still select a university, but this year it may prove more challenging. In addition to the usual criteria, such as public reputation, lecturer quality, location, tuition fees and future career opportunities, the following factors must now also be considered:
- The ability to continue studying without interruption
- The prevention of prolonged periods at home after admission, without a study schedule
- Avoiding graduation delays after four years of study, when the threat of the pandemic may be over, and more career opportunities abound
By all measures, this year especially, DTU was always the best choice, and has already been able to quickly overcome all those additional, vital issues. With or without the pandemic, for many years already, the university has been recognized nationally for its inherent strengths and experience.
DTU, in the world’s top 500, 2022 Times Higher Education
DTU, in the world’s top 700, 2021 Shanghai ranking
DTU, in the Asian top 400, 2021 QS Asian University ranking
DTU has been ranked with two other Vietnamese universities in the top 500 worldwide by one of the leading international ranking institutions, Times Higher Education (THE). In addition, QS Ranking listed five Vietnamese universities in the top 400 Asian institutions and URAP, CWUR, Shanghai Jiao Tong and Webometrics ranked DTU in the top 700 worldwide, as well as its high rating in the top ten institutions in Central Vietnam and nationally.
In 2017, DTU was also the first private Vietnamese university to receive national accreditation and, in 2019, was the second university, after the HCMC University of Technology, to be accredited by ABET, the American gold standard of education quality, in Science & Technology. DTU is now the highest ABET accredited university in Vietnam, with four programs in Electrical Engineering and IT topics and is preparing for additional ABET recognition.
Online education capability based on years of experience teaching thousands of students
Fortunately, in 2019, even before the pandemic broke out, DTU launched its eUniversity online Bachelor programs and enrolled students from all over the country. The programs integrate the twelve years of experience in online education at DTU, which has been continually developed, modified and broadened up to now.
Since the beginning of last year, university lecturers have been using Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meetings applications to extend student interaction. However, this can only be considered as a temporary solution, which currently satisfies lecturer needs. In the long run, from an organizational viewpoint, the university needs a common platform, a state-of-the-art Learning Management System (LMS), to manage the online studies of thousands of students simultaneously, from admission to graduation. Starting in 2008, DTU spent four years creating and now updating the Academic Management System (AMS), to automatically manage the education of all students, in the classroom, at home or online, and guarantee smooth operations.
Online education at DTU also benefits from the myDTU system, which allows users to access all the university’s applications, including Zoom, though one portal. DTU has invested billions of VND in the ZOOM copyright, to ensure uninterrupted connection for thousand of lecturers, through the AMS system. Online classes are punctual and complete, and schedules can be viewed on myDTU, exactly as before. Because students are paying the same tuition fees online as they would be for the normal in-person classes, the university is obligated not to cancel or abbreviate lessons. DTU ensures this through AMS and the continuous attention to online training procedures.
Universities require Learning Content Management Systems (LCMS) to integrate documentation, by major, with standardized teaching methods, regardless of user volumes. Without this integration, if only one experienced lecturer teaches a specialized major online, this will generally suffice, but if others teach the same subject online their own way, common standards can never be established. However, the DTU AMS eLearning platform enables lecturers to effortlessly share materials and methods, and students ultimately benefit strongly from that.
An LCMS system must undergo constant updates over the years for acceptable grading methods and programs to become firmly established. At DTU, banks of thousands of multiple-choice, yes/no or written questions have been tailored to each major over the years, according to the current teaching objectives at that time. Lecturers can create classes courses and exams from the banks and ensure the standardization and quality of student classes, tests and evaluations.
However, online exams may now present are a bigger challenge, as certain eLearning platforms suffer from interruption, due to severe infrastructure or software limitations. As a result, the university has developed its own exam system, called the DTU Testing Service, which is synchronized with the university’s LMS and LCMS (AMS) systems. DTU lecturers can now conduct problem-free exams, in the classroom, at home or online, from creating, executing and grading them and, on completion, students automatically receive integrated, detailed reports on each of their courses.
Serious-looking DTU students sit for their online exams
Twenty Thousand DTU Students Completed their Exams during the Pandemic
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SYSTEM
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DTU
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LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LMS)
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The Academic Management System (AMS) has been undergoing continuous development since 2008 and enables efficient course management, from admission to graduation.
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LEARNING CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LCMS)
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The Learning Material Management system integrates the DTU AMS and the DTU Testing Service applications into an eLearning platform.
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P2P VIDEO-CONFERENCING PLATFORM
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Integrates an uninterrupted, copyrighted Zoom system, with extra classroom management facilities, video storage and so on.
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DATA CENTER
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Investment has entered the third phase, totaling $4 million so far, to implement switching and firewalls for all applications, using a 27-rack myDTU server and a 33-rack eLearning and DTU Testing Service server.
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ONLINE EDUCATION TOOLS
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- 150 wide-angle, high-resolution cameras in all classrooms, allowing lecturers to display the blackboard and other materials in high resolution to viewers online.
- High-quality AV systems in all classrooms.
- Projectors in all classrooms.
- Wacom, for Graphics, Architecture and Construction subjects, and Visualizer for specimen demonstration, and so on.
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(Media Center)