From March 14 to March 18, 2022, the project "Monitoring Trends In Vietnamese graduates' Employment" (MOTIVE) organized the workshop "Establishing National Portal for Graduates in Vietnam" chaired by Hanoi University of Home Affairs - Quang Nam Branch. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the seminar took place at Hanoi University of Home Affairs - Quang Nam Provincial Branch and online via the Zoom platform.

Participants from Europe include AlmaLaurea and University of Bologna (Italia). Participants from Vietnam include representatives from Political Education and Student Affairs Department, Ministry of Education and Training; Hanoi University; Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology; National University of Arts Education; Vietnam National University of Agriculture; Thai Nguyen University; Hanoi University of Home Affairs; Hanoi Tourism College; Halong University; and Academy of Journalism and Communication.

The workshop also welcomes other members namely Center for Training Support and Human Resource Supply – Ministry of Education and Training, Hanoi Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Duy Tan University (Da Nang), Phu Xuan University (Hue), Thu Dau Mot University and Hoa Sen University (HCMC).

Opening the workshop, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ba Chien – Rector of Hanoi University of Home Affairs welcomed the member universities and emphasized the importance of the project in the development strategy of each institution. The employment of graduates is one of the most important issues in every university, thus, conducting graduates’ employment survey within the framework of the MOTIVE project will contribute to enhancing the educational quality of higher education institutions and the employability of students after graduation, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the workshop, Mr. Doan Hong Ha, Vice Director of Political Education and Student Affairs Department emphasized the importance of the project that helps create opportunities for Vietnamese training institutions by establishing the connection networks within the country and at the same time exchanging job opportunities and start-ups business matters with European partners. Mr. Doan Hong Ha confirmed that the output of the MOTIVE project is an important channel for the Ministry of Education and Training to build a database of graduates to improve students’ job opportunities.

In the first working day, the workshop listened to and discussed the reports on the results of the graduates’ survey, the establishment of National Portal for graduates in Vietnam by Hanoi University and report on the project dissemination handbook of best practice by the Academy of Journalism and Communication. The project’s expert groups also had in-depth discussion, focusing on solutions for outstanding issues and action plan in the coming time.

Ms. Ngo Phuong Dung, Hanoi University presented the report on the current status of graduates’ employment survey data and methods of cleaning and coding data. Accordingly, the partner institutions had completed the survey on the employment status of graduates within a satisfactory rate. However, data coding is difficult due to the lack of consistency in the way responses to open-ended questions are recorded.

Within the framework of the workshop, the delegation had a meeting with the Hoi An Tourism Business Association that helped connect and enhance understanding between the project and the Quang Nam business network. MOTIVE project aims to create a link between graduates and employers, thereby helping students find suitable jobs after graduation.

At the workshop, Mr. Dorel Manitiu, Project Coordinator announced the prize of the writing contest “Graduates and the labor market”. The article “Career intention of final year students in Vietnam in the context of Covid-19 pandemic” by a group of students from Hanoi University won the award. The author of the article will be supported by the project to attend and present at the project’s next conference in Bologna (Italy) in May 2022.

In the coming time, the project will focus on completing the graduates’ survey report. Partner institutions will need to agree on the overall structure of the report, the method to code and process data, thereby making appropriate recommendations and suggestions for professional training. In addition, partners also need to assign appropriate personnel to promote the project to new partners, businesses and establish the project’s portal.

MOTIVE project, which is funded by Erasmus+ aims to research on Vietnamese graduates’ employment to give recommendations on policy innovation, strengthen capacities of Vietnamese higher education and reinforce the linkages between partner institutions and enterprises.

Photo 3: Participants of the workshop at Hanoi University of Home Affairs – Quang Nam Branch

Photo 6: Mr. Dorel Manitiu, Project Coordinator announces the prize of the writing contest “Graduates and the labor market”

Photo 7: Meeting with Hoi An Tourism Business Association