General description (591/600)

This study analyses the adoption of performance based accountability policies (PBA) in higher education (HE) and suggest the implications for the Vietnamese higher education system. PBA policies, that is, the consideration of outcomes in relation to education institutions and their activities, have been widely adopted in higher education management systems across the world (Shin, 2009). With globalization and the information revolution there has been a growth in institutional autonomy whereby accountability is becoming one of the most critical policies of governments in order to monitor results, outputs, and outcomes of public universities (World Bank, 2008;). Therefore PBA are often considered to be support systems for national government assessing and suggesting solutions to improve quality and efficiency in higher education institutions (Nicoline, 2011; McKeown-Moak & Mullin, 2014).

Some studies found that PBA contributed efficiently to institutional performance in HE, however other research considering higher education accountability has demonstrated no significant rise in their comparative case studies on PBA and identified that improved institutional performance did not always occur (Volkwein and Tandberg, 2008, Huisman and Currie, 2004; Shin, 2004, 2009). Consequently, discussion of issues related to PBA in higher education is increasing and literature now encompasses measuring and reporting the results of educational programs for theoretical and managerial use.

Although the adoption of PBA in HE has proven successful in many developed countries (USA, UK, Australia, and Canada), Schiller and Liefner (2007) suggested that developing countries such as Vietnam have different political, social and economic situations, therefore they should develop policies that are adaptable to the country’s development.  Vietnam has been attracted to the adoption of PBA within public higher educational institutions in order to become globally competitive (MOET, 2012). However there has yet to be any in-depth research regarding the function and systems already in existence. An exploratory inquiry into the adoption of PBA policies in Vietnamese higher education will enable the construction and exploration of a conceptual framework within the field.

The Objective of the study

This study seeks to explore the influences that elicit the adoption of a PBA policy within HE in Vietnam. This research study will serve three main purposes. First, to contribute to a richer understanding of PBA in the Vietnamese HE context. Second, to provide an understanding of the conceptual frameworks for educational policy makers and higher educational practitioners that seek to adopt the policies of other international higher education institutions.

The research questions:

1. What factors influence adoption of performance based accountability policies in public higher education institutions in Vietnam?
2. What is the evidence of how these factors have influenced adoption performance based accountability policies in public higher education institutions in Vietnam?
3. What have been the academic implications/consequences of adoption of performance based accountability policies for public higher education institutions in Vietnam?

 Theoretical framework:

The study of the factors that influence state adoption of PBA policies in HE can be identified in existing theoretical framings. McLendon et al., (2006) focused on PBA within the USA context through the hypothesis and found the influence of ten factors into PBA adoption in HE. In addition, they suggested that other prospective factors (such as policy entrepreneurship) could be influencing the PBA policies and therefore should be considered in future research projects (McLendon, Hearn & Deaton, 2006). This study considered dynamics and influences that differ greatly to emerging economies such as Vietnam. Given developing priorities a proposed framework including seven factors such as Governance, Undergraduate Tuition Levels, Undergraduate Enrolment Levels, Educational Attainment, Economic Conditions, State Legislature and The Role of Entrepreneurship policy will be examined. 

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