(Chinhphu.vn) Degree classifications of 'Good' or 'Excellent' must accurately reflect student capabilities.

(Chinhphu.vn) – The Ministry of Education and Training has called on universities to address grade inflation without imposing fixed quotas on the proportion of students graduating with Good or Excellent classifications. According to Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, academic quality must be assured through learning outcomes, examination practices, and graduates' ability to perform effectively in the workplace.

On October 16, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) issued Official Dispatch No. 7314/BGDDT-GDDH outlining the key tasks for the 2026–2027 academic year in higher education and teacher-training colleges. The Ministry instructed institutions to review their examination, assessment, and graduation classification regulations; analyze grade distributions across academic programs and student cohorts; and compare assessment results with expected learning outcomes and employer feedback to identify and address grade inflation.

Notably, MOET emphasized that universities must not impose predetermined grade distributions or quotas for Good and Excellent graduation classifications, nor lower academic standards to improve institutional performance indicators. Universities are required to conduct sample reviews of examination papers, graduation projects, and theses, and submit reports on grade inflation control before the end of the academic year.

The Proportion of High-Achieving Graduates Cannot Be the Sole Measure of Quality

Commenting on this requirement, Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Acting Head of the Academic Affairs Office at the School of Business and Management (HSB), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, identified several contributing factors to grade inflation. These include examinations that place excessive emphasis on memorization, outdated curricula that encourage selective studying, and insufficiently diverse assessment methods. At some universities, the examination and academic administration functions are not adequately separated, making independent oversight more difficult.

According to Dr. Tuan, Good and Excellent degree classifications serve as signals from universities to employers, identifying graduates who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance. However, when an excessively high proportion of students receive these classifications without corresponding levels of competence, employers may struggle to distinguish genuinely exceptional candidates. This not only diminishes the value of academic qualifications but also forces businesses to spend additional time assessing applicants.

Comparable examples can be found at the Faculty of Law of the National University of Singapore (NUS), where only 10% of students may attain the highest distinction, commonly referred to as "Summa Cum Laude" – a Latin expression meaning "with highest honors." This represents an approach based on proportional classification. By contrast, at institutions such as the University of Oxford, approximately 30% of students achieve First-Class Honours, generally associated with an overall degree mark of 70% or above. However, as is widely recognized, Oxford's admissions process is highly selective, making a higher proportion of outstanding graduates more understandable. The common observation here is that virtually no university ranked among the world's top 100 has a proportion of Good and Excellent graduates reaching 50%.

Assessing Competence Rather Than Merely Awarding Grades

Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan emphasized that universities must first establish learning outcomes aligned with professional skills and reform their examination practices. Student achievement should be evaluated through multiple methods, including examinations, discussions, debates, practical assignments, and projects. Assessment criteria must be transparent, while evaluation processes should be subject to independent oversight. When unusually high grades appear, institutions should review examination content and marking methods rather than simply reducing students' scores.

He also shared HSB's experience in separating examination administration from academic training functions, using question banks, computer-based examinations, and randomized test papers. Since the 2025–2026 academic year, HSB has established an AI Ethics Committee to review suspected cases of plagiarism or excessive use of artificial intelligence in assessments and require students to provide explanations. According to Dr. Tuan, these measures are intended to ensure that assessment results accurately reflect students' own contributions.

International Lessons in Controlling Grade Inflation

Drawing on international experience, Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan recommended that Vietnamese universities regularly analyze examination results, particularly in courses with unusually high proportions of top grades. He noted that adjusting grades according to a normal distribution could be considered. However, the more important priority is to use data to review and update examination questions and assessment methods, rather than applying mechanical grade adjustments. He also referred to assessment quality assurance practices at Australian universities such as RMIT.

Another issue highlighted by Dr. Tuan is transparency in academic assessment. He suggested that universities should publicly disclose grade distributions by academic program and course, similar to the provision of grade data at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States. Beyond examination results, academic transcripts should also recognize achievements in scientific research, graduation projects, and entrepreneurship competitions, providing employers with a more comprehensive basis for evaluating graduates' capabilities.

In particular, Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan stressed the importance of incorporating employer feedback on students' performance during internships and after graduation. Entrepreneurial outcomes, employment opportunities, and income levels are also valuable indicators. For example, in the field of business education, some international universities consider the number of companies founded by alumni, including businesses valued at more than USD 1 billion, as an indicator of educational effectiveness.

According to Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, high grades do not necessarily translate into strong professional performance. "We want grades to accurately reflect each student's abilities and efforts," he affirmed, emphasizing that graduates must be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute effectively in the workplace immediately after completing their studies.

Thu Trang