Associate Professor Doctor Le Hieu Hoc, Head of the Faculty of Science and Education Technology at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, expressed this desire at the "Co-creating Future Human Resources" workshop last weekend.

Politburo Resolution 57 states that "developing high-quality human resources linked with science, technology, and innovation is a decisive factor for national competitiveness." Mr. Hoc believes this sets a clear requirement for higher education.

"We must not only train learners to know, but also to be able to do," he said, emphasizing the need for practical skills.

Currently, the connection between academic institutions and businesses is not robust. While universities provide effective instruction, they often lack real-world problems for students. Conversely, students gain extensive theoretical knowledge but have limited opportunities for practical application. Businesses, needing skilled individuals, often do not participate in training from the outset and may be apprehensive about engaging with students.

This disconnect can hinder universities in training personnel suitable for industry needs. Simultaneously, companies face challenges such as increased costs from mis-hiring, the necessity for retraining, and early staff departures due to unmet requirements.

To address these issues, Hanoi University of Science and Technology is promoting the "Real Work - Hands-on Experience - Real Capability" model. This initiative aims for students to engage with real-world problems, work alongside businesses, and learn in practical environments, moving beyond traditional classroom settings.

Under this model, businesses will propose actual challenges. For instance: designing a digital learning ecosystem or creating e-learning modules for new employee training.

Over approximately 15 weeks, equivalent to one semester, students will work to solve these problems. They will receive guidance from both university lecturers and mentors from the participating businesses. Following this period, both parties will evaluate the results, with this assessment contributing to the students' course grades.

Mr. Le Hieu Hoc introduced the "Real Work - Hands-on Experience" model on the afternoon of 23/5. *Photo: HUST*

Many companies have commended Hanoi University of Science and Technology's model, expressing readiness to involve students in solving their problems for 10 to 15 weeks. Notably, 7 businesses have already signed cooperation agreements specifically with the Faculty of Science and Education Technology, committing to assign tasks to students and participate in guidance and evaluation.

Mr. To Hong Nam, Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology, and Information, Ministry of Education and Training, praised the model as practical. He noted that it concretizes cooperation among the three key stakeholders: the state, academic institutions, and businesses. This approach not only helps schools develop more relevant programs but also provides businesses with an opportunity to cultivate a stable, quality workforce and integrate their products and solutions into the educational environment.

Duong Tam