The effectiveness of the total quality management model in Viet Nam’s higher education: evidence from the statistical analysis of the accreditation results

Abstract

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a set of principles and tools for quality management; its practice is believed to improve the quality of products and services. In Viet Nam, since 2017, universities have been accredited based on the standards set by Circular No. 12/2017/TT-BGDĐT, essentially the Vietnamese version of the AUN-QA Framework for Institutional Level for higher education institutions, which integrates several principles of TQM. This study used statistical analysis tools, including descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and PLS-SEM, to analyze the accreditation results of Vietnamese universities with the aim of verifying the effectiveness of the principles of the total management model in higher education. The research findings provide evidence affirming the theoretical basis of the AUN-QA accreditation model, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing quality. However, it also offers some suggestions regarding the quality of the measurement scale and assessors in the evaluation process.