Cultural Foundations for Reform: The Role of School Culture in Vietnamese Higher Education

Abstract

The culture of educational institutions plays a pivotal role in the ongoing reform of higher education in Vietnam. It functions not only as a motivational force for both faculty and students but also as a foundation for establishing core values, behavioral standards, and a supportive learning environment. A robust and positive school culture significantly contributes to the enhancement of teaching and learning quality, while simultaneously promoting students’ holistic development across moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetic dimensions. Fostering such a culture necessitates active collaboration among educational institutions, families, and the broader society in shaping and nurturing the character of the younger generation. This paper seeks to elucidate the multifaceted role of school culture in Vietnam’s higher education reform, focusing on four key dimensions: school culture as an objective of reform, school culture as a driving force for change, school culture as a regulatory mechanism in the reform process, and school culture as a core criterion in evaluating and guiding reform initiatives in contemporary Vietnamese higher education.