Bui Thi Nhu Ngoc, Dang Le Anh Tuan, and Nguyen Tri Nhan

Faculty of Biology & Biotechnology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, HCMC

btnngoc@hcmus.edu.vn

Enhancing Student Competencies and Employability: University-Industry

Collaboration in Biology and Biotechnology

Introduction and objectives

Principles of the collaboration between University and Industry

Methodologies, activities, and results

Conclusions

Outlines

Bui Thi Nhu Ngoc, MSc.University of Science - VNUHCM

Lecturer & Faculty assistant Project leader: - Development of a cooperation model between

university and industry to improve the quality of

workforce training in biology and biotechnology

fields (funded by Agence Universitaire de la

Francophonie – AUF)

- Soft skills & professional skills training; career

guidance and development program for students

Key member:- Academic development team for rebuilding the

academic curriculum, building up the student

exchange program, & composing a self-

assessment report for AUN-QA Accreditation

Supervisor: Biology & Biotechnology Student

Academic Club

3

1975

- 8 Departments

- 100 staffs

- ~2000 undergraduate students (600

freshmen)

- ~500 graduate students (150 freshmen)

Faculty of Biology

was established

Biotechnology

program launched

Faculty of Biology

and Biotechnology

renamed

Advanced BS in

Biotechnology

launched

1999

2015

2017

Faculty of Biology & Biotechnology

(FBB-VNUHCM-US)

4

Why do we conduct this project?

➢ AUN-QA acreditation

➢ Continuous improve curriculum: apply CDIO concept (Conceiving — Designing — Implementing —Operating)

➢ Feedback from the employers, lecturers

➢Characteristics of companies which locate in Vietnam

5

3% - No

77 %

20 %

Not sure

- Career decision/choice after graduation

- Do not understand the work environment

- Select a specific major to study

- Have not identified their strengths

- Lack of professional skills

The main difficulties of students which related to career development:

Need career

development

activities

77 % responded students need career development activities

Analyse the needs and difficulties of students

Bridging the collaboration between university and industry for workforce development

7

University

IndustryStudent

Career development principle

Personality typeCareer

characteristics

8

Career plan and development

✓ Hobbies

✓ Abilities

✓ Skills

✓ Knowledge

✓ Holland types

✓ …

✓ Job description

✓ Company’s culture

✓ Position & development

✓ Job requirements

✓ Company information

✓ …

9

Objectives

➢Establish the sustainable link between university and bio-biotech companies in Vietnam

➢Establish the suitable career development program for biology & biotechnology students

➢Support students to become more skilful, and have a hands-on understanding about the workforce

➢Support employers to recruit valuable candidates/ employees

➢Update the academic curriculum

Approach on University – Industry Collaboration

10

11

Define the needs of industry sector through survey and annual meetings

… … … …

List of companies and job positions

Research

~20%

Gov./

service

Others

Trading

~35%

Technical

~30%

Technician

Application

QC

Sale

Marketing

Supply chain

Researcher

R&D

Teacher/trainer

QA

Policy maker

Facility

manager

Entrepreneur

Higher education

Second diploma

Freelancer

…collected by alumni, employers survey and interview

Job groups in industrial sectors of Biology & Biotechnology fields

List of companies

and job positions

Job description

for each position

Job profile

Direct contacts,

sharing list from

partners,

biomedia.vn

Companies’

recruitment

posts

List of required

competencies for

each job position

The industry employment needs = Job profile

15

Job description for each position

16

The core professional competencies of bio-biotech positions

Job profile analysis –mapping with curriculum

Approach on University – Industry Collaboration

18

19

The industry sectors engage into the university activities such as:

Job fair: My Jobs

Career talks: FBB’s talk (online & offline)

Academic Competition (with industry-linked activity): Vuon Uom Mendel

Company visit: Ajinomoto, Rohto, Yakult, HCMC Biotech Center, etc.

Internship: DKSH, Nestle, Roche, etc.

Co-teaching: skills for trading in biotech (Nguyen Thanh Khoi, United

Scientific), medical diagnostics (Nguyen Tuan An, Dept. of

Diagnostics), etc.

Taking action - Results and impacts of collaboration

• Helping students learn the work environment

• Creating connection between students and alumni

• Building a willingness to enter the labor market

• Applying for recruitment positions

→ 25 companies, over 1500 students/alumini

My Jobs – Students and Employers

20(Video)

• There are various topics and trainings which are mainly trained by companies’ representatives and alumni

• Over 20 talks and workshops were conducted in 2017-2018, approximate 1500 participants

• Samples of FBB’s talk topics and announcement

FBB’s talk, soft skills training, and co-teaching

21

FBB’s talk online

22

Communicate with experts, employers, alumni

Conclusion

• Built the list of over 400 companies in biology and biotechnology fields(including name, job positions, job description, etc.) (published to students)

• Established the strong partnership with at least 30 companies / institutesin Biology and Biotechnology fields

• Increase the number of companies and students which participated in theevent or training procedure:

- 8 companies in 2017, 20 companies in 2018, 25 companies in2019.

- 800 students in 2017 to 1500 students in 2018 and 2000students in 2019.

- The feedbacks were found that 90% of participants were stronglysatisfied to the content of this activity and want to join in the next one.

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Conclusion

• There are over 55% of graduated students get job immediately aftergraduation (surveyed in 11/2018)

• Over 75% of the graduates get the suitable job after 6 months (surveyedin 2016, 2017).

• approximate 80% of students satisfied to the supports from our project,especially these activities which were co-operated with the industry orcompanies.

24

Acknowledgement

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Contact:

Bui Thi Nhu Ngoc, MSc.

btnngoc@hcmus.edu.vn / ngocbtn@gmail.com