[FAIE: Tourism and Travel Management] The First Tourism and Travel Management Program in Dong Nai to Achieve AUN-QA Accreditation

As a leading application-oriented university in Vietnam, repeatedly honored as a “champion” in international competitions for many consecutive years, since 2019, Lac Hong University (LHU) has been the first private university in Vietnam to achieve international quality standards under AUN-QA (ASEAN University Network – Quality Assurance). At the end of 2024, Lac Hong University was officially awarded institutional-level accreditation under AUN-QA Version 3.0 by the ASEAN University Network (AUN). It is the first university in Southeast Asia to attain this standard.

Within this framework, The Faculty of Administration International Economics had its Business Administration major accredited to AUN-QA standards in 2021. Building on that success, the Tourism and Travel Management program of the Faculty has recently completed the assessment process and been recognized as meeting AUN-QA standards. The Tourism and Travel Management major of Lac Hong University is also the first program in Dong Nai Province to achieve AUN-QA accreditation. This is strong evidence of the University’s quality assurance from strategic orientation and systemic management to the implementation of training functions, scientific research, connection, and community service.

To achieve these results, over the past period, the University assigned specialized teams to participate in self-assessment training and to learn from institutions whose programs have already met accreditation standards. In addition, reputable experts were invited to provide self-assessment training for faculty members, lecturers, and staff. Accordingly, the University has gradually adjusted and enhanced the quality of training activities, scientific research, technology transfer, staff development, and enterprise and community engagement.

A distinctive feature of the Tourism and Travel Management curriculum is its practical courses, which provide fundamental real-world knowledge through field trips and site visits to tourist destinations, restaurants, hotels, and travel companies. These experiences enable students to independently perform professional tasks in tourism and travel-related fields and to be well-prepared for immediate employment after graduation.

To further enhance facilities for Tourism and Travel Management students, Lac Hong University has also established the Lac Hong Guest House, where students can practice and experience a real working environment directly on campus. With an investment of tens of billions of VND, the Lac Hong Hotel is not merely an accommodation facility but a professional training center that helps students develop practical skills and knowledge.

With the Tourism and Travel Management major becoming the first in Dong Nai to achieve AUN-QA accreditation, Lac Hong University promises to serve as a launching pad for the careers of many young people in the tourism and hospitality industry. The University thereby provides high-quality human resources equipped with professional knowledge, competencies, vocational skills, managerial capabilities, and soft skills such as information technology, foreign languages, communication, and teamwork. The University consistently creates a supportive environment to nurture talent, enabling students to further develop knowledge, conduct research, and pursue postgraduate studies both domestically and internationally.