Factors Determining Governance Effectiveness in Vietnamese Universities: A Mixed-Method Investigation
Factors Determining Governance Effectiveness in Vietnamese Universities: A Mixed-Method Investigation

Summary/Abstract: Background/Purpose. In the context of higher education being strongly influenced by globalization, the knowledge economy, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, university governance effectiveness has become a central issue in many countries, including Vietnam. This study aims to identify and measure the factors influencing governance effectiveness in Vietnamese universities, addressing the gap in large-scale empirical research within the domestic context. Materials/Methods. A mixed-methods approach employing a convergent parallel design was adopted, combining a survey of 455 administrators, faculty members, and staff from various types of higher education institutions with 15 in-depth interviews. Quantitative analyses (Cronbach’s Alpha coefficients ranging from 0.89 to 0.92, EFA, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression) and qualitative analyses (thematic analysis) were conducted independently and later integrated during the discussion phase. Results. The findings indicate that leadership competence (β = 0.21) and the legal-policy framework (β = 0.18) are the strongest predictors of governance effectiveness, followed by international collaboration (β = 0.14), infrastructure (β = 0.12), and organizational culture (β = 0.10). Financial governance did not show a statistically significant direct effect in the regression model (β = 0.08, Sig. = 0.070). Conclusion. This research provides the first large-scale empirical evidence for a multifactor governance model in the Vietnamese context. The findings offer important implications for macro-level policy reform and institutional strategic development. The main limitations of the study include its cross-sectional design and the use of purposive convenience sampling.

• Details
• Contents