Title: Alumni's perspectives on the training program of the universities administered by the Vietnam Ministry of Transport: an EFA-based descriptive study on CDIO

Authors: Vu Thi Lan Anh; Nguyen Thi Thu Hang; Nguyen Loc

Addresses: Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport (UTH), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ' National Institute of Education Management (NIEM), Hanoi, Vietnam ' Thu Dau Mot University, Binh Duong, Vietnam

Abstract: This article reports on a study of four universities run by the Vietnam Ministry of Transport. The study uses a 40-Likert-seven-point-item questionnaire and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to analyse 312 alumni's perceptions on the academic program. The current academic program fulfils 45.19% of alumni soft skill, work communication, and work skill needs. The six scales derived from the 12 CDIO standards that influence alumni attitudes are, from strongest to weakest: 1) teaching and learning methods; 2) design-build experiences; 3) integrated curriculum expected; 4) learning outcomes; 5) assessment and evaluation; 6) faculty teaching skills. The EFA results show a good correlation between the six components, with R values of 0.922 and R² of 0.851. 85.10% of the six criteria explain the stakeholders' requirements. Sig. value 0.0005, from F (6, 305) = 289.788, shows that the regression model predicts alumni perspectives. The results provide clear evidence to the academic program designers of the four universities in the study when revising the academic program to approach the CDIO philosophy.

Keywords: CDIO academic program; CDIO standards; alumni' perspectives; change management; EFA-based descriptive.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2023.132041

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2023 Vol.34 No.1, pp.36 - 58

Received: 06 Apr 2022
Accepted: 04 Jul 2022
Published online: 07 Jul 2023 *