Alongside other factors like governance and curriculum innovation, higher education in Vietnam is in need of reforms from a philosophical point of view for several reasons. In particular, in order to meet the needs posed by the current state of digital transformation and globalization in general, higher education has to adopt new approaches both in terms of its internal policies and in its orientation and overall philosophy. This paper considers the role of philosophy in the process of reforming higher education, especially from the point of view of helping with the development of worldviews, human development, methodologies and directions for action [1,2,3]. Based on the theoretical and conceptual framework for analysis, coupled with philosophical interpretation, critical analysis and policy synthesis, three main roles for philosophy in the context of higher education can be identified, including a cognitive role, a critical one and a value-orienting one. Referring these findings to the specifics of the Vietnamese case, in particular to digital transformation, higher education autonomy and re-structure in universities in Ho Chi Minh city, the author identifies several challenges in implementing these ideas in practice, such as problems with theory versus practice, lack of academic resources and constraints on the work of the teaching staff.
Alongside other factors like governance and curriculum innovation, higher education in Vietnam is in need of reforms from a philosophical point of view for several reasons. In particular, in order to meet the needs posed by the current state of digital transformation and globalization in general, higher education has to adopt new approaches both in terms of its internal policies and in its orientation and overall philosophy. This paper considers the role of philosophy in the process of reforming higher education, especially from the point of view of helping with the development of worldviews, human development, methodologies and directions for action [1,2,3]. Based on the theoretical and conceptual framework for analysis, coupled with philosophical interpretation, critical analysis and policy synthesis, three main roles for philosophy in the context of higher education can be identified, including a cognitive role, a critical one and a value-orienting one. Referring these findings to the specifics of the Vietnamese case, in particular to digital transformation, higher education autonomy and re-structure in universities in Ho Chi Minh city, the author identifies several challenges in implementing these ideas in practice, such as problems with theory versus practice, lack of academic resources and constraints on the work of the teaching staff.
