Determinants of lecturer quality in Vietnamese public universities: Evidence from a quantitative assessment aligned with AUN-QA standards

Type of the article: Research ArticleThis study investigates the influence of institutional and individual factors on lecturer quality within Vietnamese public universities under the AUN-QA framework. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 310 full-time lecturers from five universities in Vietnam between January and March 2025. The study assessed seven factors: pedagogical competence, professional competence, technological competence, professional development policy, human resource management policy, organizational culture, and facilities, using validated Likert-scale instruments. The results reveal that all seven factors significantly affect lecturer quality, with pedagogical competence and human resource management policy being the strongest predictors. Specifically, pedagogical competence (β = 0.358, p < 0.001) and human resource management policy (β = 0.229, p < 0.001) contributed most to improving lecturer performance. These findings suggest that enhancing teaching capabilities and supporting lecturers through effective human resource management policies are crucial for improving academic quality. The study also highlights the importance of aligning institutional support systems and strategic policies to meet AUN-QA standards. Practical implications are provided for policy reform and institutional capacity-building, aiming to foster continuous improvement in higher education quality in Southeast Asia.