STEM education in Vietnam: examining the impact of an internationally transferred educational approach

This study critically examines how integrated STEM education has been transferred to Vietnam in the wake of the 2018 Renovation of General Education Program. Drawing on policy borrowing theory and the indigenization model, the study analyzes how global STEM models were adapted (and sometimes resisted) within Vietnam’s diverse educational contexts. A systematic review of peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2018 and 2024 was conducted using Google Scholar and the Publish or Perish tool. Articles were selected based on relevance to STEM implementation in Vietnam and screened using PRISMA guidelines. A hybrid analytical approach was employed, combining SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) coding with inductive thematic analysis. Findings reveal urban-rural disparities in infrastructure and teacher preparedness, as well as cultural tensions between imported inquiry-based methods and traditional Confucian pedagogies. While urban schools benefit from curriculum alignment and international support, rural regions face persistent implementation barriers. These findings suggest that STEM reform is most successful when globally transferred models are critically recontextualized, not simply adopted. To support equitable and sustainable reform, educational leadership needs to (1) prioritize regional differentiation in teacher training and resource allocation; (2) align national assessments with STEM learning goals; and (3) engage educators in localized curriculum adaptation to ensure cultural compatibility. A scholarly contribution is made to global policy transfer research by showing how STEM education reform plays out unevenly across local settings and requires targeted, context-sensitive support.