Managing assessment operations as organizational work: a business process management – enabled case of digital governance in Vietnamese higher education

Purpose Assessment in large public universities is often treated as an academic matter rather than as a form of organizational work. When assessment depends on fragmented routines and individual discretion, institutions struggle with transparency, consistency and managerial oversight. This study investigates how Business Process Management (BPM) can be used to govern assessment operations as an organizational work process in higher education, without intervening in academic judgment. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a mixed-methods case at a large public technical university in Vietnam, combining institutional process data, system logs, semi-structured interviews with academic and administrative staff (n = 15) and a student survey (n = 16,664). Quantitative data were analyzed using reliability testing and exploratory factor analysis, while qualitative data were examined thematically. Findings BPM-based governance improved assessment operations on multiple dimensions. End-to-end assessment cycle time was reduced by more than 40%, manual workload fell by approximately 50% and student perceptions of fairness and transparency were high (mean = 4.3/5). Four mechanisms shaped these outcomes: coherent leadership, formalized workflows, enhanced data visibility and the separation of teaching and assessment roles. At the same time, the reform generated tensions as standardized digital workflows altered established professional practices. Originality/value Results show how assessment operations can be governed as organizational work using BPM principles in public universities, strengthening accountability without displacing academic judgment.