How British University Vietnam used a QS-centred framework to assure quality and accelerate growth

The challenge of building a new international university in Vietnam

When BUV was founded in 2009, the environment was deeply challenging:

1. Vietnam’s per-capita income was just $1,000/year, roughly 1/12 of BUV’s annual tuition fees.

2. Transnational education (TNE) was largely unknown in the Vietnamese market.

3. Established public universities dominated the market, with tuition fees at 1% of private international institutions.

4. British-style higher education was absent from the landscape.

5. Parents and students were skeptical of new private international universities.

On top of this, BUV faced the universal challenge for new institutions: proving quality before outcomes existed.

BUV’s leadership reframed these obstacles as opportunities. Rather than avoiding high global standards, the University chose to embrace and leverage them to build trust and reputation from the ground up.

Strategic solution: The triple quality framework

BUV engineered a three-tiered quality assurance system, a model known internally as the Triple Quality Framework, built on:

1. Local accreditation – the country they’re based in (Vietnam’s MOET)

2. National accreditation – the country that they’re representing (UK’s QAA)

3. Global benchmarking (QS Stars)

This framework allowed BUV to measure excellence through both qualitative and quantitative indicators.

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Tier 1: Local legitimacy – Vietnamese MOET Compliance

BUV aligned with the Vietnam’s Ministry of Education & Training (MOET) through:

• 6 compulsory national standards (governance, teaching, facilities, finance, admissions, research)

• 20 quantitative quality indicators

• This granted essential national legitimacy and positioned BUV as a credible education provider for Vietnamese students and families.

Tier 2: National benchmarking – QAA Accreditation

BUV became the first university in ASEAN to achieve accreditation from the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).

This required full compliance with all 10 European Standards & Guidelines criteria and additional government recognition of QAA in Vietnam.

The result:

• Stronger trust from UK partners

• Rapid expansion of degree programmes

• Increased appeal to parents seeking authentic British higher education

• Where partnerships were once difficult to secure, BUV soon saw UK institutions approach them proactively.

Tier 3: Global recognition – QS Stars

With strong local and national foundations, BUV turned to global benchmarking, achieving:

• Five QS Stars in 2022 (the first in Vietnam)

• Five QS Stars recertification in 2025

• New emphasis on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Global Engagement

Key global engagement outcomes include:

• 81% international faculty

• Faculty from 31 countries

• Progression pathways with 70 global partners

• Exchange programmes with 14 countries

• Partnerships with the University of London, Liverpool University, Bristol University, and other elite UK institutions

Together, these achievements positioned BUV as Vietnam’s gateway university to the world.

Measurable impact

BUV has seen multi-faceted improvements as a result of their accreditations.

Student and reputation growth

BUV’s student population has reached 2,500+, with rapid annual growth. The University is continuously included in MOET’s top-tier institution rankings, and has enhanced trust and brand recognition among parents and students

Global academic positioning

• Became the first university in Vietnam to receive a five QS Stars rating

• First Vietnamese institution to have an MBA programme enter the QS Global MBA Rankings: Asia, placing =43rd in the region

• Achieved prerequisites for full QS World University Rankings participation

These results validate BUV’s belief that rigorous quality assurance is a strategic accelerator, not an administrative burden. Speaking at QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2025, Professor Rick Bennett, BUV’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President said: “We stand on the shoulders of quality assurance bodies, accreditation agencies, and ranking organisations that have created our infrastructure for global education excellence.”

Alignment with Vietnam’s national higher education vision

“This journey is not just about BUV’s institutional advancement, it’s linked to the Vietnamese national ambition,” Professor Bennett said. Vietnam aims to become a regional transnational education hub by 2030. BUV’s trajectory directly supports this national strategy by:

• Raising global visibility of Vietnam's higher-education sector

• Demonstrating a scalable TNE quality model

• Contributing to a future “knowledge and innovation hub,” rather than only a financial hub

As Professor Bennett noted: “When the Vietnamese government decides to do something, they usually get it done.”

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Roadmap to 2050: BUV’s ambitions tied to QS recognition

BUV has set out a bold but achievable QS-aligned roadmap:

• 2022 - First QS 5 Stars (first in Vietnam)

• 2025 - QS 5 Star recertification + QS Global MBA Rankings entry

• 2030 - Entry to the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings: Asia  

• 2050 - Entry to the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings

This timeline builds on BUV’s first seven years of foundational progress, giving them 25 years more to reach global elite status - three times the time needed to reach initial QS recognition.

Why BUV’s journey matters for global education

BUV demonstrates that new universities in emerging markets can rapidly ascend through:

• Strategic global benchmarking

• Multi-layer quality assurance

• Commitment to local/national compliance

• Strong partnership ecosystems

• Transparent, measurable standards like QS Stars

BUV's example shows that quality assurance is not a cost centre or administrative burden, it is a growth engine.

Conclusion

BUV’s transformation from a small startup institution into Vietnam’s first five QS Stars rated university stands as an international example of how quality assurance, when embraced strategically, fuels growth, credibility, and global ambition.

The university’s Triple Quality Framework and long-term alignment with national and international standards position it as a future top 100 Asian university and a potential global research leader by 2050.

With the right frameworks, quality is not a constraint, it is a catalyst.