The integration of STEM education needs to go deeper.
Ms. Do Ngoc Anh, Director of the Center for Communication and Admissions at Hanoi Open University, affirmed that STEM education linkages are of significant importance in expanding opportunities to access knowledge, helping learners apply knowledge to practice, and identifying their own development direction.
With an open educational philosophy that serves diverse learning needs and lifelong learning, Hanoi Open University views this connection as a continuous process between different levels of education, training programs, and professional environments. In this process, STEM education in secondary schools provides the initial foundation; vocational education, higher education, and research activities further develop learners' practical skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.
Each side possesses complementary strengths. Universities and research institutes offer experts, research methods, and an academic environment; vocational education institutions excel in practical skills, manufacturing, and professional expertise; businesses provide technology, production processes, and real-world problems; and families and communities offer professional experience and local knowledge.
For Hanoi Open University, the experience in organizing distance learning, applying technology in teaching, and developing digital learning materials suggests suitable ways to contribute and bring professional resources closer to schools and the community.