Innovating Programmes with Sustainable Expected Learning Outcome Framework

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Number 4 (SDG 4) aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all people. The ASEAN University Quality Assurance Network (AUN-QA) recommends Outcome-based Education (OBE) and Constructive alignment approach are the heart of quality education. This paper discusses the findings from a self-assessment exercise in which 41 academic programmes of different disciplines from 5 universities in Vietnam assessed the quality of their programme learning outcomes (PLOs) using a PLO quality rubric and the findings from an expert judgment of 104 course learning outcomes (CLOs) of 11 capstone courses in an EFL programme offered by one of these 5 universities. The findings reveal there are areas for improvement to realize OBE into good practices in undergraduate programmes in Vietnam. Based on these findings, this paper proposes an alternative framework for PLOs, termed by the researchers as SUSTAINABLE. This alternative framework aligns with the SMART and WISER frameworks recommended by AUN-QA, the VASCULAR framework recommended by Sally Brown, a UK education expert, as well as the PLO mandates by the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). Given that the SUSTAINABLE framework illustrates the OBE and Constructive alignment approach in a bigger scope with more key elements to be considered and meanings to be conveyed, this framework may help academic programmes meet the ever increasing requirements of their stakeholders.