United Kingdom
Birmingham City University bcu.ac.uk
Project lead
BCU is a large, diverse, modern University with around 22,000 students drawn from 80 countries. Our project team are based in Birmingham City University’s College of Education and Social Work. The College delivers Initial Teacher Education, Education, Childhood and Youth courses in Birmingham as well as continuing professional development (CPD) for practicing education professionals. It offers high quality courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate degree level that are tailored to meet the needs of the professions. Our researchers are part of the Research Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education (CSPACE). CSPACE is an inclusive, playful, and experimental research collective. A central principle of CSPACE is that practice-based research is a key aspect of the professional identity of health and education practitioners.
The Team
The BCU project team has substantial teacher education experience and education research expertise that in combination spans primary education and higher education. The team have excellent experience of using a range of research and pedagogical approaches to work with teachers, teacher educators and education leaders. The team also have extensive partnership and experiences working with researchers and educators in Vietnam over the years, successfully delivering funded projects and consultation work.
Dr Vanessa Cui (project principal investigator) is a Senior Research Fellow at Birmingham City University Centre for the Study of Practice and Culture in Education (CSPACE). She is an experienced practitioner education researcher with research interests and expertise on collaborations in interdisciplinary education practices and research, and policy-practice interactions. Vanessa is also an education research impact development and evaluation specialist who currently leads on the evaluation of British Council funded ‘Digital Doctorate Training Hub’ and ‘Teacher Educators Digital Hub’ projects with partners from across Vietnam.
Dr Louise Wheatcroft (project co-investigator) is a Senior Lecturer in ITE at Birmingham City University. In her research, Louise draws upon her experiences as a primary teacher and teacher educator to further research literacy and digital literacies in school and teacher education practices. Her PhD explored the digital literacy projects and practices of student teachers when navigating complex spaces in primary literacy classrooms. Louise has worked as a co-investigator on a number of international education research projects including the impact of Covid on schools, communities and pupils and teachers’ digital practices in Vietnam (e.g. ‘Teacher Educators Digital Hub’ project).
Viet Nam
Ho Chi Minh City University of Education hcmue.edu.vn
Project co-lead
Ho Chi Minh City University of Education (HCMUE) is a key national teacher education university in Vietnam, with a history dating back to its establishment in 1976. The university serves over 25,000 students, including hundreds of international students, across 48 undergraduate and 36 postgraduate disciplines. HCMUE consists of 22 departments, 12 centers, 1 institute, 1 high school, 14 offices and divisions, and 1 publishing house, supported by a team of nearly 1000 dedicated staff members. It offers both teacher education and non-teacher education programs, preparing professionals for various sectors.
HCMUE has recently established two branches in Long An and Gia Lai provinces to support the training of high-quality human resources for these localities. Many of the university’s programs are accredited by AUN, and it actively promotes international cooperation through joint programs and training collaborations with various countries. Committed to excellence, HCMUE aims to become a leading higher education institution in Southeast Asia by 2030.
The Team
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang (project co-lead investigator), Director of the STEM Education Center and lecturer at the Chemistry Department of HCMCUE, holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Birmingham, UK. She has played a key role in numerous STEM projects and activities, including "Enhance STEM Education Capability of Vietnamese Teachers" to advance STEM teaching across all school levels. Additionally, she has contributed to various initiatives funded by the British Council, ranging from the ‘Digital Doctorate Training Hub’ and STEM-POWER to EnPOWER and MGEMS, which promote gender equity in education.
Dr. Cao Anh Tuan (project co-investigator), Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education (HCMUE), holds a PhD in Physics from Paris University 11, France, and brings extensive experience in scientific research and academic management. He has held key leadership roles, including Vice Dean and Dean of the Physics Department at HCMUE from 2012 to 2021. Known for his expertise in managing and participating in scientific research activities, Dr. Tuan is committed to fostering innovation and academic excellence, contributing significantly to the development of education and research at HCMUE.
Viet Nam
Hanoi National University of Education hnue.edu.vn
Project partner
Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE) is a crucial institution and a national flagship university in Vietnam, particularly renowned for its excellence in teacher education and teacher professional development. With a faculty of over 1,000 staff and lecturers spread across 24 academic departments, the university has a diverse and highly qualified team. Moreover, HNUE has a well-established network of top-tier affiliated schools, ranging from kindergartens to primary, secondary, and a high school for gifted students. With a rich history of over 73 years, HNUE has established itself as a leading institution for undergraduate and postgraduate education, as well as teacher professional development programs across the country.
HNUE has been recognized as an important center for scientific research projects. There are a number of HNUE members who have achieved national and international acclaim, earning prestigious awards such as the State Science Award, the Vietnam Talent Award, and the Science and Technology Innovation Award. The university is continuing to enhance its reputation for academic excellence and innovation and contributing significantly to the advancement of education and research in Vietnam.
The team
The research team for this project is composed of highly experienced experts with a strong background in research, teacher education, and teacher professional development in Vietnam. Their areas of expertise include the integration of information technology into teaching practices, the implementation of STEM-based educational approaches in subject teaching, and the development of teaching competencies for both pre-service and in-service teachers nationwide.
Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Van Hien (project co-investigator), is a lecturer in the Faculty of Biology at HNUE, where he currently serves as Chairman of the University’s Board. His primary research interests encompass the development of general teaching and learning competencies, the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education for in-service teachers and pre-service teachers, STEM education, and education for sustainable development. He has also served as a senior consultant for educational programs implemented by Intel and Microsoft in Vietnam, provided consultancy for WWF's educational projects, and participated as a member of the global network on education for sustainable development. Notably, he led the Vietnamese research team in the STEM2TV project, which aims to foster STEM education collaboration between NTNU (Taiwan), Thailand, and Vietnam.
Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Hoai Nam (project co-investigator), is an Associate Professor of Education at Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE). He holds a bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degree in physics from HNUE. Currently, he serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Technology Education (FTE) at HNUE and also teaches as a visiting lecturer in the Faculty of Primary Education at the same institution. His research focuses on ICT in education, technology education, and STEM/STEAM education, and he has published several works in these areas.
United Kingdom
Nottingham Trent University ntu.ac.uk
Project partner
With over 40,000 students and staff spanning five university sites, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is one of the largest and most influential higher education institutions in the country and the 5th largest university in terms of enrolled students overall (HESA 2022-23). We are committed to driving forward meaningful change and have received a wide range of prestigious awards for our research, dynamism, and innovation. We are proud to be recognised as a university that opens its arms to all. We were among the first to sign up to the Government’s social mobility pledge, University Mental Health Charter and Disabled Student Commitment, demonstrating our focus on improving the prospects of young people. We are also passionate about fostering local talent, with over a third of our students from the East Midlands.
The Team
The NTU project team has a strong track record within Computer Science with expertise in accessible technologies, multimodal affect recognition, serious games, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The team have substantial experience in working with international research teams on several high-impact projects.
Dr. Jordan J. Bird (project co-investigator) is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at Nottingham Trent University, specialising in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, and Human-Robot interaction. His research spans multiple international collaborations, including projects such as "STEM 4.0: Advancing Technology Education through AI-Driven and Adaptive Learning" (Funded by the British Council) and "SmartBerry: Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Strawberry Farming in Developing Countries" (Funded by InnovateUK) among others. Dr. Bird is also a public speaker, delivering keynotes on the transformative impact of AI and its sustainability. For this project, Jordan is contributing two innovative case studies: The "Educational Literature Analysis" tool for teachers which uses AI and NLP to process books and suggest appropriate audiences based on the appropriate national curricula, and "HistoriChat" which leverages Large Language Models and life-sized holograms of virtual human avatars to enable natural, face-to-face conversations with historical figures as a new form of education.
Professor David Brown (project co-investigator) is leader of the Interactive Systems Research Group (ISRG) and Director of the Computing and Informatics Research Centre (CIRC). His areas of research interest include: Accessibility for students with learning, physical and sensory impairments (DiversAsia), Virtual Reality in the rehabilitation of people with intellectual disabilities, Multimodal Affect Recognition Learning Systems to develop personalised learning pathways (H2020 MaTHiSiS, Pathway and AI-TOP), Social Robotics for use use in the education of students with learning disabilities and autism (EDUROB), Accessible Visual Programming Toolkits to promote engagement and collaborative behaviours (H2020 No One Left Behind), Serious Games for the development of physical and cognitive skills (Real Life, RISE) and Co-design and positive mental wellbeing (EPSRC An Internet of Soft Things).
Dr. M. Arifur Rahman (project co-investigator) is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at Nottingham Trent University, with a rich academic journey spanning several prestigious institutions. Prior to this, he held the position of Associate Lecturer at the University of Reading and contributed as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at NTU’s Interactive Systems Research Group. A former Associate Professor at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, Dr. Rahman earned his PhD in Computer Science from The University of Sheffield, UK in 2018 and holds a Master’s in Human Language Technology from The University of Trento, Italy. A recipient of two gold medals for his academic achievements, Dr. Rahman has authored books and numerous scholarly articles.
Viet Nam
University of Education, Vietnam National University Hanoi education.vnu.edu.vn
Project partner
VNU-UEd is a publicly funded, education-focused and research-active university. The university has pioneered a new teacher training model that focuses on multidisciplinary knowledge and life-long learning skills. VNU-UEd established the first Department of Education Technology in Vietnam, and its graduates has been well-received by many education institutions as well as EdTech companies. Furthermore, VNU-UEd has actively developed partnerships with many universities abroad, and is also a trusted partner of Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training in term of policy consultation – its rector is member of the advisory board to the Vietnamese Government on education.
The Team
Dr Do Thuy Linh (project co-investigator) is a lecturer at VNU-UEd. She has led and participated in various research projects that focus on developing new teaching and learning methods for various groups of students, including some projects on blended learning as well as STEM and AI education – and these offers invaluable experience for the current project. Linh has also published some academic articles and presented at many conferences.
Chau Duong Quang (project co-investigator) works as lecturer at VNU-UEd, concurrently a PhD candidate at the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership, State University of New York at Albany, where he has worked as a research associate at The Program for Research on Private Higher Education (PROPHE). Education policy has been his primary research interest – and he has been pursuing a second master degree in public policy to further deepen his education policy interest. He is an editorial board member of the book series Global Realities in Private Higher Education (with Routledge), and a co-editor of the series’ volume on Asian Private Higher Education (forthcoming). He has published in and reviewed for various academic journals, as well as contributed in several edited book projects. In addition to academic publishing, Quang has also received grants for research projects, participated in several education initiatives (notably Vietnam University Ranking), penned education commentaries, and organized and presented at many conferences.
Viet Nam
Vinh University vinhuni.edu.vn
Project Partner
Vinh University (VU), located in the center of Vietnam, is a prestigious higher education institution with a diverse academic portfolio. It serves as a hub for academic excellence and innovation, offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across multiple disciplines. The university is known for its strong emphasis on research, fostering collaboration with domestic and international partners to address global challenges. Its mission is to empower students and contribute to sustainable development through high-quality education and impactful research.
The VU project team brings extensive experience in education and digital transformation within higher education institutions. They have actively participated in the ETEP program and have established a strong network of primary, lower secondary, and higher secondary schools across Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, and Ha Tinh provinces. Their expertise and connections position them to make a significant contribution to the success of the project.
The Team
Dr. Le Quang Vuong (project co-investigator) is a senior researcher and lecturer at Education College, Vinh University, specializing in educational innovation, digital transformation in education, and project management. With extensive experience in implementing education reform initiatives and managing interdisciplinary projects, he has contributed significantly to fostering capacity building and improving educational practices. Dr. Vuong's expertise in these areas positions him as a key contributor to the project’s success.
Ms. Bui Thanh Thuy (project associate) is a dedicated staff member at the Cyber School, Vinh University, with expertise in project coordination and administrative support. She played a key role as a project assistant in the ETEP program, where she contributed to implementing digital transformation initiatives and supporting capacity-building activities. Her strong organizational skills and experience in educational project management make her an essential part of the team, ensuring smooth project operations and effective collaboration among stakeholders.