On December 1, 2025, at VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-USSH), the GO-GN Asia Pacific Conference took place as a special academic space where policymakers, scholars and educational practitioners analyzed important changes in the Open Education movement in Vietnam in interaction with the regional and global context.
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The conference was organized by the University of Melbourne, the Hewlett Foundation, the Open University, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Vietnam Association for Science and Technology Information. What makes the conference meaningful beyond a typical scientific event is the way it poses the issue of Open Education not only as a technical solution, but as a development discourse linked to academic philosophy, pedagogical innovation and shaping the future of universities.
Right from the morning session, the workshop positioned the OER movement as a strategic component of the knowledge ecosystem in the digital age. The updates on OER policy in Vietnam, presented by Associate Professor Dr. Do Van Hung, showed that the national legal system has begun to form initial orientation frameworks; however, at this point, the gap between policy and implementation practice is still significant. Compared with the UNESCO framework guidelines in 2019, the problem lies not only in the synchronization of policy, but also in the ability to translate OER principles into sustainable practice at educational institutions, where lecturers, students and administrators interact daily with learning materials, learning and research. It is the continuous connection between the macro and micro levels that created a consistent analytical thread throughout the entire workshop program.
In the field of university pedagogy, the conference devoted a lot of time to discussing the possibility of turning OER into a catalyst for innovation in teaching and learning methods. Sharing from RMIT University, Hue University School of Tourism and domestic universities emphasized that open learning materials can only truly play their role when they are integrated into new pedagogical practices, where lecturers play the role of author - editor - knowledge creator, not only using but also enriching the common knowledge base. In the context of the strong spread of artificial intelligence, some presentations showed that AI can support the process of designing open learning materials, automating technical steps, personalizing learning materials and expanding the creativity of both teachers and learners. However, applying AI to OER also raises new questions about ethics, quality assurance and open licensing mechanisms, factors that require serious research in the coming time.
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One of the most in-depth aspects of the workshop took place during the orientation session, where the participating groups conducted a SWOT analysis of the OER movement in Vietnam. The open discussion method, based on academic dialogue and research evidence, allowed for a clear identification of internal strengths such as the growing interest of universities and support from international organizations; while also clarifying the long-standing challenges in infrastructure, academic habits, copyright mechanisms and public awareness. The analysis of risks and opportunities also helped to reshape the strategy: if Vietnam wants to enter the second phase of OER development, moving from “open access” to “open innovation”, the core is to build a strong enough community of practice, connecting research, training, technology, and expanding regional cooperation.
With the foundation from this conference, academic activities in preparation for the international conference “Open Futures: Empowering Fair and Inclusive Higher Education in the Asia-Pacific” in 2026 have become even more solid. It is important not only to maintain dialogue, but also to incorporate scientific conclusions from the conference into policy, teaching practice and academic culture of each university. The breakthrough of Open Education in Vietnam, therefore, will not come from a single effort, but from the process of resonance between research, innovation and the maturity of the national OER practice community in the coming years.
