Knowledge Management in Higher Education in Vietnam: Insights from Higher Education Leaders — An Exploratory Study

This paper aims at increasing awareness of knowledge management (KM), its challenges as well as benefits in Higher Education (HE) system of Vietnam. An exploratory qualitative research design was deployed using semi-structured interviews. Nine senior institutional leaders from nine Vietnamese universities participated in the study. Thematic analysis, informed by the literature, was undertaken on English translated transcripts of the interviews. The findings shared senior HE leaders’ perspectives on how KM in higher education institutions (HEI) of Vietnam was being conceptualised and operationalised, as well as insights into how KM associates with six dimensions of HEIs’ performance so as to gear up KM’s benefits and anticipate challenges when a HEI embarking on the KM journey. Further research of different methods on the topic to enlighten the role of KM in HE system of Vietnam, and beyond, is recommended. The role and importance of KM is wildly recognised in business communities. However, studies exploring KM application in HE system remain scarce especially HE of developing countries. In Vietnam, no qualitative studies of KM in HEIs have been located. Vietnam is a nation on its way to transform from a state-based to market-driven economy; and a comprehensive education reform is deemed to shoulder the key task. KM deployment in the whole HE system is essential to comprehensive education reform and then to the global integration of its HE system. Besides, the study helps enrich the literature of KM in HE sector and provide insights of KM to campus chiefs, KM officers, administrator in HEIs.