Circular No. 44/2017/TT-BTTTT dated December 29, 2017 of the Ministry of Information and Communications on accreditation of information technology certificates used in Vietnam issued by foreign organizations satisfying information technology skill standards for users

THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

Circular No. 44/2017/TT-BTTTT dated December 29, 2017 of the Ministry of Information and Communications on accreditation of information technology certificates used in Vietnam issued by foreign organizations satisfying information technology skill standards for users

Pursuant to the Law on Information technology dated June 29, 2006;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 71/2007/ND-CP dated May 03, 2007 specifying and providing guidelines for implementation of certain articles of the Law on Information technology regarding information technology industry;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 17/2007/ND-CP dated February 17, 2007 on functions, tasks, power and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

At the request of the Director of the Department of Information Technology,

The Minister of Information and Communications promulgates the Circular on accreditation of information technology certificates used in Vietnam issued by foreign organizations satisfying information technology skill standards for users.

Article 1. Scope of adjustment and subject of application

1. This Circular deals with criteria and procedures for accreditation of information technology (IT) certificates used in Vietnam issued by foreign organizations satisfying IT skill standards for users in accordance with the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT dated March 11, 2014 by the Minister of Information and Communications on IT skill standards for users (hereinafter referred to as “Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT”).

2. This Circular deals with foreign organizations issuing IT certificates and requesting the Ministry of Information and Communications to consider accrediting that such certificates satisfy IT skill standards for users in accordance with the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT.

3. This Circular does not apply to IT certificates under scope of application of corresponding agreements on qualifications or mutual accreditation thereon or international agreements related to qualifications to which Vietnam is a signatory.

Article 2. Definitions

1. "certificate satisfying basic IT skill standards for users" means an IT certificate issued by a foreign organization and considered accrediting with satisfaction of basic IT skill standards for users stated in the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

2. "certificate satisfying each module of advanced IT skill standards for users" means an IT certificate issued by a foreign organization and considered accrediting with satisfaction of advanced IT skill standards for users stated in the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

Article 3. Criteria for accreditation of IT certificates issued by foreign organizations satisfying IT skill standards for users (hereinafter referred to as “IT certificates”)

1. IT certificates shall be issued by any of the following organizations:

a) Foreign organizations legally operating in the fields of providing training, setting examinations and issuing IT certificates in Vietnam;

b) Foreign organizations legally operating in the fields of providing training, setting examinations and issuing IT certificates in foreign countries and having authorized representatives to provide training, set examination and issue IT certificates in Vietnam. Such authorized representatives shall be enterprises or organizations legally established and operating in training and education in Vietnam.

2. Certificates shall be accredited in writing by at least 2 education quality accreditation organizations having headquarters located in developed countries (including countries that are G7 members, EU members, Australia and Korea). Such written accreditations shall be still valid and issued not exceeding 5 years from the day on which the requests therefore are send to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

3. Program framework and syllabuses satisfying IT skill standards for users mentioned in the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT include:

a) Basic IT skill standards for users including logical mapping program framework and syllabuses satisfying all knowledge and skills of modules provided in Appendix No. 1 of the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT (except for the contents of the following reference numbers: IU01.5.2.2, IU02.2.1.2, IU02.5, IU03.2.2.3, IU03.2.4, IU03.6.2 and IU05.6.2.1).

b) Advanced IT skill standards for users including logical mapping program framework and syllabuses satisfying all knowledge and skills of modules provided in Appendix No. 2 of the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT (except for the contents of the reference numbers of IU14.1.2.3 and IU14.1.2.5).

4. Tests satisfying IT skill standards for users mentioned in the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT include:

a) Tests satisfying basic IT skill standards for users made on the basis of comprehensive knowledge and skills satisfying all 6 basic modules of IT skill standards for users prescribed in Clause 1 Article 2 of the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT.

b) Tests satisfying advanced IT skill standards for users made on the basis of comprehensive knowledge and skills of each advanced module of IT skill standards for users prescribed in Clause 2 Article 2 of the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT.

c) Tests made by software of question banks, encoded and ensuring strict confidentiality and automatically marked.

5. Testing software serving setting of examinations shall:

a) be able to authenticate candidates.

b) have algorithm of random and systematic selection of questions in different fields of knowledge and skills to create tests from question banks.

c) have a suitable and accurate automatic marking system to notify results on computer monitors or by printing after tests are finished.

6. IT system serving setting of examinations shall:

a) ensure criteria for database safety, confidentiality and safety when logging in the system.

b) be able to remember history, prepare statistics, report and save data automatically.

c) ensure stable operation of computers and have equipment to ensure information safety for the system.

d) have the online supervision function to avoid cheating during the examination.

7. Procedures for examination and certificate issuance:

a) Procedures for examination supervision and certificate issuance shall ensure avoidance of cheating.

b) It is required to have a website providing all information about regulations on examination, certificate issuance, sample tests and inspecting validity of issued certificates.

Article 4. Procedures for accreditation of IT certificates used in Vietnam issued by foreign organizations satisfying IT skill standards for users

1. A foreign organization or its authorized representative in Vietnam (applicant) shall send 2 sets of application for accreditation of the IT certificate satisfying IT skill standards for users mentioned in Article 6 herein, in person or by post, to the Ministry of Information and Communications (Department of Information Technology).

2. After receiving adequate application, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall transfer the application to and request the inspection council (mentioned in Article 5 herein) to consider verifying and accrediting the IT certificate.

3. The applicant shall provide the inspection council with 5 tests that are directly taken from actual testing software under supervision of the inspection council.

4. The inspection council shall consider verifying and assessing the IT certificate according to the criteria mentioned in Article 3 herein.

5. The IT certificate shall be accredited only when all of the criteria stated in Article 3 herein are satisfied.

6. The inspection council shall request the Minister of Information and Communications to whether accredit that the IT certificate satisfies IT skill standards for users or not.

7. If the application is valid, the Minister of Information and Communications shall consider accrediting the certificate and publish specimen of the certificate on its website. If the application is rejected, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall provide the applicant with written explanation.

8. The time limit for considering and making a decision on accreditation of the IT certificate shall be 45 working days from the day on which the Ministry of Information and Communications receives the adequate valid application and tests.

9. The decision on accreditation of the IT certificate shall be valid for 3 (three) years.

10. If there is any change in the program framework, syllabus, examination contents or specimen of the certificate, the Ministry of Information and Communications shall consider re-accredit the certificate in accordance with the procedures for accreditation of IT certificates mentioned in Clause 1 to Clause 9 this Article.

Article 5. Inspection councils

1. The Minister of Information and Communications shall establish the inspection council of IT certificates.

2. Members and operating regulations of the inspection council shall be decided by the Minister of Information and Communications upon request of the Director of the Department of Information Technology.

Article 6. Applications for accreditation of IT certificates

The application for accreditation of the IT certificate consists of:

1. A completed application form provided in the specimen of Appendix I and Appendix II attached hereto.

2. Written evidence satisfying the criteria mentioned in Article 3 herein, including:

a) A certified true copy or translated copy of each of the written evidence suitable for Clauses 1 and 2 Article 3 herein;

b) A certified true copy or translated copy of the specimen of the certificate;

c) The list of logical mapping of modules of the program framework or syllabus of the applicant compared to the IT skill standards for users mentioned in the Circular No. 03/2014/TT-BTTTT;

d) Documents describing the tests;

dd) Documents describing testing software;

e) Documents describing the IT system serving setting of examinations;

g) Documents describing procedures for testing and certificate issuance.

Article 7. Responsibilities of foreign organizations or their authorized representatives in Vietnam

1. Take responsibility for accuracy of contents stated in documents.

2. Update and report immediately to the Ministry of Information and Communications when there is any change in satisfaction of criteria mentioned in Article 3 herein.

3. Consolidate and report the following contents to the Ministry of Information and Communications not later than January 31 every year:

a) The list, characteristics and situations of testing centers in Vietnam.

b) Aggregated data on testing results and issuance of certificates in the previous year in Vietnam.

4. Ensure the quality of setting examinations and issuing certificates satisfying IT skill standards for users. The Ministry of Information and Communications may consider removing accreditation of certificates if they commit any violation (if any).

Article 8. Implementation provisions

1. This Circular takes effect on February 15, 2018.

2. The Department of Information Technology affiliated to the Ministry of Information and Communications shall take charge and cooperate with relevant authorities in providing guidelines for implementation of this Circular.

3. Chief of secretariat, Director of the Department of Information Technology, heads of relevant authorities affiliated to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Directors of Departments of Information and Communications of provinces/central-affiliated cities and relevant organizations and individuals shall implement this Circular.

4. Any problem arising in the course of implementation shall be reported to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

The Minister

Truong Minh Tuan