This paper reports part of the findings of a longitudinal research investigating tertiary lecturers’ perceptions and experiences of PLD in HE in Vietnam (Tran, 2016). Through reporting findings from an analysis of policy documents, this paper aims to offer a better understanding of the phenomenon of PLD within its socio-cultural context, and PLD initiatives to support educational reforms in Vietnam from the policy makers’ perspectives. | An Giang University Journal of Science – 2017, Vol. 5 (2), 116 – 128 SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN VIETNAMESE HIGHER EDUCATION: INSIGHTS FROM POLICY DOCUMENT ANALYSIS Tran Thi Thanh Hue1, Huynh Thanh Tien1 1 An Giang University Information: Received: 05/03/2017 Accepted: 15/04/2017 Published: 06/2017 Keywords: Professional Learning and Development (PLD), Higher education, tertiary lecturers, educational reforms, Vietnam ABSTRACT Professional Learning and Development (PLD) plays a key role in enhancing teacher teaching as well as capacity to enact mandatory educational policies in Higher Education (HE). PLD has been found as a multi-faceted, complicated phenomenon embedded in the context it is implemented. Through reviewing relevant policy documents issued in HE in Vietnam, this paper aims to explore the socio-cultural context, PLD role and function, and PLD initiatives to support educational reforms in Vietnamese HE. The review foregrounds three key areas:(1) general espoused professional policies for lecturers, (2) reform initiatives and PLD supporting reform implementation, and (3) cultural perspectives on lecturers’ professional roles and status. The findings offer a better understanding of PLD in tertiary education from the perspectives of educational policy makers, and set a foundation for further discussions about how PLD is translated into practice in local contexts, and the alignments among different stakeholders’ views of PLD in Vietnamese tertiary education. respond to mandated initiatives in HE; however, the national directives have not provided these educators with clear guidelines for the provision of PLD. There is a need for effective PLD to enable lecturers to better understand these initiatives, fulfil their roles and implement the government policies successfully (K. D. Nguyen et al., 2009). 1. INTRODUCTION Over the last decade government initiatives in Vietnam have resulted in major education reforms in .
