Building an educational technology ecosystem that safeguards academic integrity, ensures effective oversight, and upholds the principles of transparency and accountability is a requirement of the new era. It can help improve the effectiveness of education governance.
Transparency as a benchmark
An educational technology ecosystem is understood as a network connecting educational institutions, management agencies, technology businesses, teachers, learners, families and social organisations. Within this ecosystem, technology plays a role in connecting resources, supporting governance, innovating teaching methods and improving learning quality.
A responsible educational technology ecosystem should not be assessed solely by the number of smart devices, online platforms in use or AI applications developed. More importantly, it must safeguard learners’ rights, respect ethical principles and create genuine educational value in a controlled and humane manner.
According to Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Thi Que Anh from the University of Law under Viet Nam National University, Ha Noi, education, particularly higher education, is undergoing a shift in educational philosophy and algorithmic governance models. AI is no longer a passive tool like a computer or static data repository; it is increasingly taking on the role of a “cognitive partner”, directly shaping learners’ values and ways of thinking.
The goal of education is shifting from finding solutions to identifying problems and evaluating values. Accordingly, students need to be able to analyse contexts, assess the accuracy of data provided by AI, and make decisions based on humanistic values and professional ethical standards. This marks a shift from outcome-based education towards a focus on the learning process.
More than 200 sets of ethical principles and recommendations on AI have emerged worldwide. However, there remains a significant gap between the adoption of AI laws and ethical guidelines and their practical application in algorithm deployment.
In education, some educational technology projects have been technically successful but have failed to deliver significant educational benefits. Viet Nam currently has a comprehensive legal framework for governing technology systems, including the 2025 Law on Artificial Intelligence and the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Circular No. 05/2026/TT-BKHCN, issued on March 10, 2026, which stipulates the National AI Ethics Framework.
The Ministry of Education and Training has also issued Circular No. 49/2006/TT-BGDDT, dated June 20, 2026 and effective from August 15, 2026, on the application of technology in higher education and vocational education. Under the circular, AI can be used in training, testing, assessment, scientific research, governance and learner support services. Such applications must be learner-centred, support the implementation of training programmes, meet learning outcome standards and maintain quality assurance conditions in accordance with regulations.
According to Dr Tran Kim Ba of the Viet Nam Academy of Social Sciences, the more extensively AI is applied, the greater the need to uphold transparency, fairness and humanistic values in learning and research. This is essential to building an intelligent but compassionate education system that is modern without losing its identity, and innovative while keeping people at its core.
Keeping pace with and mastering technology
In digital education, data is continuously generated through teaching, learning, research and communication activities. It is an important resource for personalising each learner’s educational experience, but also raises challenges concerning data security and privacy.
One current difficulty is the uneven digital capacity of teachers, while the digital divide between regions remains to be addressed. Technological infrastructure, a prerequisite for building a smart educational technology ecosystem, remains fragmented and poorly integrated.
In practice, even major cities have schools using different platforms and management systems, with varying approaches to data storage. This makes it difficult to connect and share learning resources. UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report notes that shortages of equipment and digital infrastructure are significant barriers to teachers’ adoption of technology.
Dr Tran Kim Ba said that building an educational technology ecosystem required investment in technological infrastructure and the training and retraining of teachers, based on a multi-stakeholder governance approach in which each party has clearly defined responsibilities.
The State should establish institutions and policies on data security, set standards and introduce monitoring mechanisms to protect learners’ rights. Schools should strengthen their role in technology governance, implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of technology applications. Teachers, meanwhile, should use technology responsibly in their teaching.
Dr Ho Duc Thang, a full-time member of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, said AI was developing at a rapid pace, with its capabilities doubling every four to six months. People must learn to coexist with and master technology. Only when they have a solid knowledge base can the use of AI deliver genuine benefits.
