THỰC TRẠNG VẬN HÀNH CHU TRÌNH PDCA TRONG CẢI TIẾN CHƯƠNG TRÌNH ĐÀO TẠO TRÌNH ĐỘ THẠC SĨ TẠI MỘT SỐ TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC

Abstract

This study examined the operation and closure of the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle in the continuous improvement of master’s degree programs at three universities. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed, comprising a survey of 137 academic managers and faculty members, interviews with 33 participants, and an analysis of 12 program accreditation documents. The findings showed that Plan and Do were implemented frequently, whereas Check, Act, and the linkage and closure of the cycle occurred only occasionally; Check was the weakest phase. Integration of the three data sources identified four major bottlenecks at the Plan-Check, Do-Check, Check-Act, and Act-new Plan transitions, particularly in defining verifiable indicators, generating and linking evidence, converting evaluation results into decisions, and feeding improvement outcomes into subsequent planning cycles. The study indicates that the presence of PDCA-related activities does not necessarily constitute a closed-loop improvement process. Effective PDCA operation depends largely on maintaining a traceable flow from objectives and evidence to evaluation, decision-making, and subsequent planning. The findings suggest that management efforts should prioritize the quality of transitions between PDCA phases rather than simply adding further procedural requirements.