Teaching of Ethics in Archival Education: Exploring the Philippine and Vietnamese Cases

Archivists must navigate increasingly complex moral dilemmas, yet little empirical work describes how Southeast Asian programs cultivate ethical competence. Addressing this gap, the present paper asks: how, and to what extent, ethics are taught in archival education? A qualitative comparative case study analyzed policy documents, syllabi, and assessment rubrics from two flagship institutions: the Master in Archives and Records Management (MARM) at the University of the Philippines Diliman and the archival-studies programs at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. Findings reveal contrasting curricular philosophies. These models mirror national conditions: the Philippines compensates for limited legislation through curricular creativity, while Vietnam secures uniform conduct via legislation. The paper suggests that a hybrid approach marrying reflexive critique with regulatory literacy would better prepare Southeast Asian archivists for culturally plural, digital environments, as the cases show. By documenting current practice, it strengthens global debates on ethics pedagogy and offers region-specific guidance for curriculum designers.