EDUCATION
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members of the public on the standard of overseas education programmes and on the comparability of qualifications. Upon request, the council also provides advisory services to professional bodies, institutions and government departments in relation to accreditation, quality assurance and educational standards.
With the implementation of the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance in June 1997, the HKCAA was appointed the adviser to the Registrar of Non-local Courses, who is the Director of Education. The HKCAA advises the registrar whether certain non-local higher and professional courses meet the criteria for exemption or registration, and whether conditions should be imposed. In the past year, the council has assessed about 300 such courses.
To keep itself abreast of the latest developments in accreditation practices and quality assurance around the world, the HKCAA maintains strong links with international and regional higher education and accreditation authorities, especially those in the Mainland. The HKCAA is an active member of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education, as well as other international bodies.
Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education
The Government set up the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education in 1986 to promote civic awareness and responsibilities in the community.
In 1999-2000, the committee continued its efforts in promoting various themes of civic education, ranging from respect for human rights and rights of the individual, civic responsibilities and good citizenship to instilling a sense of belonging to Hong Kong, concern for the motherland and understanding the Basic Law.
Major activities during the year included an annual roving exhibition on civic education and district-based roving exhibitions on the promotion of the Basic Law; media campaigns including radio and television announcements in the public interest, television programmes, newspaper and other forms of advertisement to enhance public awareness of civic responsibilities, the nation and the Basic Law; competitions. to promote the theme 'Hong Kong, Our Home' and a seminar on civic awareness. Civic education reference materials produced during the year included a CD-ROM on understanding the motherland, comic booklets on general civic education and booklet on the Basic Law for children, different booklets on human rights and a 2000 calendar on the nation.
The committee has also expanded the Community Participation Scheme, enabling more non-governmental organisations to organise civic education projects to promote civic awareness and to foster a stronger sense of belonging to Hong Kong.
Commission on Youth
The Commission on Youth was established in 1990. Its main objectives are to advise on matters pertaining to youth, initiate research, promote co-operation and improvement in the provision of youth services and serve as a liaison point with other international youth organisations for youth exchange programmes.
In 1999, it completed two studies - one on the influence of the media on youth and another on the supportive system for young new arrivals. The findings of the two studies were released to the public. The commission held a seminar in September to gauge the views of interested groups including academics, parents, media personnel,