146 Education
cent in the 2000-01 academic year to over 60 per cent in the 2007-08 academic
year.
Degrees, up to doctoral level, awarded locally are widely recognised by institutions of higher learning around the world. All UGC-funded institutions have self-accrediting status and well-established quality assurance mechanisms. The UGC set up in April 2007 a semi-autonomous Quality Assurance Council under its aegis to provide third party assurance of quality. The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) validates courses and programmes offered by higher education institutions that are not self-accrediting.
Hong Kong is well positioned to provide quality higher education in the region because of its cosmopolitan outlook, strong links with the Mainland, world-class universities and diversified system of education. It is Hong Kong's stated intention to become a regional education centre. Measures have been implemented to attract quality non-local students to study in Hong Kong, and this process will further internationalise the city's higher education sector and increase local students' exposure to the world. It is also the Government's aim to persuade non-local students to live and work in Hong Kong after they have graduated. This addresses Hong Kong's immediate manpower needs and enhances its competitiveness in the long run.
Qualifications Framework
A Qualifications Framework (QF) was officially implemented on May 5. Its primary objective is to foster lifelong learning to upgrade continuously the quality and competitiveness of Hong Kong's workforce. Underpinned by a quality assurance mechanism, the QF provides a seven-level hierarchy against which different qualifications can be benchmarked. The Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance, which went into effect on the same day, provides a legal footing for the implementation of the QF. The HKCAAVQ is appointed under the ordinance as the Accreditation Authority to develop and implement the QF's quality assurance mechanism and the accreditation of learning programmes.
Qualifications, learning programmes and details of course providers recognised under the QF can be uploaded to a free web-based database, Qualifications Registry (QR). The HKCAAVQ is also appointed as the authority to maintain the QR.
To recognise the experience, knowledge and skills of experienced workers, a two-year pilot scheme called 'Recognition of Prior Learning' was introduced in June to three industries to facilitate workers' continuing education: 'Printing and Publishing', 'Watch and Clock' and 'Hairdressing'.
The Government has been assisting various industries to set up Industry Training Advisory Committees (ITAC) consisting of major stakeholders from those industries. So far, 12 ITACs have been set up and their first task was to draft a Specification of Competency Standards (SCS) for their respective industries, which maps out the industry's competency requirements and performance standards under different functional areas. Training providers may refer to the SCS when designing training programmes.