WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1990
MR CHENG SAID THAT HE SHARED THE CONCERN AND THAT STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO SAFEGUARD THE POSITION OF HONG KONG'S NEWEST TERTIARY INSTITUTION WHICH OFFERED COURSES AND PROGRAMMES BY USING THE PHILOSOPHY AND METHODS OF OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING.
HE WELCOMED THE ADVICE OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND INDEED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PROVISIONAL HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION (HKCAA) ᎢᎻᎪᎢ . IN THE CASE OF THE OLI WHERE NON-TRADITIONAL METHOD OF DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION WAS USED, INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION OR REVIEW WOULD BE REQUIRED ABOUT ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS AND, IN-BETWEEN REVIEWS, ONLY PROVISIONAL APPROVAL WOULD BE GIVEN TO NEW COURSE UNITS WITH A VIEW TO GRANTING FORMAL APPROVAL TOGETHER WITH INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION OR REVIEW.
LOCAL AND AND THAT DIFFICULT
NOTING THAT THE OLI DEPENDED VERY HEAVILY ON BOTH OVERSEAS UNIVERSITIES FOR SUPPLY OF MANY OF ITS COURSES EXPOSING THEIR COURSES TO LOCAL SCRUTINY WOULD RAISE QUESTIONS FOR THEM THAT COULD LEAD TO PROBLEMS IN SUPPLY, MR CHENG SAID HE HOPED THAT THE HKCAA WHEN ESTABLISHED WOULD HAVE THIS REGARD IN FORMULATING ITS ACCREDITATION POLICY.
ALSO SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL, THE HON SELINA CHOW SAID THAT THE HKCAA HAD TO EARN THE RESPECT AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE ACADEMIC FIELD LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC AT LARGE, BY SETTING FOR ITSELF THE HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL STANDARD OF OPERATION.
"I WOULD LIKE TO LEND MY SUPPORT TO THE BILL BEFORE THE COUNCIL, INCLUDING THE CONTENTIOUS PART REGARDING WHETHER OLI OUGHT TO BE PLACED IN A CATEGORY WHICH IS SUBJECT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNOR OR WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO EXERCISE THEIR OWN CHOICE AND DISCRETION IN SELECTING REGARDING COURSES FOR VALIDATION.
"I AM SATISFIED THAT PRACTICAL AND FINANCIAL PROBLEMS VISUALISED BY OLI EXIST, BUT CAN BE RESOLVED IF AN OPEN AND OBJECTIVE ATTITUDE IS ADOPTED ON ALL SIDES," SHE SAID.
MRS CHOW POINTED OUT THAT OLI'S CONCERN WAS TRIGGERED MAINLY BY A STRANDED WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PROVISIONAL COUNCIL OF ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION, WHICH LED THEM ΤΟ GRAVE WORRY THAT SUCH DIFFICULTIES COULD WELL PERPETRATE INTO THE FUTURE WHEN THE COUNCIL CAME INTO BEING.
SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE WORRY NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE DONE AT THE COST OF THE STANDARD OF DEGREE COURSES.
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