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The answers to the specific questions are as follows:
(a)
(b)
(c)
હ
Assessment of degrees obtained from non-English speaking countries has been difficult in the past because of the lack of information on institutions and qualifications in these countries. To tackle this, we strengthened our mechanism for qualifications assessment for appointment to the civil service in February 1995, by setting up more formal arrangements to make use of the considerable body of information and advice provided by the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation (HKCAA). The HKCAA is a source of information on non-local institutions and qualifications and has connections with overseas accreditation authorities and international education specialists. Under the improved system, information and advice is sought from the HKCAA on the comparability of a particular non-local degree to a local degree where necessary. This has enabled us to assess and recognise qualifications obtained from many non-English speaking countries, in particular those obtained from the People's Republic of China (PRC), and take a more vigilant approach on the assessment of qualifications from English-speaking countries.
We have recognised in the past a number of cases of non-local qualifications involving degrees from non-Commonwealth countries for civil service appointment purposes, particularly those obtained from the United States. Since the strengthening of our assessment mechanism, we have also been able to recognise a number of qualifications involving degrees from non-English speaking countries for civil service appointment purposes, including, for example, qualifications from China. Since February 1995 some 14 qualifications obtained in various academic institutions in the PRC have been accepted as fully comparable to a local degree. Another 10 qualifications obtained in the PRC have been accepted as equivalent to a local degree when taken into consideration with other qualifications (e.g. a master degree combined with a first degree).
We have not kept statistics on whether the holders of these non-local qualifications, after assessments, have actually applied for any civil service post or succeeded in such applications.
For appointment to civil service grades requiring a local degree for entry, the key is whether the candidate possesses the academic qualifications required for the job. Non-local degrees are recognised for the purpose of civil service appointment if their standard is assessed as comparable to that of a local degree.