XN000022-1987-08-06 — Page 2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1987

HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION APPROVED

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION (HKCAA) TO VALIDATE DEGREE COURSES AT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG AND THE HONG KONG BAPTIST COLLEGE.

THE DECISION WAS MADE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE PLANNING COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC AWARDS CHAIRED BY DR DAVID BETHEL WHO IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE LEICESTER POLYTECHNIC AND A MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE SINCE 1982.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (THURSDAY), A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT HONG KONG NEEDS ITS OWN ACADEMIC ACCREDITATION BODY TO KEEP PACE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AT THE THREE LOCAL NON-UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONS.

"THE HKCAA, AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY BODY, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING PUBLIC ASSURANCE OF THE CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTABILITY OF DEGREES AWARDED BY THESE INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

SUBJECT TO THE PROVISION OF THE NECESSARY FUNDS BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, A PROVISIONAL HKCAA WILL BE SET UP TO PREPARE FOR THE FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HKCAA. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FORMER PLANNING COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC AWARDS WILL BE APPOINTED TO THE PROVISIONAL HKCAA.

THE FULL COUNCIL OF 14 MEMBERS WILL MEET TWICE A YEAR IN HONG KONG, AND AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF ITS HONG KONG MEMBERS CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN WILL MEET ON TWO ADDITIONAL OCCASIONS EACH YEAR IF NECESSARY, TO FACILITATE THE QUICK AND EFFICIENT WORK OF THE COUNCIL.

IN ADDITION TO PROMINENT LOCAL LAY MEMBERS, THE COUNCIL AND ITS VALIDATION TEAMS WILL CONSIST OF INTERNATIONALLY EMINENT SPECIALISTS IN THEIR OWN FIELD SOME OF WHOM WILL ALSO BE EXPERIENCED IN ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE PROVISIONAL HKCAA WILL HAVE A SECRETARIAT STAFFED BY CIVIL SERVANTS AND THIS WILL BE SET UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO WORK IN CLOSE CO-OPERATION WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL ACADEMIC AWARDS (CNAA ) AND THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE IN EFFECTING TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTING A HONG KONG SYSTEM OF VALIDATION, WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE EXISTING PLANS FOR VALIDATING DEGREE COURSES OF THE NON-UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONS IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

"THE PROVISIONAL