XN000022-1996-04-03 — Page 97

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Non-Commonwealth degrees in civil service recruitment

Following is a question by the Hon IP Kwok-him and a written reply by the Secretary for Civil Service, Mr W K Lam, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the progress of recruiting degree holders of non-Commonwealth tertiary institutions to positions in the civil service requiring an entry qualification of Matriculation level and above since the Government announced that it would recognise such degrees in civil service. recruitments last year;

whether there have been any degree holders of non-Commonwealth tertiary institutions recruited to such positions in the civil service in the three years preceding the implementation of the arrangement mentioned in (a) above; if so, what were the ranks of those recruited and to which departments did they belong; and

in regard to the appointees referred to in (b) above, why their non- Commonwealth degrees were recognised for appointment?

Reply:

Mr President,

At present the minimum qualification requirements for entry to the civil service are set with reference to qualifications obtained from local institutions. Non-local degrees are assessed by the Qualifications Section in Civil Service Branch for the purpose of civil service appointments on the basis of whether they are comparable in standard to that of local degrees, having regard to the standing of the awarding institutions, programme of study and advice from accreditation authorities. No distinction is made between degrees obtained from the Commonwealth and non- Commonwealth countries.