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(a)

(b)

(c)

whether it knows of how the HKUST has responded to the above criticism and how it will improve the situation;

of the role played by the HKUST Council in supervising the curriculum design and quality of teaching in the HKUST; and

whether the Government and the authorities concerned will review the role of the Councils of the UGC-funded institutions, with a view to strengthening their supervisory functions?

Reply:

The alleged criticisms mentioned by the Hon Member referred, I believe, to a report on the Teaching and Learning Quality Process Review (TLQPR) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), which was undertaken by the University Grants Committee (UGC) last year. The aims of the TLQPRS, which have now been undertaken of all UGC-funded institutions (except the Hong Kong Institute of Education which became a UGC-funded institution in December 1996), are:

(a)

(b)

(c)

to focus attention on teaching and learning as the primary mission of Hong Kong's tertiary institutions;

to assist institutions in their efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning; and

to enable the UGC and the institutions to discharge their obligation to maintain accountability for the quality of teaching and learning.

As part of the review process, the findings of the reviews are compiled into reports which the institutions are expected to publish together, if they so wish, with a public response statement commenting on the review and indicating how they intend to follow up.

To date, TLQPRs of seven UGC-funded institutions have been undertaken and the reports of five institutions, including HKUST's, have been published. The Government strongly supports and endorses the goals of the TLQPRs and the review process.

Turning to the specific questions:

(a)

The TLQPR Report on HKUST and HKUST's public response statement were published on 26 March 1997. The University indicated in its response statement that it had taken, and would continue to take, certain measures to address the concerns expressed in the TLQPR report. A copy of the University's public response statement is at the Annex.