ENG-2003 — Page 197

EDUCATION

University, the Hong Kong Institute of Education, the VTC and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Higher Education

Hong Kong has 11 degree-awarding higher education institutions, eight of which are publicly funded through the University Grants Committee (UGC). The other three not funded by the UGC are the publicly funded Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the self-financing Open University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Shue Yan College.

The UGC is appointed by the Chief Executive to advise on the development and funding of higher education and administer public grants to eight publicly funded higher education institutions. It comprises non-local academics, local academics and local professionals and businessmen. Civil servants staff its secretariat.

The UGC also plays a major role in quality assurance and promotion of excellence. Major initiatives include the Teaching and Learning Quality Process Reviews and Areas of Excellence scheme. The former enhances the institutions' awareness of the importance of teaching and learning quality, and the latter aims to identify existing areas of strength in the institutions and develop them further through concentration of efforts and resources.

Each of the eight higher education institutions funded through the UGC is an autonomous statutory body with its own ordinance and governing body. They are free to manage their own affairs within the parameters of the law. Seven of the eight are universities and the remaining one is a teacher education institution. They all have distinctive and complementary roles that reflect their varying origins, missions and the way they have responded to Hong Kong's complex and evolving needs. Following a comprehensive review of the higher education sector, the UGC will take a more strategic approach to the higher education system, by developing an interlocking but differentiated system whereby the whole higher education sector is viewed as one force in the regional and international arenas of higher education, with each institution fulfilling a unique role based on its strengths.

At present, 14 500 first-year first-degree places are available in institutions funded by the UGC, covering about 18 per cent of the 17-20 age group. On top of this, a further 30 per cent of people in the same age group have access to other local higher education opportunities (for example, sub-degree programmes and vocational training) or go to universities overseas. To enhance the global outlook of local students, the institutions are encouraged to enrol non-local undergraduates and taught postgraduates, who may number up to 4 per cent of the institutions' approved targets for publicly funded places. In view of the enthusiastic response to the institutions' enrolment campaigns, institutions are allowed to enrol an additional 4 per cent of non-local students using private funding with effect from 2005-06. As for research postgraduates, the institutions are no longer subject to any quota in enrolling non-local students.

Degrees up to doctorate level awarded locally are widely recognised by institutions. of higher learning around the world. Academic standards are guaranteed by the institutions' appointment of external examiners from prominent overseas universities and colleges and the monitoring of teaching and learning quality assurance processes by the UGC. The Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation validates courses and programmes offered by higher education institutions that are not self-accrediting.

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