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Education

assurance of all operators and programmes except the UGC-funded institutions which enjoy self-accrediting status. The Quality Assurance Council (QAC), a semi-autonomous non-statutory body under the aegis of the UGC, conducts quality audits of the UGC-funded institutions and programmes offered at degree level and above, however funded. The Joint Quality Review Committee (JQRC), established by the Heads of Universities Committees, provides peer review of the quality assurance processes of self-financing sub-degree programmes offered by the UGC-funded institutions.

The government collaborates with the HKCAAVQ, JQRC and QAC through the Liaison Committee on Quality Assurance to identify ways to enhance and rationalise the quality assurance required for the self-financing post-secondary regime, so as to provide a stronger platform for the sector's continuous development. The government will implement periodic external quality audits on sub-degree operations of UGC-funded institutions.

Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Reg) Ordinance

The Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance regulates non-local courses conducted in Hong Kong through a system of registration to ensure the standard of the courses and qualifications are comparable to those of their home countries. It protects Hong Kong consumers by guarding against the marketing of sub-standard non-local courses. As at the end of September 2015, 1,191 non-local courses were registered or exempted from registration under the ordinance.

Support Provided to Schools and Students

Quality Education Fund

Up to the end of August 2015, the Quality Education Fund had approved around $4.196 billion for some 8,896 projects to promote high-quality education and schemes that recognise excellence of teachers.

Life Planning Education

From the 2014-15 school year, an annual Career and Life Planning grant of around $500,000 is disbursed to all public-sector and DSS schools providing senior secondary education to implement life planning education to better prepare students for the transition from school to post-secondary/vocational education or the workplace and to make the best of the opportunities ahead.

The Business-School Partnership Programme (BSPP) provides students with opportunities to explore different trades and careers. In the 2014-15 school year, more than 120 business organisations collaborated with EDB in organising over 750 BSPP activities benefiting some 250,000 students. EDB will continue to encourage closer collaboration between schools and business establishments, vocational and professional education and training providers and community organisations to arrange more opportunities for secondary school students to acquire first-hand experience about different careers.

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