Quality Assurance of Non-local Learning Programmes
As at 1 November 2010, there are 1,167 non-local higher and professional courses (NLPs) listed on the Hong Kong Non-local Courses Registry website. To meet the legal requirements, the NLPs have to be registered / exempted from registration under the Non-local Higher and Professional Courses (Regulation) Ordinance (Cap 493).
Upon the enactment of the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance (Cap 592) in 2008, the Government lays down a policy for quality assurance of regulated NLPs via accreditation by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ).
Registration / exemption under Cap 493 is based on comparability with the home (the exporting country / area) course under the home country education system. Accreditation of NLPs under Cap 592 is to benchmark the learning programme against Hong Kong education system, including the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (QF). The accreditation of NLPs will not affect the registration / exemption status. Accreditation will not replace the registration / exemption process under Cap 493 in Hong Kong because the two processes are conducted under different ordinances and serve different purposes.
Why Seek Accreditation?
Upon successful accreditation, the qualifications of relevant non-local programmes may be entered into the Qualifications Register (QR) for recognition under the QF, in accordance with the terms and procedures stipulated by the QR Authority.
Such qualifications attained by individual students will be recognised as meeting the standard of particular qualifications obtained in Hong Kong.
The Government financial assistance scheme for post-secondary students (FASP) and non-means tested loan scheme for post-secondary students (NLSPS) extend to eligible full-time students enrolled in tertiary-level NLPs accredited by the HKCAAVQ.
The Government's policy requires that all new applications for CEF registration, including those from regulated non-local courses, submitted after May 2008, must already be on the QR with a valid QR registration number. To this end, the pertinent non-local courses will need to go through the NLP accreditation conducted by the HKCAAVQ.
Pilot Exercise 2009
To prepare for quality assuring the non-local courses under Cap 592, the HKCAAVQ developed an NLP accreditation framework for pilot testing in 2009. Background information about the Pilot Exercise can be accessed here. The framework was developed on the basis of international good practices of quality assurance of transnational education, taking into account policy and legal intent of relevant ordinances in Hong Kong.
NLP Accreditation
NLP accreditation service is now available by phase and by discipline. The schedule of NLP accreditation is as follows, on the basis of feedback provided by the operators in the demand forecast surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010.
Target Disciplines |
Dates for On-site Visits |
| Art and Design |
January / February 2011 |
| Business Management (General) |
October 2011 - May 2012 |
| Accounting and Finance |
May 2012 - August 2012
*Deadline for submission of Statement of Intent: 31 December 2011 |
| Hotel / Tourism Management and
Supply Chain Management |
November 2012 - April 2013 |
General Briefing
To update operators with information about NLP accreditation services, the HKCAAVQ holds regularly briefing sessions in Hong Kong and major exporting countries, i.e. the United Kingdom and Australia.
Forthcoming briefings are to be held as follows.
| Date |
Target participants |
How to Join |
Topics |
| 14 January 2011 (p.m.) |
Local operators with registered / exempted NLPs on the Non-local Courses Register |
By HKCAAVQ’s invitation* |
Accreditation of NLPs in the next two years, with particular focus on Business and Management Discipline |
| 10 March 2011 (a.m.) |
Any operators interested in NLP accreditation and who have not attended the briefing on 14 January 2011. |
Please complete the registration form  and return it by fax to 2845-9910) or email to workshop@hkcaavq.edu.hk.
Due to limited seating capacity, place reservation is on a first-come, first-served basis. Successful registrant will be notified of the reservation not later than two weeks before the event. |
NLP Accreditation in HK: Lessons Learnt & Implications
for TNE Course Providers  |
| 9 September 2011 (p.m.) |
Local operators with registered / exempted NLPs on the Non-local Courses Register |
By HKCAAVQ’s invitation* |
Preparation for the Accreditation of NLPs in the Accounting and Finance Discipline |
3 February 2012
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
|
Local operators with registered / exempted NLPs on the Non-local Courses Register |
By HKCAAVQ’s invitation* |
Accreditation of NLPs in the Hotel / Tourism Management and Supply Chain Management Discipline |
* Operators will normally receive invitation four weeks in advance of the briefing.
Briefing overseas
In collaboration with the British Council, a webinar and a briefing were held in September and October 2010 for UK operators. The briefing took place in Manchester of the United Kingdom.
Thanks to the help of the Australian Education International (AEI) of Australian Government, a similar update was presented to Australian operators during the Offshore Campus Management Forum held in November in Melbourne.
A seminar was also conducted in London in April 2011 to 19 UK universities and colleges on issues such as NLP accreditation, its implications and cost benefits, lessons learnt from the exercises in 2009 and 2010.
Briefing for non-local operators will be announced from time to time via this website.
Training Workshop
Participation is by invitation only. Operators with learning programmes in the specified subject areas / disciplines where NLP accreditations are scheduled to be conducted will be invited to indicate their interest in the workshops.
Useful Information About NLP Accreditation
