Role of HKCAAVQ

The Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (Cap 493) requires non-local courses offered in Hong Kong leading to post-secondary academic (i.e. sub-degree, degree, postgraduate or other post-secondary qualifications) and professional qualifications to register under the Ordinance unless exempted.

The HKCAAVQ has been appointed by the Registrar of Higher and Professional Education Courses to provide professional advice as to whether a particular course delivered in Hong Kong leading to a non-local higher and professional qualification meets the registration criteria stipulated by the Ordinance. The final approval for course registration under Cap 493 rests with the Registrar.

Assessment Procedures

The HKCAAVQ’s assesses:

• new applications for registration
• annual returns for registered courses to see if they continue to satisfy the registration criteria, and
• changes to registered non-local courses.

Applicants have to complete the relevant application form available on the NCR’s webpage at http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=226&
langno=1. After receiving the applications, NCR will ensure all the basic information for the application is in place and will, thereafter, refer the applications to the HKCAAVQ for assessment.

The HKCAAVQ assesses the applications against the relevant registration criteria stipulated under the Ordinance and will seek clarification with the applicants when necessary.  After considering all the necessary information, the HKCAAVQ will make a recommendation to the Registrar for consideration of course registration and the recommendation can take one of the following three forms:

  1. Unconditional approval
  2. Approval with imposed condition(s)
  3. Non-approval

A flow chart has been developed to facilitate understanding of the procedures.

Useful Information

Further information about registration, including the application forms for course registration and annual return, and the guidance notes, can be found in the website of the Non-local Courses Registry of the Education Bureau: http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeid=226&langno=1.

The code of Practice for Non-local Courses recommended by the HKCAAVQ

The HKCAAVQ, as a quality assurance body, has developed the non-binding Code with a view to recommending good practices on the setting of institutional policies and the operation of programmes so as to ensure the quality of the programmes and the quality of the student learning experience. The code can be downloaded here:
Code of Practice for Non-local Courses recommended by the HKCAAVQ (Revised in 12/2007)

Accreditation of Non-local Learning Programmes

Since 2009, the HKCAAVQ has provided an accreditation service for registered and exempted non-local courses offered in Hong Kong and the accredited programmes are eligible to be uploaded onto the Qualifications Register in accordance with the Accreditation for Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance (Cap 592).  For details of this accreditation service, please refer to http://www.hkcaavq.edu.hk/en/services_accreditation_NLP.asp.

General Enquiries about the Assessment Service for Registration of Non-local Courses (NLC)

Please contact the NLC Team, Division of Assessment, HKCAAVQ at:
Address: 10/F, Cambridge House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

Tel: 3658 0000
Email: info@hkcaavq.edu.hk
Website: http://www.hkcaavq.edu.hk/en/services_assessment.asp