The HKCAAVQ Annual Dinner 2024 was held successfully at New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel on 24 September 2024.
This year’s Annual Dinner was officiated by our Guest of Honour, Mr Jeff Sze, JP, Under Secretary for Education of the Education Bureau (EDB) of the HKSAR Government. Among the officiating guests at the Annual Dinner were Ms Wu Cheng, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Hon Rock Chen, SBS, JP, Council Chairman of HKCAAVQ, Mr Kasper Ng, Principal Assistant Secretary (Further Education) of EDB, Ms Margaret Cheng, JP, Council Vice-chairman of HKCAAVQ, Mr Albert Chow, Executive Director of HKCAAVQ, and Mr Steve Lai, General Manager of the Qualifications Framework Secretariat. The event was honoured by the presence of over 150 guests from across academic, vocational and industrial sectors, all of whom gathered at this memorable occasion.
The evening commenced with the opening remarks from Mr Jeff Sze, JP, who acknowledged HKCAAVQ’s unique and crucial position in upholding the quality and standard of qualifications across both the vocational and academic pathways, as well as contributing to the promotion of the quality and competitiveness of Hong Kong’s education and training.
Mr Sze particularly highlighted HKCAAVQ’s support to EDB in a number of initiatives and projects from local to regional perspectives, including the establishment of University of Applied Sciences, the Pilot Project on the Development of Applied Degree Programmes, as well as the development and promotion of quality assurance and qualifications assessment in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Mr Sze also celebrated HKCAAVQ’s recognition as being fully aligned with the Good Practices of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) in 2023. Mr Sze expressed his unwavering confidence in HKCAAVQ’s future growth and international standing.
Hon Rock Chen, SBS, JP, Council Chairman of HKCAAVQ, delivered the Welcoming Remarks, highlighting the commitments and achievements of HKCAAVQ in supporting the Government’s initiatives through consultancy services, accreditation and quality assurance services, in particular the recent development of University of Applied Sciences and Applied Degrees in Hong Kong. He further remarked, “HKCAAVQ will stay fully committed to supporting government initiatives in the development and enhancements of local education, qualifications, recognition and further internationalisation.”
Delivering his speech on the theme of ‘Reform’ at the event, Mr Albert Chow, Executive Director of HKCAAVQ, shared that while facing the challenging global environment, HKCAAVQ will leverage digitalization to improve service quality and diversify its scope of services to ensure financial stability. He added, HKCAAVQ will strive to implement on-going reforms to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an international education hub.
The HKCAAVQ Secretariat seized this opportunity to bid farewell to an outgoing Council Member. The Guest of Honour, Mr Jeff Sze, JP, presented a gift on behalf of the Secretariat to Mr Peter Yan, JP, whose term of appointment will end on 30 September 2024, in recognition of his dedication and contribution to HKCAAVQ.
As the event concluded, Ms Margaret Cheng, JP, Council Vice-chairman of HKCAAVQ, delivered a Vote of Thanks to convey her heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous support of HKCAAVQ’s stakeholders, partners and colleagues all along. She said that HKCAAVQ will continue to join hands with EDB and other stakeholders to achieve excellence in education.