A new report from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the United Kingdom, identifies Hong Kong as the fourth largest host region for UK higher education. The report also concludes that Hong Kong Council of Accreditation for Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) reviews and judgements can be relied upon for the purpose of UK quality assurance by the QAA and institutions. In Hong Kong, 72% of non-local higher education is delivered by UK providers and partnerships and 27,390 students are studying for a UK qualification. As of May 2018, 168 Non-Local Programmes (NLPs) had been accredited by the HKCAAVQ. The vast majority of accredited NLPs lead to UK degrees. 'UK higher education is extremely popular in Hong Kong, and universities at home have been quick to meet the demand for top-up degrees as well as successfully exporting the more traditional full degree programmes,' says QAA's International Manager Fabrizio Trifiro’. Thirty-nine UK universities offer degree programmes in Hong Kong and QAA reviewed 14 Hong Kong/UK partnerships for academic quality and standards. For the first time, some of this review was carried out jointly with the HKCAAVQ. The QAA review concluded that with HKCAAVQ’s peer-review panels and the use of the HKQF, QAA can confidently rely on HKCAAVQ’s accreditation decisions for UK Transnational Education (TNE) provision in Hong Kong. And based on peer-review evaluation, it also mentioned HKCAAVQ reviews and judgements can be relied upon for the purpose of UK quality assurance by the QAA and institutions. This means that QAA is able to recognise HKCAAVQ accreditation decisions, avoiding the need in the future to review UK TNE provision accredited by HKCAAVQ. QAA and HKCAAVQ have a long history of cooperation underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding. Both agencies are committed to working towards establishing a strategic alliance to enhance external quality assurance in both jurisdictions and improve the quality of higher education in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. HKCAAVQ is appointed as the Accreditation Authority and Qualifications Register Authority under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework under the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance (Chapter 592). HKCAAVQ conducts accreditation tests for programmes which seek to be recognised under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF). QAA is the independent quality body for UK higher education. It is a higher education charitable company, which is limited by guarantee and whose members are representative organisations of the higher education sector. The Report on UK TNE provision in Hong Kong has been published on www.qaa.ac.uk on 6 August 2018. For more information, please contact HKCAAVQ at info@hkcaavq.edu.hk

The HKCAAVQ is seeking Expression of Interest (EOI) from competent and qualified vendors for the provision of consultancy services for the review of the organisational development and remuneration structure for HKCAAVQ.  Please refer to the attached EOI for details.  Thank you for your attention.

The HKCAAVQ is appointed as the QR (Qualifications Register) Authority under the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance (Cap 592) to maintain the QR – the free web-based database carrying the qualifications recognised under the Qualifications Framework.  The statistics of the QR as of 13 July 2018 is as below: - Qualifications Facts and Figures for July 2018  

Our former Executive Director, Ms Dorte Kristoffersen, Deputy Executive Director (Academic), Mr Robert Fearnside and Senior Registrar, Ms Susanna Lee have together written a chapter on ‘Tertiary regulation in Asia: emerging models’, for the recently published Handbook on the Politics of Higher Education. Please see flier attached, and https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/handbook-on-the-politics-of-higher-education. The book, edited by Professor Hamish Coates, will be launched at the conference ‘Constructing Higher Education Evaluation Systems for the Global Era’ to be held at Tsinghua University.

The CEF was established in June 2002 to encourage local workers to pursue further education by providing them with subsidies for continuing education and training, with a view to facilitating Hong Kong’s transition to a knowledge-based economy and adaptation to an increasingly globalized economy. For the purpose of enhancing the operation of CEF, the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) has commissioned HKCAAVQ to provide a consultancy service to assist in implementing a series of enhancement measures with effect from 1 April 2019. These include the requirement that all CEF courses offered by non-self-accrediting providers registered before May 2008 must be accredited by HKCAAVQ and uploaded onto the Qualifications Register within 4 years in order to maintain their CEF registration. HKCAAVQ will organise briefings to advise interested CEF course providers affected by the new requirements on accreditation standards, processes and procedures, and supports from HKCAAVQ. The briefings are to be held at the HKCAAVQ office and are tentatively scheduled for October 2018. Accreditation for non-accredited CEF courses will commence in 2019 spanning across four years. Operators of courses that are not currently registered with CEF and that wish to undertake accreditation for the express purpose of registration of their courses with CEF should also attend the briefings.  Prospective new Operators should be aware that only courses that meet the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (QF) standards can be registered in the Qualifications Register. The QF defines clear and objective standards applicable to qualifications in the academic, vocational and professional, as well as continuing education sectors. Its primary objective is to promote lifelong learning with a view to continuously enhancing the capability, professionalism and competitiveness of the Hong Kong workforce by assuring the quality of qualifications and the associated learning programmes as well as their relevancy to industry needs. For information please contact Mr Jerry Kok, Assistant Registrar, at 3658 0133 or jerrykok@hkcaavq.edu.hk. For details of the CEF enhancement measures, please click this LINK.  

Following the promulgation of the revised accreditation standards under the Four-stage Quality Assurance Process in April 2018, HKCAAVQ has developed a Manual of the Four-stage Quality Assurance Process as a single point of reference covering the process and standards for seeking accreditation under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework. The revised Generic Level Descriptors (2018 Revised Edition) promulgated by the Education Bureau will also take effect for use with the revised accreditation standards for accreditation exercises where documents are to be submitted on or after 1 April 2019.

The HKCAAVQ is appointed as the QR (Qualifications Register) Authority under the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance (Cap 592) to maintain the QR – the free web-based database carrying the qualifications recognised under the Qualifications Framework.  The statistics of the QR as of 15 June 2018 is as below: - Qualifications Facts and Figures for June 2018  

The Government has obtained approval from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council for funding of the Continuing Education Fund to support the implementation of various enhancement measures. The enhancement measures will be implemented with effect from 1 April 2019. For more details, please refer to the webpage at: https://www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/cef/en/news/news_20180516.htm.​

To enhance user-friendliness, a new function of keyword search is made available on the News section of HKCAAVQ website.  Members of the public may access the News section and input a string of keywords to look up the relevant news.    

The HKCAAVQ is appointed as the QR (Qualifications Register) Authority under the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance (Cap 592) to maintain the QR – the free web-based database carrying the qualifications recognised under the Qualifications Framework.  The statistics of the QR as of 11 May 2018 is as below: - Qualifications Facts and Figures for May 2018  

The latest HKCAAVQ Newsletter (Issue 14) has been published. Please click here to read our newsletter.

The HKQF International Conference 2018 themed "QF in the Next Decade: Quality, Progression and Recognition" is jointly organised by the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government and Qualifications Framework Secretariat, and HKCAAVQ being the co-organiser, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong QF. The 2-day Conference will be held on 17-18 September in the Conference Hall, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong. For online registration, please visit the conference website: https://www.hkqfic2018.hk/en/index.html.