The latest HKCAAVQ Newsletter (Issue 15) has been published. Please click here to read our newsletter. 

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 14 Septmber 2018 is as below: - Qualifications Facts and Figures for Sept 2018   

In support of the initiatives of the Education Bureau in promoting the recognition of the vocational and professional education and training (VPET), the “Professional Qualifications” (PQ) and “Vocational Qualifications Pathway” (VQP) Courses have been introduced as two new types of qualifications on the QR. For details about PQ and VQP, please visit the HKQF website at www.hkqf.gov.hk.  

Council Member of HKCAAVQ Ms Edith Shih has been elected the International President of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) from 1 July 2018 for two years.  Ms Shih was formerly Senior Vice-President of ICSA and is the first Asian female to become its International President in the institute’s over 125 years of history. In her first President’s Report to Members, Ms Shih vowed to continue the good work of her predecessors and the Council of the Institute and build on the foundation and momentum that has been laid down, including reinforced impetus in areas such as diversity, inclusivity, relevance, quality and value.  She also eyed on expanding outreach to enhance the Institute’s reputation and standing. Ms Shih is the Executive Director and Company Secretary of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited, at which she has been with for almost 30 years. Ms Shih heads up a team of over 230 legal professionals stationed in 20 countries, overseeing all legal, corporate finance, regulatory and compliance affairs of the group. Ms Shih is also a member of the Qualifications and Accreditation Committee (QAC) and Personnel and Administration Committee (PAC) of the HKCAAVQ Council.

2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF).  HKCAAVQ is organising an annual event themed “shaping the future @ 10th anniversary of Hong Kong Qualifications Framework”, jointly with the Education Bureau and Qualifications Framework Secretariat, on 13 November 2018 in Hong Kong. This year's annual event, as part of the celebrative activities of the HKQF, aims at promoting the understanding and appreciation by key stakeholders of the development of HKQF. It also provides an important occasion for exchange of views on issues of common interests among stakeholders from academic and vocational  and professional education and training (VPET). More details of this year's annual event are available on HKCAAVQ’s website. Click here to get the latest updates of the event.

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 17 August 2018 is as below: - Qualifications Facts and Figures for Aug 2018  

HKCAAVQ is pleased to announce a joint event in October with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), the United Kingdom, and British Council Hong Kong, following the publication of the latest report from QAA on UK TNE in Hong Kong. The event, Review of UK Transnational Education (TNE) in Hong Kong: Collaborative Quality Assurance Activities Across Borders, will feature speakers including Dr. Fabrizio Trifiro, Manager (International) of QAA and Professor Marin Lockett, Dean and Professor in Strategic Management, Nottingham University Business School China who will provide insights into QAA’s transnational education review in Hong Kong. Deputy Executive Director (Academic) Mr Robert Fearnside will also outline HKCAAVQ’s work on accreditation of non-local programmes.  The presentations will then be followed by sharing of case studies as well as a student panel, which will look at the challenges and benefits of TNE from both an institutional and student perspective. The event is scheduled for 2pm on 25 October 2018 (Thursday), at the British Council Hong Kong, and will be attended by representatives of UK higher education institutions and local operators in Hong Kong. The event is now open for registration. To RSVP, please click here. Limited seats available. The report was published by QAA earlier in July after a joint-review exercise with HKCAAVQ in Hong Kong. The report 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 that HKCAAVQ reviews and judgements can be relied upon for the purpose of UK quality assurance by the QAA and UK institutions.

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.