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Transnational Education
Upholding TNE programme standards comparable to home-programme standards
A mechanism is in place to ensure that the transnational education programmes offered are comparable to the home programmes.
Purpose
The purpose of this practice is to ensure the academic standards of the transnational education programmes and safeguard the interest of the students studying offshore or by distance. An institution adopts the same academic regulations as well as assessment criteria and practices, and comparable admission requirements to both the home and TNE programmes. To enhance the relevance of transnational education programmes to non- local students, an institution exercises flexibility to customise the curriculum and delivery.
Outcome
The outcome of employing this practice is ensuring the academic standards of the graduates of the transnational education programmes are the same as those of the home programmes.
27 Apr 2017
Transnational Education / Institutional Governance And Management
Common strategic goal to assure partnership commitment
The non-local operator and the local partner (Partnership) of transnational education programmes share common strategic directions in the provision of transnational education.
Purpose
The purpose of this practice is to foster long-term collaboration including commitment to resources. Both parties have, at the outset of their partnership, established a consensus on the respective roles and responsibilities within the Partnership, such as in regard to quality assurance, programme content and delivery, and teaching arrangements.
OutcomeThe outcome of employing this practice is ensuring strong commitment to the partnership to sustain the transnational education provision.
28 Feb 2017
General Education / Student Assessment
Applying multiple methods for evaluating GE courses
An institution employs multiple methods to evaluate teaching and learning outcomes of GE courses.
Purpose
The purpose of this practice is to provide a comprehensive review and analysis of the GE programme so as to help improve its design and students’ learning outcomes. The evaluation methods include conducting (1) internal course reviews to assess if the implementation of the approved courses have aligned with the stipulated GE objectives and expectations; (2) entry-exit surveys to evaluate the students experience of the teaching and learning components of the GE courses they studied, and their self-perceived performance over time; (3) focus group interviews to gain a better understanding of how the students reflect on their learning experience in the GE courses; and (4) narrative qualitative assessment of the students’ term papers to assess their critical thinking after taking the GE courses.
Outcome
By applying the prescribed quantitative and qualitative methods to analyse the GE courses, a fuller picture of student learning performance can be obtained which helps identify the areas for improvement of the delivery of GE courses.
24 Jun 2019
General Education
Guidelines and checklists for the design and implementation of General Education
An institution develops a set of guidelines and checklists to guide the development of General Education (GE) courses during the course development process.
Purpose
The purpose of this practice is to provide clear guidance for teaching staff to develop GE courses that meet the institution’s educational goals and mission. The guidelines set out the requirements for the design and implementation of GE courses which include (i) the objectives, expectations and desired characteristics of an institution’s GE (examples of desired characteristics); (ii) the non-discipline-specific contents and GE-specific learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities and the associated assessments, course registration restrictions, reading requirement in written assignments; and (iii) the approaches and institution-wide policies to coordinate and monitor the quality delivery of a GE course. Review checklists (sample checklist) are also provided which serve as a self-evaluation tool to help assess whether the curriculum of the proposed and/or revised course has met the institution’s GE requirements.
Outcome
The outcome of employing this practice is a clearer educational rationale and a more rigorous approach to the design and review of the GE curriculum.
24 Jun 2019
General Education / Programme Development
A standing committee for ensuring the proper conduct of General Education
General Education (GE) has become a significant part of the curriculum in higher education in Hong Kong. An institution sets up a standing committee to assist its senate committee and administration units to review and supervise its general education programme.
Purpose
The purpose of this practice is to maintain a high standard of the GE programme to help respond to the changes of academic structure and the full development of the institution’s General Education. The main roles of the standing committee include (i) to examine the proposals for GE courses according to the objectives of the institution’s GE and the specific curriculum areas concerned, and to make recommendations for the approval of new GE courses (ii) to carry out regular review to revalidate the status of a GE course and (iii) to ensure that all GE courses are meeting the institution’s GE objectives, matching with GE desired characteristics and fitting in with the area specification of the institution’s GE programme. Members of the standing committee provide their independent and impartial views on the GE proposals and recommendations for the senate committee’s consideration.
Outcome
The standing committee has contributed to the maintenance of the academic standard of the institution’s GE programme and ensures that the approved courses are aligned with the stipulated GE objectives.
24 Jun 2019
Quality Assurance And Enhancement System Commendations From QAC Ugc
Good practice classified under: Quality Assurance and Enhancement System (Commendations in QAC quality audits)
Good practice classified under: Quality Assurance and Enhancement System (Commendations in QAC quality audits)
One university is commended for its responsiveness to student feedback collected using the Course and Teaching Evaluation and Sub-degree Student Experience Questionnaire results.
QAC Audit Reports (Full Version)
27 Jul 2020