Lord Sutherland, looking forward in his 2002 report to the University Grants Committee (UGC) on the state of Hong Kong's higher education sector in ten years' time, had this to say:
"The sector will be larger in at least two different ways. The first is that the current participation rate for first degree courses will have risen. There is no proposal to raise the first year first degree participation rate of 18%, but additional places will be needed for
students coming in, via the associate degree route, after the first year of the first degree course. This increase will be paralleled and stimulated by a vigorous community college sector ... The growth in participation rate will follow the development of the associate degree as a new and different route into the advanced years of the university sector."
"Such a growth can be accomplished without the creation of new publicly-funded institutions. There will however be a market-led growth in private sector provision. This will include locally-based providers ... It is not inconceivable that, when the economic conditions are right, some private consortium might want to establish a new private university to serve Hong Kong."
Hong Kong has taken huge strides in the post secondary sector since that day in 2002. Yet, for various reasons, the "additional places" offered by UGC institutions fell short of popular expectations. Partly as a consequence, a "vigorous community college sector" has yet to materialise. Surprisingly, initiatives by a number of UGC institutions to provide sub-degree programmes have enjoyed a much higher level of success in commercial terms, however, the overall landscape seven years thereafter has fallen short of Sutherland's vision.
Nevertheless, the demand for first degrees has dramatically increased in the last 20 years. The unprecedented advances in the affluence and sophistication of our community over this period have largely fuelled people's aspirations for university degrees. This is part of a significant worldwide trend and is a natural step upwards from the long-standing emphasis that is placed on education in the Orient. The discrepancy between demand and supply is particularly acute in Hong Kong, because, by any measure, our university places fall far short of what might be expected from cities at a similar stage of development. The relatively recent introduction of the Associate Degree (AD) is regarded as an alternative route and additional chance to fulfil such aspirations. An AD can be designed and marketed as post-secondary qualifications that provide students with a means to getting a foothold on the right career ladder. That, however, is subject to market acceptance and this may take several years to establish. Recognition of ADs by the Government as an asset for certain civil service posts was definitely a welcome step in the right direction.
For an AD to meet the above expectations, there must be sufficient opportunities for a significant portion of qualified AD graduates to continue their pursuit of a first university degree. This requires an increase in both the quantity (i.e. the number of third/junior year places) and the diversity (i.e. universities and colleges that cater for different disciplines and different levels of competence) of university places provided. Even with these two conditions in place, there is a third important mechanism required to facilitate the transition, namely articulation or more specifically, articulation agreements (see note 1). The latter mechanism assures the migration of AD graduates from their signatory institutions to the next level at another fully-fledged university. The successful community or junior colleges are those with comprehensive articulation agreements, some with very reputable universities, and an outstanding track record of successful migration. A freshman entering such a college knows from the outset what he or she has to accomplish, and has the guarantee that if successful he or she will have a choice of universities in which to finish the last two years of their studies. It is widely known that many Hong Kong youngsters have chosen this route, often with a heavy financial burden on their families. Many such junior colleges also depend heavily on these high tuition paying foreign students to help sustain their operation.
The late Council Member Professor David Dunkerley (see note 2), in his last submission to the Higher Education Review embarked by the UGC this year stated:
"For many years I have found it curious that the Hong Kong Government has been aware of the huge demand for higher education from young people and yet has placed quite severe limits on the number of university places. As a consequence, thousands of students have gone overseas for their undergraduate education at considerable financial cost to themselves, their families and to the Hong Kong economy, quite apart from the social and opportunity costs. Overseas universities fall over themselves to recruit students from Hong Kong because of the differential fee structure."
The reality in Hong Kong is that provision of both quantity and diversity of university places required will take time to materialise. The vision of Lord Sutherland is still some time off and the situation described by Professor Dunkerley will remain for the foreseeable future. There is nothing to prevent AD providers in Hong Kong seeking alternatives via articulation agreements with both local and overseas universities. This would provide a viable alternative to students and parents and help prepare local higher education institutions for ascension into fully-fledged universities as required. Such course providers will have to first establish credibility and develop a substantive network within the education community – thing that can be accomplished within a relatively short time scale with the vision, incentive and dedication. Any assistance from the Government and established institutions would not only be most welcome, but indispensable. Looking at the success of similar systems in the US, there is no reason why Hong Kong's equivalent community colleges could not provide the same quality of training and learning, offer the same prospects, provide significant relief to local families and establish and develop a viable and vibrant sector within the education system.
Dr York LIAO SBS, JP
Note 1:
In Australian and American education systems, articulation or more specifically course articulation refers to the process of comparing the content of courses that are transferred between post-secondary institutions. In other words, course articulation is the process by which one institution matches its courses or requirements to course work completed at another institution. Students use course articulation to assure that the courses they complete will not have to be repeated at the institution to which they are transferring.
Articulation agreements refer to the specific contracts set up between community or junior colleges and universities or colleges offering bachelor's degrees, whereby graduates from the former are guaranteed admission into upper forms (e.g. third or junior year) of the latter if certain prerequisites, specified at the outset when a student signs onto such an agreement, are met.
Note 2:
Professor Dunkerley worked in various capacities within the education community in Hong Kong for 25 years and served on the Council as a member for 16 years, the longest on record. His sudden death in July 2009 was a sad loss to everyone at the Council.
