The Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) was formed under the HKCAAVQ Ordinance (Cap 1150). As the Accreditation Authority and Qualifications Register Authority under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework, the HKCAAVQ provides quality assurance and assessment services to education and training institutions, course providers and the general public, as well as advisory and consultancy services in respect of education qualifications and standards to government bureaux and professional organisations in Hong Kong.

The Council members of the HKCAAVQ are appointed by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As of March 2011, the Council comprises six overseas members and 13 local members. They are scholars, professionals or practitioners from the academic, training and industry sectors. The composition of the Council reflects our responsibilities across the postsecondary and vocational education sectors. Non-local members come primarily from countries with well-established external quality assurance systems; their advice and views allow us to ensure that the HKCAAVQ’s processes and practices are in line with good international practices. The Council meets formally twice a year with meetings of local members held between full Council meetings.

The work of the Council is supported by three committees: the Qualifications and Accreditation Committee, the Personnel and Administration Committee, and the Finance Committee. Each Committee has its own terms of reference, which are detailed in the Appendix.

The Secretariat

The daily operation of the HKCAAVQ is undertaken by the Secretariat under the leadership of the Executive Director who is an ex-officio member of the Council.

As of end of March 2011, the HKCAAVQ Secretariat had 68 full-time staff, most of whom are quality assurance practitioners, seasoned trainers or education professionals. There are also two part-time consultants who provide advice related to legal and information technology matters.