Lifelong Education in Hong Kong The Convergence of Higher and Continuing EducationProfessor Enoch C. M.YoungDirectorHKU School of Professional and Continuing EducationEast Asia Forum for Adult Education6th General Assembly , Tokyo, JapanNovember 19 23, 2005

OutlineHong Kong The EnvironmentChanging Landscape of HEContribution of Lifelong Education to Human Resource DevelopmentPolicies on Lifelong EducationThe Case of HKU & HKU SPACEConclusion

Hong Kong The Environment

Hong Kong in FiguresTotal land area: 1,100 km2Population: 6.9 million (mid-2004)Working population: 3.5 million (mid-2004)GDP: HK$1,282 billion (US$165 billion)Per capita GDP: HK$186,267 (US$23,940)

Source: Census & Statistics Department, HKSAR at http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/index2.html

Regional HubsGood telecommunication infrastructure65% households with Internet connection3.8m fixed & 4.6m mobile telephone linesOpen & effective information exchange(e.g. e Government)Highly efficient transport system0.5 million arrivals/departures per day;11 million public transport journeys per dayRapid development of economic ties with the Pearl River DeltaSource: http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/it_index.html ; http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/transport_index.html

Human Capital by Types of IndustrySource: Census & Statistics Department, HKSAR at http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/labour_index.html

Education (1)Source: Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics 2005Public-funded Sector

Education (2)Self-funded Sector*Source: Survey on Public Demand of Continuing Education in Hong Kong 2003

The Changing Landscape of theHigher Education

Characteristics of Public-funded HE SectorHeavily Public-fundedUS$1.68 billion (5% of 2004/05 Public Expenditure)Subsidy per student: US$23,500 per yearAbout 15,000 public-funded First-Year-First-Degree places per yearRepresenting about 18% of relevant age (17-20 years) cohort Source: Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics 2005

Characteristics of Self-funded Lifelong Education SectorDriving force: Extension arms of UniversitiesAlso several large NGOs as major providers, e.g. CaritasFrom the Peripheral (Traditional adult education) to the Mainstream of the Higher Education System (About 1.45m enrollment per year)Firmly established alternative study path to public-funded programmes

Learners Perception of Lifelong EducationOver 73% adult learners regarded Lifelong Education as useful to their career developmentObtain recognized qualificationsAcquire new skills & knowledgeSalary advancement, promotion and change job or trade74% plan to further studies within 5 years

Source: Web Survey with Learners in Member Institutions of the Federation for Continuing Education in Tertiary Institutions 2004 (Respondents: 11,857)

Provision of Higher Education (Full-time )*66% of the relevant age cohort in 2004/05

Economic Development of HK in the last decadeRepositioning itself in the rapid economic development of Great River Delta RegionTransforming to a knowledge-based economyTremendous demand for re-skilling and up-skillingWorking adults demand for HE far exceeded the public provisionSelf-funded Lifelong Education Sector must grow to close the gap

Contribution of Lifelong Education to Human Resource Development

Expanding Provision of Higher Education (Part-time )Source: Survey on Public Demand of Continuing Education in HK 2003* About 261,000 learners enrolled in Part-time Executive and Short Programmes offered by the Self-funded Higher Education Sector

Impact of Lifelong Education on Education Profile of Work ForceSource: Education and Manpower Bureau, HKSAR athttp://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200511/08/P200511080193.htm

Upgrading Quality of Work Force through provision of: Professional courses closely related to the discipline of Accounting, Financial Management, IT, Law, Chinese Medicine & etc.Customized programmes commissioned by employersExecutive Training

Recent Government Policies on Lifelong Education--- Impetus for Convergence

Policies with a Clear VisionQualifications Framework (QF)Reforming Senior Secondary and Higher EducationIncrease Post-secondary OpportunitiesIndirect Support to Lifelong Education SectorDirect Support to Adult Learners

Policy with a Clear Vision:1. Qualifications Framework (QF)Seven-level QF covering academic, vocational, professional & continuing education sectorObjective standard for different ranks of qualifications & clear pathways for lifelong learningAn associated quality assurance mechanism

Policy with a Clear Vision:2. Reforming Senior Secondary and HE3+3+4 New Academic StructureDiversify the curriculum at the senior secondary levelAll students enjoy 6 years of secondary school educationProvide students with multiple progressive pathways to further studies & employmentAdd one extra year to all University courses

The 3+3+4 New Academic Structure

Policy with a Clear Vision:3. Increase Post-secondary OpportunitiesSet policy objective of doubling Post-secondary education provision from 30% to 60% by 2010 Target exceeded (66%) in mid 2005Estimated publicly-funded places around 24,650

Policy with a Clear Vision:4. Support to Lifelong Education SectorMulti-faceted indirect support for qualified AD Providers :HK$5 billion of interest free start-up loansLand granted for building Community CollegesGrant Scheme to cover the cost of academic accreditation

Policy with a Clear Vision:5. Direct Support to Adult LearnersMulti-faceted support to learnersMaximum Tax Exemption of HK$40,000 per year for individual learnersNon means-tested loan scheme & Means-tested financial assistance scheme for needy studentsLocal AD qualifications accepted for entry to 13 Civil Service gradesContinuing Education Fund (HK$5 billion) for re-imbursement of recognized studies

Impact of Government Policies on Lifelong EducationStrengthening the Self-funded Sector through multi-faceted supportGreater contribution from learnersStandardization and regularization of QualificationsDiversification of provision

The Case of HKU & HKU SPACE

University of Hong Kong (HKU)Founded in 1911, Oldest University in HKRanked 39th in the worlds top 200 Universities (UK Times Higher Education Supplement, Nov 2004)Ranked 3rd in Asia (Asiaweek 2000)Largest share of research funding among local Universities (Research Grants Council web site)Admit the best local students39 HKU academic staff as the worlds top 1% scientists (ISI Essential Science Indicators, April 2005)Source: HKU web site at http://www.hku.hk

University of Hong Kong (HKU)Two agendas:In addition to the traditional Vision & Mission of Research & TeachingThe University also endeavors: To provide a comprehensive education, developing fully the intellectual and personal strengths of its students while developing and extending lifelong learning opportunities for the communitySource: HKU web site at http://www.hku.hk

HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE)1956 Established as HKUs Department of Extra-Mural StudiesFirst Continuing Education Unit in the region1992 Became the School of Professional and Continuing Education1996 Achieved Self-financing Status1999 Incorporated as a non-profit making company limited by guarantee, wholly-owned by HKU

Trends in Student Enrollment107,077

Chart1

1956/57330

888

1122

1114

2283

3021

4130

5221

6341

5734

1966/675347

4727

4337

4223

5548

5808

5630

6268

9017

11086

1976/7713336

14513

17032

20032

23292

22774

23940

26403

28417

30442

1986/8731621

33826

36275

37926

38782

44361

47084

51950

57985

63340

1996/9767796

69361

83083

90030

95364

106672

107298

2004/05107000

Academic Year

Enrolments

Student Enrolments of HKU SPACE(1956-2005)

Sheet1

Growth in Enrolment 1956-2001

YearEnrolment

1956/57330

888

1,122

1,114

2,283

3,021

4,130

5,221

6,341

5,734

1966/675,347

4,727

4,337

4,223

5,548

5,808

5,630

6,268

9,017

11,086

1976/7713,336

14,513

17,032

20,032

23,292

22,774

23,940

26,403

28,417

30,442

1986/8731,621

33,826

36,275

37,926

38,782

44,361

47,084

51,950

57,985

63,340

1996/9767,796

69,361

83,083

90,030

95,364

106,672

107,298

2004/05107,000

Sheet2

Sheet3

HKU SPACE Great Variety of Academic Programmes

Academic Divisions of HKU SPACE10 Academic Divisions:Arts and HumanitiesAccountingFinanceManagement StudiesMarketingChinese MedicineHealth and Applied SciencesInformation TechnologyLawSocial Sciences, Urban Studies and Education

Other Academic Centres of HKU SPACEHKU SPACE Community CollegeCentre for International Degree ProgrammesCentre for Executive DevelopmentCentre for Language StudiesCentre for Logistics and TransportThe CyberPort Institute of Hong Kong

Academic Support Units of HKU SPACEQuality AssuranceFinanceHuman ResourcesFacilities and AccommodationPublic AffairsInformation TechnologyInstitutional Research and Business DevelopmentRegistry AffairsAlumni Affairs

Pioneering Efforts of HKU SPACEDeveloped programmes leading to Professional QualificationsAccountingLawFinancial ServicesChinese MedicineCollaborated with overseas Universities to bring in programmes that were unavailable in HK

Pioneering Efforts of HKU SPACEDevelopment of Associate Degree programme for HKFirst institution to introduce Associate Degree programmes in 2000Commissioned by the Government to conduct a Consultancy Study on Associate Degrees in HKDeveloped Common Descriptors and set the standards for the Sector

HKU SPACE as a Major Full-Time HE ProviderProvision of full-time sub-degree education to about 5,700 studentsCollaborated with overseas universities to provide full-time degree education to 800 students

HKU SPACE Representative as Policy AdvisorAppointed as member ofManpower Development Committee assisting to develop & review the QF for Sub-degree & vocational training courses and QA mechanismSteering Committee on Higher Education Review to inform HE policies

A Strong Role in establishing an Academic Quality Assurance System for the SectorHKU assumes an active role in establishing the Joint Quality Review Committee (JQRC) with other 7 public-funded UniversitiesTo oversee the quality of self-funded sub-degree programmes offered by their CE UnitsFrom self-accreditation to common standards

Concluding RemarksConverging of Higher & Continuing Education into a Lifelong Education ParadigmGovernment Policy & Learners Demand are key forcesConvergence will result in greater benefits to learners in terms of greater access & varietiesConvergence will result in greater benefits to the Society in terms of Human Resources Capacity Building

ConclusionThe Emergence of Lifelong Education makes the binary line between Higher Education & Continuing Education disappearing

Thank You