Lifelong Education in Hong Kong – The Convergence of Higher and Continuing Education

Professor Enoch C. M.YoungDirectorHKU School of Professional and Continuing Education

East Asia Forum for Adult Education6th General Assembly , Tokyo, JapanNovember 19 – 23, 2005

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Outline

Hong 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

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Hong Kong in Figures

Total land area: 1,100 km2

Population: 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

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Regional Hubs

Good telecommunication infrastructure 65% households with Internet connection 3.8m fixed & 4.6m mobile telephone lines

Open & effective information exchange(e.g. e Government)

Highly efficient transport system 0.5 million arrivals/departures per day; 11 million public transport journeys per day

Rapid development of economic ties with the Pearl River Delta

Source: http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/it_index.html ;

http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/transport_index.html

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Human Capital by Types of Industry

Industrial Types Work Force

Service Industry 85.7% Wholesale, retail, import/export trades

31.7%

Transport, storage, communications 11.4%

Financing, business services, insurance

15.3%

Community, social & personal services

27.3%

Construction & Others 14.3%Source: Census & Statistics Department, HKSAR at http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/labour_index.html

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Education (1)

Level Enrollment Percentage

Primary 447,150 45%Secondary 474,050 47%Tertiary 78,750 8%

Total 999,950 100%Source: Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics 2005

Public-funded Sector

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Education (2)

Types Enrollment Percentage

Full-time Tertiary 45,000 3%Part-time Lifelong Education (All levels)*

1,450,000 97%

Total 1,495,000 100%

Self-funded Sector

*Source: Survey on Public Demand of Continuing Education in Hong Kong 2003

The Changing Landscape of theHigher Education

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Characteristics of Public-funded HE Sector

Heavily Public-funded US$1.68 billion (5% of 2004/05 Public Expenditure)

Subsidy per student: US$23,500 per year

About 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

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Characteristics of Self-funded Lifelong Education Sector

Driving 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

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Learners’ Perception of Lifelong Education

Over 73% adult learners regarded Lifelong Education as useful to their career development Obtain recognized qualifications Acquire new skills & knowledge Salary advancement, promotion and change

job or trade

74% 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)

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Provision of Higher Education (Full-time )

2004/05Intake

Public-funded

Self-funded Sub-total

Degree 14,830(34%)

1,350(3%)

16,180(37%)

Sub-degree

9,820(23%)

17,080(40%)

26,900(63%)

Sub-total 24,650(57%)

18,430(43%)

43,080*(100%)

*66% of the relevant age cohort in 2004/05

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Economic Development of HK in the last decade

Repositioning 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 provision

Self-funded Lifelong Education Sector must grow to close the gap

Contribution of Lifelong Education

to Human Resource Development

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Expanding Provision of Higher Education (Part-time )

Awards Enrollment Percentage

Post-graduate 159,000 13%

Bachelor 217,500 19%

Sub-degree 812,000 68%

Total 1,188,500* 100%

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

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Impact of Lifelong Education on Education Profile of Work Force

Attainment/ Year

Lower Secondary or below

Upper Secondary

Tertiary Level

1985 58% 32% 10%

2004 33% 40% 27%

Source: Education and Manpower Bureau, HKSAR athttp://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200511/08/P200511080193.htm

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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

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Policies with a Clear Vision

1. Qualifications Framework (QF)2. Reforming Senior Secondary and Hig

her Education3. Increase Post-secondary Opportunit

ies4. Indirect Support to Lifelong Educati

on Sector5. Direct Support to Adult Learners

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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

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Policy with a Clear Vision:2. Reforming Senior Secondary and HE

“3+3+4” New Academic Structure Diversify the curriculum at the senior

secondary level All students enjoy 6 years of

secondary school education Provide students with multiple

progressive pathways to further studies & employment

Add one extra year to all University courses

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The “3+3+4” New Academic Structure

Senior Secondary (2nd year)

Senior Secondary (3rd year)

Employment

Continuing Education

Junior Secondary (3 years)

Senior Secondary (1st year)

Year 3 & 4

Undergraduate

Year 1 & 2Associate Degree / Higher Diploma

Master

Ph

D

Project Yi Jin

Technicians / Technical Courses

Career-oriented Studies Awards

Re-skilling

Up-skilling

3-year Senior Secondary

3-year Junior Secondary

4-year Under-graduate

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Policy with a Clear Vision:3. Increase Post-secondary Opportunities

Set 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

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Policy with a Clear Vision:4. Support to Lifelong Education Sector

Multi-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

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Policy with a Clear Vision:5. Direct Support to Adult Learners

Multi-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

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Impact of Government Policies on Lifelong Education

Strengthening the Self-funded Sector through multi-faceted supportGreater contribution from learnersStandardization and regularization of QualificationsDiversification of provision

The Case of HKU & HKU SPACE

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University of Hong Kong (HKU)Founded in 1911, Oldest University in HKRanked 39th in the world’s 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 world’s top 1% scientists (ISI Essential Science Indicators, April 2005)

Source: HKU web site at http://www.hku.hk

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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 community”Source: HKU web site at http://www.hku.hk

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HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE)

1956 Established as HKU’s Department of Extra-Mural Studies First Continuing Education Unit in the region

1992 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

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Trends in Student Enrollment

Student Enrolments of HKU SPACE(1956-2005)

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

100,000

110,000

1956/57 1966/67 1976/77 1986/87 1996/97 2004/05

Academi c Year

Enrol ments107,077

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HKU SPACE – Great Variety of Academic Programmes

Academic LevelNo. of

CoursesStudent

Enrollment FTE

Postgraduate 66 6,410 1,180Undergraduate 39 24,150 3,350Sub-degree/Higher Diploma 69 5,617 5,583

Diploma/Certificate 161 43,620 5,810Short Courses 671 27,280 2,460Total 1,006 107,077 18,383

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Academic Divisions of HKU SPACE

10 Academic Divisions: Arts and Humanities Accounting Finance Management Studies Marketing Chinese Medicine Health and Applied Sciences Information Technology Law Social Sciences, Urban Studies and Education

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Other Academic Centres of HKU SPACE

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

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Academic Support Units of HKU SPACE

Quality Assurance Finance Human Resources Facilities and Accommodation Public Affairs Information Technology Institutional Research and Business

Development Registry Affairs Alumni Affairs

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Pioneering Efforts of HKU SPACE

Developed programmes leading to Professional Qualifications Accounting Law Financial Services Chinese Medicine

Collaborated with overseas Universities to bring in programmes that were unavailable in HK

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Pioneering Efforts of HKU SPACE

Development of Associate Degree programme for HK First institution to introduce Associate De

gree programmes in 2000 Commissioned by the Government to co

nduct a Consultancy Study on Associate Degrees in HK

Developed ‘Common Descriptors’ and set the standards for the Sector

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HKU SPACE as a Major Full-Time HE Provider

Provision of full-time sub-degree education to about 5,700 studentsCollaborated with overseas universities to provide full-time degree education to 800 students

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HKU SPACE Representative as Policy Advisor

Appointed as member of Manpower Development Committee

assisting to develop & review the QF for Sub-degree & vocational training courses and QA mechanism

Steering Committee on Higher Education Review to inform HE policies

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A Strong Role in establishing an Academic Quality Assurance System for the Sector

HKU assumes an active role in establishing the Joint Quality Review Committee (JQRC) with other 7 public-funded Universities To oversee the quality of self-funded

sub-degree programmes offered by their CE Units

From self-accreditation to common standards

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Concluding Remarks

1. Converging of Higher & Continuing Education into a ‘Lifelong Education Paradigm’

2. Government Policy & Learners’ Demand are key forces

3. Convergence will result in greater benefits to learners in terms of greater access & varieties

4. Convergence will result in greater benefits to the Society in terms of Human Resources Capacity Building

Conclusion

The Emergence of Lifelong Education makes the binary line

between Higher Education & Continuing Education disappearing

Thank You