20 th Anniversary Professor LEE Keng-mun, William Executive Director HONG KONG COUNCIL FOR ACCREDITATION OF ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (HKCAAVQ) 3 October 2014 The Four-stage QA Process: EQA for IQA

20 th Anniversary 22 Content Context for EQA in Hong Kong Role and functions of HKCAAVQ Four-stage QA Process Balance between EQA & IQA

20 th Anniversary Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) Promote lifelong learning Order and support qualifications – Mainstream academic education – Vocational education – Continuing education 7-levels characterised by generic level descriptors For all post-secondary qualifications Outcome-based Quality assurance on a voluntary basis 8,037 qualifications on the QR from 236 operators (as at )

20 th Anniversary UGC-funded institutions Self-financing operations Non UGC-funded institutions QAC JQRC Degree or above Senior year intake & top- up degree Sub-degree HKCAAVQ Degree or above Senior year intake & top- up degree Sub-degree QA for HE in HK – a Mixed System Degree or above Senior year intake & top- up degree QAC

20 th Anniversary Accredited Qualifications on HKQR (as at ) Total: 8,037 accredited qualifications by 236 operators 2,300 QF L5-7 qualifications 10% accredited by HKCAAVQ 90% self-accredited by HEI 5,737 QF L1-4 qualifications 79% accredited by HKCAAVQ 17% reviewed by JQRC 4% self-accredited by HEI

20 th Anniversary The only statutory accreditation body in Hong Kong (Cap 1150) Quality assurance of non-self-accrediting institutions and programmes Self-financing, no recurrent Government subsidy Accreditation Authority for academic and vocational sectors (Cap 592) Qualification Registrar (QR) Authority (Cap 592) Role and functions of HKCAAVQ

20 th Anniversary Statutory accreditation authority under Cap 592 to support HKQF and ensure quality of academic and vocational qualifications on HKQR Target OperatorsMethodology 1ALL local HE and vocational operators and schools (except those under the regime of QAC and JQRC) seeking recognition under HKQF Four-stage QA Process 2Non-local programme (NLP) operators seeking recognition of NLP under HKQF Non-local Programme Accreditation 3Operators seeking registration as post-secondary colleges (Cap 320) Institutional Review for Cap 320 Role and functions of HKCAAVQ

20 th Anniversary 4-Stage Quality Assurance Process Designed to ensure the integrity of the QF Implemented since May 2008 Both academic and vocational accreditation services Voluntary Fee-charging

20 th Anniversary Stage 1: Initial Evaluation (IE) Stage 2: Learning Programme Accreditation (LPA) Learning Programme Re-accreditation (Re-LPA) Stage 3: Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) Stage 4: Periodic Review (PR) 4-Stage Quality Assurance Process

20 th Anniversary Guiding principles of the Four-stage QA Process Fitness for purpose Peer review Evidence-based Transparency Threshold standards

20 th Anniversary 4-Stage QA Process in support of QF Stage 1: Initial Evaluation (IE)  To assess organizational competency in running QF-recognised programmes at specified QF levels.  IE status is linked to the approved QF level or below and is valid for two years.  Operators must have valid IE status to operate accredited learning programmes.

20 th Anniversary 4-Stage QA Process in support of QF Stage 2: Learning Programme Accreditation (LPA)  To evaluate if programme meets the required QF standards and the stated learning outcomes. and deliver the intended learning outcomes that meet the QF standards.  When a learning programme is successfully accredited, the qualification can be entered into the QR for the approved validity period.  Learning Programme Re-accreditation (re-LPA) is the cyclical evaluation of an accredited learning programme, which determines whether the learning programme continues to meet the stated objectives.

20 th Anniversary 4-Stage QA Process in support of QF Stage 3: Programme Area Accreditation (PAA)  PAA is conferred on programme providers with sufficient quality assurance competency and maturity at the organisational level and a good track record in delivery of their validated programme(s).  To assess if operator is competent to develop and offer new programmes within a defined scope of programme areas and at specified QF levels.  Upon gaining PAA, a provider may develop and operate learning programmes within an approved scope of programme area(s) at specified QF Level(s) for an approved period of time (validity period).

20 th Anniversary 4-Stage QA Process in support of QF Stage 4: Periodic Review (PR)  To periodically monitor if operator is competent to maintain the PAA status.  To determine whether an Operator continues to maintain robust internal QA systems to self-monitor and ensure that their operation meets their stated objectives, and whether their learning programmes meet the QF standards in the specified programme area(s)  PR is used to ascertain whether the internal quality assurance processes of the provider continue to be effective and sound

20 th Anniversary  Each stage builds on the previous one and allows Operators to demonstrate their maturity in developing and operating accredited programmes over time and to construct a track record of successful accreditation.  The four stages allow room for the growth and development of Operators, leading to the opportunity to gain self-accrediting status in programme areas of proven strength and quality assurance capacity. 4-Stage QA Process in support of QF

20 th Anniversary Accreditation Criteria: combined IE and LPA Initial Evaluation Organisational Management Financial and Physical Resources Staffing and Staff Development QA Learning Programme Accreditation Programme Objectives & Learning Outcomes Programme Structure and Content Admission Requirements Teaching and Learning Student Assessment Staffing and Staff Development Financial and Physical Resources Student Support Services QA (including Programme Development and Management) Student Records and Information Management 4+10 = 11 Accreditation Criteria

20 th Anniversary Accreditation Process Week 1-4Initial examination of accreditation document Facilitating phase Panel formation Week 5-8Panel’s initial comments and operator’s responses Week 9-10On-site visit or meeting Week 11-19Report writing Week 20Notification of outcome

20 th Anniversary Accreditation Outcome Possible Outcomes  Approval  Approval with - Pre-conditions (effect the approval after fulfilment) - Requirements (maintain the approval after fulfilment) - Recommendations (non-binding)  Non-approval Validity Period  IE: 2 years  LPA: normally n+1 years depending on the quality of the programme

20 th Anniversary Balance between EQA & IQA  The Four-stage QA Process is designed to progressively develop Operators’ competency in self-review, self-monitoring and enhancement of their internal quality assurance capacity.  The external accreditation exercises help Operators develop internal mechanisms to improve the quality of their institutional operations and learning programmes.

20 th Anniversary Balance between EQA & IQA  During the process of re-LPA, the Operator is expected to demonstrate continuous improvement as a result of its internal QA procedures over the validity period.  PAA determines whether Operators have well balanced and robust internal quality assurance systems to self-monitor and accredit their own programmes, given their track records of self- monitoring and assuring the standards of their accredited learning programme(s)

20 th Anniversary Copyright 2014 © HKCAAVQ. All Rights Reserved. The copyright of this presentation (printed and electronic) belongs to the HKCAAVQ and that any use of the printed materials in full or in part must be under prior written consent by the HKCAAVQ and with clear reference made to the HKCAAVQ as the material source. Address: Tel: Fax: Website: 10 Siu Sai Wan Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong Thank You