1. Lifelong Education in Hong Kong – The Convergence of Higher and Continuing Education Professor Enoch C. M.Young Director HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education East Asia Forum for Adult Education 6th General Assembly, Tokyo, Japan November 19 – 23, 2005

2. 2 Outline Hong Kong – The Environment Changing Landscape of HE Contribution of Lifelong Education to Human Resource Development Policies on Lifelong Education The Case of HKU & HKU SPACE Conclusion

3. Hong Kong – The Environment

4. 4 Hong Kong in Figures Total land area: 1,100 km 2 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 http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/index2.html

5. 5 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/it_index.html http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/transport_index.html

6. 6 Human Capital by Types of Industry Industrial TypesWork Force Service Industry85.7% Wholesale, retail, import/export trades31.7% Transport, storage, communications11.4% Financing, business services, insurance15.3% Community, social & personal services27.3% Construction & Others14.3% Source: Census & Statistics Department, HKSAR at http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/labour_index.html http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/hkstat/hkinf/labour_index.html

7. 7 Education (1) LevelEnrollmentPercentage Primary447,15045% Secondary474,05047% Tertiary78,7508% Total999,950100% Source: Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics 2005 Public-funded Sector

8. 8 Education (2) TypesEnrollment Percentage Full-time Tertiary45,0003% Part-time Lifelong Education (All levels)* 1,450,00097% Total 1,495,000100% Self-funded Sector *Source: Survey on Public Demand of Continuing Education in Hong Kong 2003

9. The Changing Landscape of the Higher Education

10. 10 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 year Representing about 18% of relevant age (17-20 years) cohort Source: Hong Kong Annual Digest of Statistics 2005

11. 11 Characteristics of Self-funded Lifelong Education Sector Driving force: Extension arms of Universities Also several large NGOs as major providers, e.g. Caritas From 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

12. 12 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)

13. 13 Provision of Higher Education (Full-time ) 2004/05 Intake Public- funded Self- funded Sub-total Degree14,830 (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

14. 14 Economic Development of HK in the last decade Repositioning itself in the rapid economic development of Great River Delta Region Transforming to a knowledge-based economy Tremendous demand for re-skilling and up-skilling Working adults’ demand for HE far exceeded the public provision Self-funded Lifelong Education Sector must grow to close the gap

15. Contribution of Lifelong Education to Human Resource Development

16. 16 Expanding Provision of Higher Education ( Part-time ) AwardsEnrollmentPercentage Post-graduate159,00013% Bachelor217,50019% Sub-degree812,00068% Total1,188,500*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

17. 17 Impact of Lifelong Education on Education Profile of Work Force Attainment/ Year Lower Secondary or below Upper Secondary Tertiary Level 198558%32%10% 200433%40%27% Source: Education and Manpower Bureau, HKSAR at http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200511/08/P200511080193.htm

18. 18 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 employers Executive Training

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

20. 20 Policies with a Clear Vision 1. Qualifications Framework (QF) 2. Reforming Senior Secondary and Higher Education 3. Increase Post-secondary Opportunities 4. Indirect Support to Lifelong Education Sector 5. Direct Support to Adult Learners

21. 21 Policy with a Clear Vision: 1. Qualifications Framework (QF) Seven-level QF covering academic, vocational, professional & continuing education sector Objective standard for different ranks of qualifications & clear pathways for lifelong learning An associated quality assurance mechanism

22. 22 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

23. 23 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 & 2 Associate Degree / Higher Diploma Master PhD 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

24. 24 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 2005 Estimated publicly-funded places around 24,650

25. 25 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 loans Land granted for building Community Colleges Grant Scheme to cover the cost of academic accreditation

26. 26 Policy with a Clear Vision: 5. Direct Support to Adult Learners Multi-faceted support to learners Maximum Tax Exemption of HK$40,000 per year for individual learners Non means-tested loan scheme & Means-tested financial assistance scheme for needy students Local AD qualifications accepted for entry to 13 Civil Service grades Continuing Education Fund (HK$5 billion) for re-imbursement of recognized studies

27. 27 Impact of Government Policies on Lifelong Education Strengthening the Self-funded Sector through multi-faceted support Greater contribution from learners Standardization and regularization of Qualifications Diversification of provision

28. The Case of HKU & HKU SPACE

29. 29 University of Hong Kong (HKU) Founded in 1911, Oldest University in HK Ranked 39 th in the world’s top 200 Universities (UK Times Higher Education Supplement, Nov 2004) Ranked 3 rd in Asia (Asiaweek 2000) Largest share of research funding among local Universities (Research Grants Council web site) Admit the best local students 39 HKU academic staff as the world’s top 1% scientists (ISI Essential Science Indicators, April 2005) Source: HKU web site at http://www.hku.hkhttp://www.hku.hk

30. 30 University of Hong Kong (HKU) Two agendas: In addition to the traditional Vision & Mission of Research & Teaching The 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.hkhttp://www.hku.hk

31. 31 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 Education 1996 Achieved Self-financing Status 1999 Incorporated as a non-profit making company limited by guarantee, wholly- owned by HKU

32. 32 Trends in Student Enrollment 107,077

33. 33 HKU SPACE – Great Variety of Academic Programmes Academic Level No. of Courses Student Enrollment FTE Postgraduate 666,4101,180 Undergraduate 3924,1503,350 Sub-degree/ Higher Diploma 695,6175,583 Diploma/Certificate 16143,6205,810 Short Courses 67127,2802,460 Total 1,006107,07718,383

34. 34 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

35. 35 Other Academic Centres of HKU SPACE HKU SPACE Community College Centre for International Degree Programmes Centre for Executive Development Centre for Language Studies Centre for Logistics and Transport The CyberPort Institute of Hong Kong

36. 36 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

37. 37 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

38. 38 Pioneering Efforts of HKU SPACE Development of Associate Degree programme for HK First institution to introduce Associate Degree programmes in 2000 Commissioned by the Government to conduct a Consultancy Study on Associate Degrees in HK Developed ‘Common Descriptors’ and set the standards for the Sector

39. 39 HKU SPACE as a Major Full-Time HE Provider Provision of full-time sub-degree education to about 5,700 students Collaborated with overseas universities to provide full-time degree education to 800 students

40. 40 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

41. 41 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

42. 42 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

43. Conclusion The Emergence of Lifelong Education makes the binary line between Higher Education & Continuing Education disappearing

44. Thank You