PRESS  RELEASE   

Joint Quality Review Committee established by eight UGC Institutions to Oversee Quality of Self-financed Sub-degree Programmes

The Joint Quality Review Committee Limited (JQRC) established by the eight institutions under the aegis of the University Grants Committee (UGC) held its first meeting today (Nov 8) to discuss the future direction and plans of JQRC.

The Joint Quality Review Committee Limited (JQRC), a new quality assurance body established by the eight institutions under the aegis of the University Grants Committee (UGC), is to oversee the quality assurance processes for the self-financed sub-degree programmes of these institutions.

The formation of JQRC was undertaken by an Interim Board of Management convened by Professor Philip K W Yeung of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.  The first Board of Directors was formed after the JQRC was formally incorporated in August this year, comprising one representative from each of the eight institutions.  At its meeting today, the Board elected Professor Philip Yeung as its first Chairman, and Dr. K. S. So as the Deputy Chairman.

Professor Philip Yeung said, “These eight institutions are self-accrediting institutions and each has internal quality assurance mechanisms for ensuring the quality of its programmes.  With the expansion of self-financed sub-degrees in recent years, and in response to new developments such as the establishment of a Qualifications Framework in Hong Kong, the Heads of Universities Committee considers it appropriate to establish a joint body for the review of the quality assurance processes for self-financed sub-degree programmes and for the promotion and exchange of good practice, and also to advise the institutions on the classification of these sub-degree programmes onto the Qualifications Framework.”

The remit of JQRC will include the self-financed sub-degree programmes at the continuing education divisions as well as those offered by other units of the institutions proper.

“The setting up of the Joint Quality Review Committee is an unprecedented initiative for post-secondary education in Hong Kong and a significant milestone in the development of quality assurance in education,” Professor Yeung said.

“The Board emphasized that the quality assurance procedures undertaken by JQRC will undoubtedly take into account the self-accrediting status of the member institutions and their institutional autonomy,” he continued.

“Members at today’s meeting also agreed to set up an Academic Council under the Board which is tasked to formulate the strategies and timeframe for instituting a framework for the peer review of the quality assurance of the institutions, he said.

“In order to ensure comprehensive quality assurance mechanisms are in place across the board for improving the quality of the provision of self-financing sub-degree programmes, JQRC will maintain communication channels with all these bodies and work closely together in important developments such as the setting up of the Qualifications Framework,” Professor Yeung added.

The establishment of JQRC is highly supported by the University Grants Committee and the Education and Manpower Bureau, as its formation will certainly add to the quality assurance initiatives undertaken by the UGC, and the work of the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation (HKCAA) in accrediting programmes outside of the UGC-funded sector.

The first Directors of the Board comprise:

Professor Richard HO (City University of Hong Kong)

Mrs. Pauline M. L. MAH (Hong Kong Baptist University)

Professor Tsang-sing CHAN (Lingnan University)

Professor Leslie LO (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

Dr. Kwok Sang SO (The Hong Kong Institute of Education)

Professor Philip K. W. YEUNG (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Professor Ting-chuen PONG (Hong Kong University of Science & Technology)

Professor John G MALPAS (The University of Hong Kong)

The Education and Manpower Bureau is represented by Mr. Edward Yau, JP, Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower, as observer at the meeting.

The JQRC is an independent corporate body formed under the Heads of Universities Committee (HUCOM) constituted by the eight UGC-funded institutions. The eight institutions are City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lingnan University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and The University of Hong Kong.