Results of 2011/12 Common English Proficiency Assessment Scheme released
The University Grants Committee (UGC) announced today (October 16) the results of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) taken by final year students of UGC-funded undergraduate degree programmes under the 2011/12 Common English Proficiency Assessment Scheme (CEPAS).
About 11 800 final year students, or about 64% of all full-time and part-time final year undergraduate students, participated in the 2011/12 round of CEPAS.
The average overall score attained by the students is 6.72 on a nine-point scale. About 84.7% of the students attained a score in the 6.0 - 7.5 range which means they are "competent" or "good" users of the English language in terms of the IELTS scoring system.
Among the four modules of the test, students did better in "reading" and "listening", scoring overall 7.32 and 7.22 respectively. Their average scores in "writing" and "speaking" are 6.01 and 6.06 respectively. Institutions are encouraged to utilise the CEPAS results to inform their English language enhancement strategies and programmes.
Breakdowns of candidates' average scores
by broad academic discipline and by institution
are attached at Annexes A and B. Comparisons
of the overall average scores in 2010/11
and 2011/12, broken down by broad academic
discipline and by institution, are attached
at Annexes C and D.
For the 2011/12 round of CEPAS, 41 testing sessions were held from July 2011 to May 2012. For the 2012/13 round of CEPAS, the registration period is from April 2 to May 4, 2012 (Period 1) and September 17 to October 26, 2012 (Period 2). Students may continue to register online (www.ugccepa.com).
CEPAS is a voluntary assessment scheme intended to encourage students to be more aware of the importance of English proficiency, and to provide a common framework for assessing and documenting graduating students' English proficiency. IELTS has been adopted by UGC as the testing tool under CEPAS since 2002/03. Test fees will be reimbursed once if students agree to reflect their participation in CEPAS in their transcript. The actual test score however will not be shown.
IELTS results are reported on a band scale from 0 to 9. Scores are reported in whole and half bands. According to the IELTS scoring system, candidates scoring Band 6 are considered competent users who have a generally effective command of the English language, despite some inaccuracies, while those scoring Band 7 are considered good users who generally handle complex language well.
An overall Band of 6.5 or above with no subtest score below Band 6 obtained in the same sitting in the Academic Module of IELTS within the two-year validity period are accepted as equivalent to "Level 2" result in the Use of English paper of the Government's Common Recruitment Examination.
Ends/Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Annex A
Distribution of Average
Overall Scores and Sub-scores of Final Year
Undergraduate Students in 2011/12 by Broad
Academic Discipline
Broad Academic Discipline |
No. of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Reading Sub-score |
Average Listening Sub-score |
Average Writing Sub-score |
Average Speaking Sub-score |
Average Overall Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arts & Humanities | 1,327 | 7.31 | 7.28 | 6.05 | 6.19 | 6.77 |
Business & Management | 3,419 | 7.48 | 7.35 | 6.08 | 6.13 | 6.83 |
Education | 615 | 6.98 | 7.01 | 5.94 | 6.13 | 6.58 |
Engineering & Technology | 2,089 | 7.05 | 6.94 | 5.81 | 5.81 | 6.47 |
Medicine, Dentistry & Health | 421 | 7.64 | 7.46 | 6.07 | 6.15 | 6.89 |
Physical Sciences | 2,096 | 7.25 | 7.10 | 5.92 | 5.87 | 6.60 |
Social Sciences | 1,858 | 7.47 | 7.38 | 6.16 | 6.30 | 6.89 |
Total : | 11,825 | 7.32 | 7.22 | 6.01 | 6.06 | 6.72 |
1Both part-time and full-time students are eligible to participate.
Annex B
Distribution of Average
Overall Scores and Sub-scores
of Final Year Undergraduate Students in
2011/12 by Institution
Institution | Number and % of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Reading Sub-score |
Average Listening Sub-score |
Average Writing Sub-score |
Average Speaking Sub-score |
Average Overall Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CityU | 2,132 (69%) |
6.95 | 6.86 | 5.86 | 5.86 | 6.45 |
HKBU | 1,064 (64%) |
7.12 | 7.07 | 5.94 | 6.05 | 6.62 |
LU | 556 (78%) |
6.85 | 6.83 | 5.87 | 5.91 | 6.44 |
CUHK | 2,241 (67%) |
7.73 | 7.53 | 6.14 | 6.21 | 6.97 |
HKIEd2 | 387 (72%) |
6.66 | 6.69 | 5.80 | 5.93 | 6.34 |
PolyU | 2,213 (69%) |
7.15 | 7.02 | 5.90 | 5.90 | 6.55 |
HKUST | 1,371 (68%) |
7.37 | 7.32 | 6.00 | 6.06 | 6.76 |
HKU | 1,861 (55%) |
7.81 | 7.70 | 6.26 | 6.39 | 7.11 |
Total : | 11,825 (64%) |
7.32 | 7.22 | 6.01 | 6.06 | 6.72 |
1The participation rate is calculated based on total number of projected graduates, including full-time and part-time, except for HKIEd (see Note 2 below).
2383 of the 387 candidates from HKIEd are full-time students, accounting for 72% of projected graduates from full-time programmes in 2011/12. The 387 candidates account for 37% of projected graduates of all programmes in 2011/12.
Annex C
Comparison of Average
Overall Scores and Participation
of Final Year Undergraduate Students in
2010/11 and 2011/12
by Broad Academic Discipline
Broad Academic Discipline |
2010/11 | 2011/12 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Overall Score |
No. of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Overall Score |
|
Arts & Humanities |
1,402 | 6.76 | 1,327 | 6.77 |
Business & Management |
3,778 | 6.82 | 3,419 | 6.83 |
Education | 637 | 6.55 | 615 | 6.58 |
Engineering & Technology |
2,276 | 6.44 | 2,089 | 6.47 |
Medicine, Dentistry & Health |
405 | 6.76 | 421 | 6.89 |
Physical Sciences |
2,115 | 6.57 | 2,096 | 6.60 |
Social Sciences |
1,808 | 6.88 | 1,858 | 6.89 |
Total : | 12,421 | 6.69 | 11,825 | 6.72 |
1Both part-time and full-time students are eligible to participate.
Annex D
Comparison of Average
Overall Scores and Participation
of Final Year Undergraduate Students in
2010/11 and 2011/12 by Institution
Institution | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Number and % of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Overall Score |
Number and % of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Overall Score |
|
CityU | 2,303 (73%) |
6.43 | 2,132 (69%) |
6.45 |
HKBU | 1,061 (64%) |
6.57 | 1,064 (64%) |
6.62 |
LU | 564 (72%) |
6.43 | 556 (78%) |
6.44 |
CUHK | 2,206 (69%) |
6.96 | 2,241 (67%) |
6.97 |
HKIEd2 | 403 (76%) |
6.36 | 387 (72%) |
6.34 |
PolyU | 2,410 (81%) |
6.55 | 2,213 (69%) |
6.55 |
HKUST | 1,486 (74%) |
6.75 | 1,371 (68%) |
6.76 |
HKU | 1,988 (59%) |
7.06 | 1,861 (55%) |
7.11 |
Total : | 12,421 (68%) |
6.69 | 11,825 (64%) |
6.72 |
1The participation rate is calculated based on total number of projected graduates, including full-time and part-time, except for HKIEd (see Note 2 below).
2In 2010/11, 401 of the 403 candidates from HKIEd were full-time students, accounting for 76% of projected graduates from full-time programmes in 2010/11. The 403 candidates accounted for 42% of projected graduates from all programmes in 2010/11. In 2011/12, 383 of the 387 candidates from HKIEd are full-time students, accounting for 72% of projected graduates from full-time programmes in 2011/12. The 387 candidates account for 37% of projected graduates of all programmes in 2011/12.