A spokesman for the University Grants Committee (UGC) said today (September 24) that the UGC had set up the Review Group on Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) in response to the Government's invitation for expert advice on the Development Blueprint put forward by the HKIEd.

The Review Group will report to the UGC. It will consider the HKIEd Development Blueprint in the light of the terms of reference given by the Education Bureau (Annex). Its members comprise experienced UGC Members and local educators. Professor John Niland, an overseas Member of UGC since 2003, will serve as the Convenor. Other members include Mr Irving Koo Yee-yin (Deputy Convenor), Mrs Pamela Chan Wong-shui, Dr Robin Cheung Man-biu, Prof Wong Yuk-shan, and Mrs Stella Lau Kun Lai-kuen.

Professor Niland is a former Vice Chancellor of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Australia, with considerable experience in overseeing reviews in higher education there and in Asia.

"The excellence of the teaching service is critical to society, and we are conscious that the outcome of our work will bear on future generations of Hong Kong teachers and students. We will approach the review with an open mind, and will study carefully the proposals in the Development Blueprint. During the process, we will maintain a close dialogue with HKIEd", Professor Niland said.

The Government has asked for advice from the UGC before the end of 2008 and hence the Review Group and UGC will aim to complete their work before then.

Ends/Monday, September 24, 2007
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Annex

Terms of Reference Formulated by the Government for the UGC

In the light of the community's needs and the promotion of excellence in the higher education sector, to advise :

(a) on the impact of the proposals set out in the document entitled "Development Blueprint: Becoming a University of Education" ("the Development Blueprint"), submitted by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) to the Government on June 28, 2007, on the strategic development of the UGC sector as a whole and on teacher education provision in particular, having regard to HKIEd's existing role as a teacher education institution;

(b) on the readiness and capability of HKIEd to diversify its programme offerings and provide the new academic programmes as referred to in the Development Blueprint, and the quality assurance mechanism that may need to be put in place for such programmes, having regard to the fact that HKIEd's expertise so far has mainly been confined to teacher education programmes;

(c) on the financial implications arising from the implementation of the proposals in the Development Blueprint, whether in full or in part, and how such requirements may be funded; and

(d) on whether HKIEd should become a university of education as proposed in the Development Blueprint.