Higher Education Review

The UGC Higher Education Review is moving in full swing. The Steering Committee, formed under the UGC to take charge of the Review, has met for three times already. With the consultancy support of PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Steering Committee has had thorough discussion on a number of issues including:

• governance of the whole higher education sector (e.g. whether the whole sector should be overseen by a single overarching body or several bodies, and its/their roles);

• the role of the UGC in the governance structure discussed above, with particular reference to Associate Degrees and community colleges; and

• the governance structures of UGC-funded institutions and whether they can meet the need of the institutions and the society as a whole.

For the coming months, the review will also look at other higher education issues including quality assurance, drive for excellence and diversity, research funding, etc.

The UGC considers it very important for the Review to take into account views and aspirations of relevant stakeholders. In this connection, Lord Sutherland has met with the Administration, the Education Commission, Chairmen of University Councils, Heads of Institutions and other related bodies, student/educators/staff organisations, to solicit their views during his visits to Hong Kong in the last three months. Lord Sutherland will maintain an active programme of meeting and talking to stakeholders before the recommendations in the report are finalised.

In addition, we have also invited the stakeholders to provide written submissions to the UGC by 31 August 2001. A full list of stakeholders being consulted is at Annex A. Also, members of the public are always welcome to write in to the UGC through the Higher Education Forum at the UGC homepage (www.ugc.edu.hk).

A draft report, to be written by Lord Sutherland, will be considered by the full UGC early next year, after which it will be submitted to the Secretary for Education and Manpower. We hope to finish the entire exercise by mid 2002.

11 May 2001