Results of 2013/14 Common English Proficiency Assessment Scheme released
The University Grants Committee (UGC) announced today (September 26) the results of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) taken by final year students of UGC-funded undergraduate degree programmes under the 2013/14 Common English Proficiency Assessment Scheme (CEPAS).
About 11,400 final year students, or about 57 per cent of all full-time and part-time final year undergraduate students, participated in the 2013/14 round of CEPAS.
The average overall score attained by the students is 6.76 on a nine-point scale. About 82.3 per cent 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 "listening" and "reading", scoring an overall average of 7.30 and 7.32 respectively. Their average scores in "writing" and "speaking" were 6.07 and 6.15 respectively. Institutions are encouraged to utilise the CEPAS results as part of 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 2012/13 and 2013/14, broken down by broad academic discipline and by institution, are attached at Annexes C and D.
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 students' English proficiency. IELTS has been adopted by the UGC as a testing tool under CEPAS since 2002/03. Test fees will be reimbursed 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 score 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 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 is accepted as equivalent to a "Level 2" result in the Use of English paper of the Government's Common Recruitment Examination.
Ends/Friday, September 26, 2014
Annex A
Distribution of Average
Overall Scores and Sub-scores of Final Year
Undergraduate Students in 2013/14 by Broad
Academic Discipline
| Broad Academic Discipline |
No.
of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Listening Sub-score |
Average Reading Sub-score |
Average Writing Sub-score |
Average Speaking Sub-score |
Average Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arts & Humanities | 1,437 | 7.38 | 7.28 | 6.12 | 6.28 | 6.81 |
| Business & Management | 3,218 | 7.44 | 7.41 | 6.12 | 6.21 | 6.85 |
| Education | 666 | 6.81 | 6.77 | 5.85 | 6.02 | 6.41 |
| Engineering & Technology | 1,972 | 7.04 | 7.14 | 5.94 | 5.94 | 6.57 |
| Medicine, Dentistry & Health | 412 | 7.54 | 7.65 | 6.09 | 6.20 | 6.93 |
| Physical Sciences | 2,016 | 7.21 | 7.31 | 5.98 | 5.98 | 6.67 |
| Social Sciences | 1,648 | 7.55 | 7.57 | 6.25 | 6.39 | 7.00 |
| Total : | 11,369 | 7.30 | 7.32 | 6.07 | 6.15 | 6.76 |
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
2013/14 by Institution
| Institution | Number
and % of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Listening Sub-score |
Average Reading Sub-score |
Average Writing Sub-score |
Average Speaking Sub-score |
Average Overall Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CityU | 2,060 (64%) |
6.89 | 6.97 | 5.91 | 5.95 | 6.49 |
| HKBU | 1,053 (61%) |
7.16 | 7.12 | 6.00 | 6.12 | 6.66 |
| LU | 495 (74%) |
6.89 | 6.82 | 5.92 | 5.96 | 6.45 |
| CUHK | 2,195 (60%) |
7.61 | 7.67 | 6.18 | 6.26 | 6.98 |
| HKIEd2 | 597 (72%) |
6.66 | 6.62 | 5.78 | 5.89 | 6.29 |
| PolyU | 1,946 (60%) |
7.11 | 7.16 | 5.96 | 6.02 | 6.61 |
| HKUST | 1,300 (60%) |
7.47 | 7.49 | 6.11 | 6.16 | 6.86 |
| HKU | 1,723 (46%) |
7.91 | 7.86 | 6.35 | 6.52 | 7.22 |
| Total : | 11,369 (100%) |
7.30 | 7.32 | 6.07 | 6.15 | 6.76 |
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).
2594 of the 597 candidates from HKIEd are full-time students, accounting for 72% of projected graduates from full-time programmes in 2013/14. The 597 candidates account for 47% of projected graduates of all programmes in 2013/14.
Annex C
Comparison of Average
Overall Scores
of Final Year Undergraduate Students in
2012/13 and 2013/14
by Broad Academic Discipline
| Broad Academic Discipline |
2012/13 | 2013/14 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No.
of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Overall Score |
No.
of final year students participated in CEPAS1 |
Average Overall Score |
|
| Arts
& Humanities |
1,330 | 6.80 | 1,437 | 6.81 |
| Business
& Management |
3,314 | 6.77 | 3,218 | 6.85 |
| Education | 578 | 6.42 | 666 | 6.41 |
| Engineering
& Technology |
2,048 | 6.47 | 1,972 | 6.57 |
| Medicine, Dentistry & Health |
412 | 6.91 | 412 | 6.93 |
| Physical Sciences |
2,089 | 6.63 | 2,016 | 6.67 |
| Social Sciences |
1,718 | 6.90 | 1,648 | 7.00 |
| Total : | 11,478 | 6.70 | 11,369 | 6.76 |
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
2012/13 and 2013/14 by Institution
| Institution | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 2,135 (68%) |
6.46 | 2,060 (64%) |
6.49 |
| HKBU | 1,018 (60%) |
6.59 | 1,053 (61%) |
6.66 |
| LU | 499 (71%) |
6.37 | 495 (74%) |
6.45 |
| CUHK | 2,133 (61%) |
6.95 | 2,195 (60%) |
6.98 |
| HKIEd2 | 468 (65%) |
6.33 | 597 (72%) |
6.29 |
| PolyU | 2,135 (66%) |
6.53 | 1,946 (60%) |
6.61 |
| HKUST | 1,334 (64%) |
6.75 | 1,300 (60%) |
6.86 |
| HKU | 1,767 (50%) |
7.11 | 1,723 (46%) |
7.22 |
| Total : | 11,489 (60%) |
6.70 | 11,369 (57%) |
6.76 |
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 2012/13, 460 of the 468 candidates from HKIEd were full-time students, accounting for 65% of projected graduates from full-time programmes in 2012/13. The 468 candidates accounted for 40% of projected graduates of all programmes in 2012/13. In 2013/14, 594 of the 597 candidates from HKIEd are full-time students, accounting for 72% of projected graduates from full-time programmes in 2013/14. The 597 candidates account for 47% of projected graduates of all programmes in 2013/14.