A landmark milestone of Hong Kong’s education reform,
the new academic structure will be implemented in the higher education sector in 2012/13. The UGC attaches paramount importance to the institutions’ preparation
work particularly in tackling the enhanced support for the double cohort.
To ensure smooth migration to the four-year
undergraduate programme, the Government has set aside $550 million for the eight UGC-funded institutions
in the advanced recruitment and engagement of additional academic, professional and supporting staff,
revamping the academic curriculum, development of the administrative and information technology systems, etc. The UGC has so far released $346 million to institutions
and the remaining sum will be allocated over 2011/12.
With the support of the UGC, the eight UGC-funded
institutions are progressing smoothly in a number of areas including development of the four-year curricula, construction of new academic and amenities facilities,
staff recruitment and formulation of the student admission mechanism. The UGC will continue to facilitate and render
full support to the institutions in their preparation work, closely monitor their progress and actively liaise with the
institutions and the Government.
Academic Development
Institutions in general are making good progress in developing the four-year academic curriculum, which
will comprise core, major and elective courses with an emphasis on broad-based learning, general education and
exposure to both academic and non-academic skills and knowledge. Some of the new elements are being
phased in during 2009-12, so as to benefit existing students enrolling on the three-year undergraduate
curriculum. Feedback from these students is helpful for the institutions
to revise and enhance their courses/programmes under the four-year curriculum before its actual implementation
in 2012.
To oversee the institutions’ preparation in implementing the new academic structure, a dedicated “3+3+4 Group”
has been formed under the UGC to examine the progress reports submitted by institutions and offer advice to the
institutions in carrying out their preparatory work. Given the massive scale and significance of the exercise, the
institutions have also been assessing risks (in anticipation of possible scenarios such as insufficient teaching venues
and shortage of teaching staff to meet the increasing demand from the double cohort of students) that may
emerge during the implementation of the new structure and devising contingency plans and fallback arrangements
to tackle such risks, so as to ensure successful transition of the academic system.
Institutions do face similar challenges of transitioning into the new system, and it is in every party’s interest that
their wisdom and lessons be shared on issues of common interest or concern, to avoid reinventing the wheel, as
well as to ensure compatibility across the whole system. Sponsored by the UGC, institutions have been organising
a series of 12 symposia to exchange ideas and share experience on “3+3+4”-related issues among themselves.
So far, a total of 11 symposia have been held with topics as follows:
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Institutions have also dedicated much effort in engaging
and liaising with school principals, teachers, prospective
students and their parents in soliciting their views and input on the curriculum changes through various channels.
Some institutions have set up dedicated websites on “3+3+4”, while others will disseminate the required
information through “information/open days” in 2011.
The UGC will continue to work closely with the UGC
sector and the Government and provide necessary support to the institutions to ensure a smooth transition
and implementation of “3+3+4” in the higher education sector starting September 2012.
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“First Year Experience” - the “3+3+4” symposium sponsored by the UGC on “3+3+4” related issues held on 28 April 2010 |
Capital Works Projects
for Implementation of "3+3+4"
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Note: All images are artist’s impression |
Capital
Works
The implementation of the new normative four-year undergraduate programme will result in a substantial
increase in overall undergraduate enrolment at the UGC-funded institutions, requiring the institutions to increase
their campus space and facilities in order to provide a suitable teaching and learning environment in support
of the new academic programmes. With the support of the UGC, the Legislative Council approved a total of
$5.84 billion for the UGC-funded institutions to carry out 12 capital works projects as shown in the chart on the
previous page to provide the required additional space and facilities.
In 2010-11, the UGC continued to work closely with
institutions in taking forward the “3+3+4”-related capital works projects. Generally good progress was
made for the projects. The superstructure of HKUST’s Extension to the existing Academic Building had been
completed and the fitting-out works were in progress. The superstructure works of nine other projects had started,
while those of the remaining two projects are scheduled for commencement in mid 2011. All the new buildings are
expected to be completed by September 2012 though some are on very tight schedules with target completion
dates close to the September deadline, including HKBU’s Baptist University Road Campus Development, CityU’s
Academic and Administration Building and PolyU’s Phase 8 Development. The UGC is closely monitoring the
progress of the projects, and will, where necessary, invite institutions to prepare detailed contingency plans to cater
for potential delay of their projects.
In addition, in 2010-11 the UGC supported 22 Alterations,
Additions, Repairs and Improvements proposals from institutions to carry out consequential works related to
their “3+3+4” capital projects and improvement works to their existing facilities necessary for implementation of
“3+3+4”. It is expected that more of such improvements proposals will be submitted by institutions in the coming
years for spatial reorganization works in their existing campus to tie in with the completion of the “3+3+4”
capital projects.
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HKUST’s extension to the existing academic building |
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