CUHK
News Centre

The Quality Assurance Council (QAC) of the University Grants Committee (UGC) released its Report of a Quality Audit of The Chinese University of Hong Kong today (6 September). The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) welcomes the Report. Compiled by an independent panel, the Report confirms that ‘CUHK is providing a high quality student learning experience that reflects its mission and role statement, underpinned by good quality assurance systems.’ The Panel commends the University’s ‘overall commitment to assuring and enhancing the quality of its taught programmes.’ The University is also commended for ‘its commitment to [a] bilingual policy and for the application of resources devoted to achieving desired language attributes at undergraduate level.’

Setting a Good Example as First Institution Audited

Professor Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, welcomes the QAC’s Audit Report and thanks the panel for its work. ‘CUHK is proud to have been the first UGC-funded institution to be audited by the QAC. In terms of providing high-quality teaching and learning, this report, compiled by independent experts, confirms that the University is upholding its mission of becoming a bilingual research-led comprehensive university of world-class standing. To meet the needs of globalization, CUHK is committed to continually improving the quality of its education and learning environment, ensuring the disciplinary relevance of its curriculum, providing whole-person education, enriching students’ learning experience, and nurturing graduates with generic skills. Members of the University are heartened by the outcome of the QAC Audit.’

Quality Assurance Framework and Rich Learning Experience Commended

The QAC commends the University, in particular, for assuring the core quality of its teaching and learning activities; specifically ‘for its overall commitment to assuring and enhancing the quality of its taught programmes and especially the development and implementation of an Integrated Framework for Curriculum Development and Review’ and for its ‘introduction of a rigorous system of Programme Reviews’ to ensure the quality of its academic programmes. The QAC also commends the University for the variety and range of experiential learning opportunities provided to students, particularly the exchange and internship programmes, as well as the level of academic support and pastoral care available. Similarly commended are CUHK’s approach to curriculum design, which embraces major, minor, elective, general education and language courses; its implementation of a bilingual policy committed to strengthening students’ mastery of Chinese and English; and its requirement that all students pass an IT Proficiency Test before graduation. All of these contribute to equipping graduates with appropriate generic skills. Also receiving commendation are the University’s recognition and reward of good teaching, and the various measures for providing ample support to teachers for enhancing teaching performance. As a research-led comprehensive university, CUHK’s overall approach to providing and assuring a quality experience for its research students is commended.

QAC Affirms Measures Proposed by CUHK for Further Improvement

CUHK believes that quality enhancement is a continuous process. The QAC affirms the action plan formulated by the University for self-improvement, as it charts a path of continuous self-enhancement. Actions taken include the move from elected to appointed deans, dissemination of the good practices of Exemplary Teaching Award winners, incorporation of all undergraduate curriculum components into the Integrated Framework, the adoption of an outcomes-based approach (OBA) to raise curriculum effectiveness, and the continued study of the use of technology in student life and learning.

The University is grateful to the QAC for the identification of a number of areas for future attention, in most cases confirming the University’s own assessments and plans. These include extending the coverage of the Integrated Framework and enhancements of grade assessment policy and curriculum review mechanisms for greater uniformity of practice. The University will address the recommendations and submit a progress report to the QAC in March 2010.

CUHK’s Tried and Tested Quality Assurance System

To continuously monitor and enhance the quality of its teaching and learning, the University has a comprehensive quality assurance system in place. Built into the University’s Integrated Framework are regular curriculum reviews. Between major reviews, departments are required to submit annual progress reports and a detailed interim report for each of their programmes. The University also draws upon the advice of external experts and international good practices as references in its review of curriculum and methods of assessment. Teaching quality being a priority, there are performance appraisal and management systems for its teachers. The University seeks and collects the views of teachers and students in its efforts to improve the quality of its curricula.

CUHK was the first UGC-funded institution to have been audited by the QAC. About nine months before the audit visit, in accordance with the audit process of the QAC, the University conducted a comprehensive review of its teaching and learning, and submitted a report to the QAC in January this year. In April, the QAC panel met with over 150 teaching and administrative staff, 80 students, lay members of the University Council, local employers and CUHK alumni, to gain an accurate understanding of the University’s teaching and learning measures and quality assurance systems, and to make an independent and comprehensive assessment.

For the QAC Audit Report, please go to: http://apps.cuhk.edu.hk/cuhkwebsite/documents/english/teaching/qac-cuhk-report.pdf

For the Institutional Response to the Audit Findings, please go to: http://apps.cuhk.edu.hk/cuhkwebsite/documents/chinese/teaching/qac-cuhk-response.pdf