SUMMARY ACCREDITATION REPORT UOW COLLEGE HONG KONG LEARNING PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION FIVE ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMMES AND LEARNING PROGRAMME RE-ACCREDITATION 28 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMMES AND ONE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME AUGUST 2019 This accreditation report is issued by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) in its capacity as the Accreditation Authority as provided for under the Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications Ordinance (Cap. 592) (AAVQO). This report outlines the HKCAAVQ’s determination, the validity period of the determination as well as any conditions or restrictions on the determination. 1. Introduction 1.1 UOW College Hong Kong (UOWCHK) was formerly known as the Community College of City University (CCCU). UOWCHK is a company limited by guarantee registered under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622). Under a strategic alliance with City University of Hong Kong (CityU), University of Wollongong (UOW) assumes stewardship of CCCU over a five-year transitional period from June 2015 to June 2020. Following the end of the five-year transition, CityU will resign as a Member of the company and UOWCHK will become wholly-owned by UOW. 1.2 UOWCHK is operating 33 Associate Degree (AD) programmes and a Diploma in General Studies (DGS). In addition, UOWCHK and UOW are jointly offering 4 non-local, top-up bachelor degree programmes that lead to UOW awards. UOWCHK underwent an Institutional Review (IR) in March 2018 for the purpose of seeking Cap. 320 registration and degree-awarding status. 1.3 HKCAAVQ was commissioned by the UOWCHK to conduct a combined learning programme accreditation/re-accreditation exercise with the following Terms of Reference: (a) To conduct an accreditation test as provided for in the AAVQO to determine whether (i) the five programmes of UOWCHK meet the stated objectives and QF standards and can be offered as accredited programmes; (ii) the 29 programmes of UOWCHK meet the stated objectives and QF standards and can continue to be offered as accredited programmes; and (b) To issue to UOWCHK an accreditation report setting out the results of the determination in relation to (a) by HKCAAVQ. © HKCAAVQ 2019 1 1.4 The accreditation exercise was conducted according to the relevant accreditation guidelines referred to in the Service Agreement and the Terms of Reference stated therein. A site visit took place on 12 to 14 June 2019. 2. HKCAAVQ’s Accreditation Determination Having due consideration of the accreditation panel’s observations and comments as presented in this Report, HKCAAVQ makes the following accreditation determination: 2.1 Learning Programme Accreditation and Learning Programme Re-accreditation Approval Please refer to the determination tables in Appendix 1. 2.1.1 Recommendations (a) UOWCHK expand the list of areas covered in relevant PILO within the AOAL and AVSP programmes to include (where applicable) elements of aviation safety/safety management, to reflect more comprehensively the major aspects covered in the programme curriculum. 3. Programme Details The following programme information is provided by the operator. 3.1 Programme Objectives . Please refer to Appendix 2. 3.2 Programme Intended Learning Outcomes . Please refer to Appendix 2. © HKCAAVQ 2019 2 3.3 Programme Structure . The structures of the AD programmes and the DGS programme offered by UOWCHK with effect from 2020/21 academic year onwards are as follows: AD programmes A typical AD programme consists of 63 College Units (CU) / 290 QF credits. To comply with the requirements of the Updated Revised Common Descriptors for Associate Degree and Higher Diploma Programmes under the New Academic Structure (February 2017) published by the Education Bureau (EDB), all AD programmes must include at least 21 CUs of General Education (GE) Courses and 18 CUs of Generic Courses. The remaining 24 CUs are for Discipline- specific Courses and Electives in the Programme Core. Each course has 3 CUs, and the contact hours and non-contact hours of a 3 CU course are 46 and 90 hours respectively. The ratio of contact hours to self-study hours is set at 1:2, with the exception for courses that include projects, workshops or fieldwork. For programmes which included a practical component, the total QF credits have slightly adjusted upward to 295 or 300 to reflect the additional notional learning hours (individual programme details are contained in Appendix 2). All courses in the AD programmes are pitched at QF level 4. The AD programmes are mainly offered in two-year, full-time mode, except for the Associate of Social Science in Social Work (ASocScSW) which is offered in both two-year full-time and three-year part-time modes. In order to comply with the requirements of the Social Workers Registration Board, the CUs for the ASocScSW programme is 74 (390 QF credits). Furthermore, the following two AD programmes offer concentrations which do not lead to distinctive awards: Associate of Arts in Bilingual Communication Studies English and Chinese French and English French and Chinese Japanese and Chinese Japanese and English Korean and Chinese Korean and English Spanish and English Spanish and Chinese © HKCAAVQ 2019 3 Associate of Social Science in Applied Social Studies Guidance and Counselling International Studies Urban Studies In summary, the curriculum structure of a typical UOWCHK AD programme is as follows: English Language 6 CUs Courses Chinese Generic Skills ≥ 39 CUs Language 3 CUs (comprising and General Courses Education (GE) ≥ 60% of Generic Courses 18 CUs curriculum) General ≥ 12 Education CUs Courses Discipline- Programme specific ≥ 24 ≥ 24 CUs Core Courses CUs Electives DGS programme All DGS students are required to complete eleven courses (3 CUs each) in two semesters (one academic year or maximum two), for a total of 33 CUs (150 QF Credits). Six courses are delivered in Semester A and five in Semester B. Courses in the DGS programme cover areas in (a) language, (b) quantitative and analytical skills, and (c) other generic skills and knowledge, such as information technology, economic Issues in Hong Kong and interpersonal effectiveness. All courses in the DGS programme are pitched at QF Level 3 (details of the DGS programme structure and courses are contained in Appendix 2). 3.4 Graduation Requirements . In order to be eligible for the award of Diploma in General Studies (DGS) or the award of Associate Degree (AD), students must have satisfactorily completed the required credit units of the programme of study and (for ADs) fulfilled the General Education and other programme-specific requirements. For AD and DGS students, upon completion of all appropriate graduation requirements, they will be given an award with one of © HKCAAVQ 2019 4 the following classifications depending on the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA): Distinction, Credit or Pass. 3.5 Admission Requirements . The minimum admission requirements for the DGS and the AD programmes effective from 2016/17 academic year onwards are as follows: DGS Programme (a) Achieved a total score of at least five* in five best subjects of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE); or (b) Completing an IB curriculum or other secondary qualifications awarded overseas; or (c) Other equivalent qualifications * HKDSE Levels 1 to 5 are converted into scores 1 to 5 respectively. AD Programmes (a) Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) (i) Level 2 or above in five HKDSE subjects including Chinese Language1 and English Language2; (ii) If a subject under “other languages” is used for meeting the requirement in (i), a minimum of grade E is required; (iii) A maximum of two Applied Learning subjects graded “Attained” or above can be included for meeting the requirement in (i); (iv) Satisfy programme-specific entrance requirements as follows: Programme Requirements Associate of Business Level 2 or above in Administration in Accountancy HKDSE Mathematics © HKCAAVQ 2019 5 1. For applicants who have either learned Chinese Language for less than 6 years while receiving primary and secondary education or learned Chinese Language for 6 years or more in schools, but have been taught an adapted and simpler Chinese Language curriculum not normally applicable to the majority of students in local schools, alternative Chinese Language qualifications (GCE AL/AS Chinese grade E or GCSE/IGCSE Chinese grade C) or grade E in HKDSE “other languages” can replace Chinese Language level 2. 2. Candidates applying for entry based on their HKDSE results cannot replace HKDSE English Language Level 2 with GCE/GCSE/IGCSE subjects or TOEFL or IELTS. (b) Other equivalent qualifications Completion of the UOWCHK/CCCU Diploma in General Studies programme or a one-year full-time Pre-Associate Degree programme; Grade E or above in one General Certificate of Education A-level (or A2)/International A-Level subject. Two Advanced Subsidiary (AS) level subjects will be considered equivalent to one GCE A-Level. The same subject may not be counted at both the A Level and AS Level; A National University Entrance Examination (普通高等學校 招生全國統一考試) score above the cut-off lines set for entry into non-government universities (本科三批分數綫) AND a minimum English score of 100. Other equivalent qualifications, including International Baccalaureate Diploma, are also accepted as satisfying the entrance requirements. (c) Mature Applicant aged 23 or above by September 1 of the year of admission. © HKCAAVQ 2019 6 3.6 Teaching and Learning Activities . UOWCHK adopts lecture and tutorial as the main teaching and learning activities (TLAs) for its sub-degree programmes. With the exception of some language courses and laboratory/ workshop-based courses, each course comprises a 2-hour lecture and a 1-hour tutorial per week. In addition to lectures and tutorials, laboratory session is used in some skill-based courses, and fieldwork practicum or internship is arranged for a number of programmes. Other TLAs such as field visits and guest lectures are organised to further enhance students’ learning experience and achievement of the Intended Learning Outcomes.