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The following is issued on behalf of the Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education:
The Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education (CSPE) today (October 30) held the "Seminar on Closer Alignment between Post-secondary Education Institutions and Industries". The Chairman of the CSPE, Mr Tim Lui, said at the opening ceremony that the seminar aimed to serve as a spur to promote exchanges between institutions and industries.
"Identifying, nurturing and managing talents has become a core strategy for economies to enhance competitiveness and promote development in this knowledge-based society. Leveraging limited resources to provide quality education and suitable training for our next generation is the key to nurturing and attracting talent in Hong Kong, and thus maintaining its competitive edges," he said.
"We expect stakeholders to progressively develop an education and training system for our young people that will integrate academic studies and interest, as well as professional and vocational training, under an orderly framework that features diversity, provides multiple pathways and enjoys high recognition. Moreover, we will promote co-operation between the industry-based Industry Training Advisory Committees and the education and training providers. This will provide more matching training opportunities for young people with a view to integrating education, training, business and employment seamlessly."
Mr Lui hoped that the seminar could enhance mutual understanding between post-secondary institutions and industries through discussions and exchanges with a view to developing a clear common goal of collaboration.
The Under Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, noted in the opening speech that "enhancing the quality of home-grown talent" is one of five key policy strategies proposed in the consultation document on population policy recently released by the Government. The seminar shared the same goal as the Government's population policy, he added.
"It would create a win-win situation if post-secondary institutions and industries collaborate closely - young people will be better prepared and equipped through education before joining the workforce; for training institutions, involvement of the industries will largely enhance the recognition of the programmes; and the industries will also be benefitted by the enlarged quality talent pool, given the provision of more post-secondary programmes matching their needs," said Mr Yeung.
"The Government will equip young people with a solid foundation to join the industry sectors that best suit their interests through three policy areas - the provision of diversified and flexible study pathways with multiple entry and exit points; promotion of sustainable and healthy development of the Qualifications Framework; and provision of support measures to strengthen career guidance and trainings provided by institutions."
Representatives of post-secondary institutions and industries were invited by the CSPE to attend today's seminar. Industry representatives from the logistics, banking, retail and engineering industries and relevant course operators were invited to share their views on how to foster closer alignment between industries and institutions so that post-secondary education can effectively contribute to the economic development of Hong Kong and meet the needs of employers.
The seminar, with over 400 participants from various industries and institutions providing full-time locally-accredited post-secondary programmes at sub-degree and undergraduate levels, is one of the CSPE's key work programmes this year.
Established in April 2012, the CSPE advises the Secretary for Education on macro and strategic issues of common interest to the self-financing post-secondary education sector and quality and development of the sector.
In addition to the seminar, the CSPE plans to launch an Information Framework for the self-financing post-secondary sector via a dedicated website by the end of this year to provide stakeholders with comprehensive information. The CSPE has also commissioned a consultancy study to collect and analyse good experience locally and internationally in order to provide recommendations on good practices in operation and governance framework for the self-financing post-secondary education sector with a view to enhancing quality.
Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:19
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