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The Education Bureau launched today (November 28) the second round of applications for the Quality Enhancement Support Scheme (QESS) under the Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund.
The QESS was first launched in November 2012 with the aim of enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in the self-financing post-secondary sector. The scheme supports two categories of projects, namely "theme-based" and "open-ended" projects. Theme-based projects should normally be joint initiatives developed by multiple institutions that foster closer collaboration among different institutions and benefit the sector as widely as possible. With reference to the development and needs of the sector, the themes for the second round of application are:
(a) Joint institutions' platform for sharing of resources (e.g. e-library, common curriculum on general education and language courses to facilitate recognition and transfer of credits);
(b) Joint institutions' platform/initiatives for improving teaching and learning, including support for professional development of teaching staff and/or improvement of the language proficiency of students; and
(c) Joint institutions' platform/initiatives on enhancing the employability of and support services for students, including non-Chinese speaking students and students with special educational needs.
For open-ended projects, applicants may submit applications within the scope of the QESS which mainly include the following:
(a) improving the overall learning experience and language proficiency of students;
(b) developing and improving teaching methodology and practices;
(c) strengthening and improving quality assurance and related measures; and
(d) enhancing student support and career guidance services.
Applications are invited until February 28, 2014. Non-profit-making education institutions offering full-time locally-accredited self-financing sub-degree or bachelor's degree (including top-up degree) programmes are eligible to apply. Other related bodies such as the federations of these education institutions and quality assurance agencies may also apply.
In the first round of applications for the 2012/13 academic year, 11 projects were approved including two theme-based projects. The total granted so far amounts to more than $73 million.
One of the approved theme-based projects was the proposal by five degree-awarding institutions to establish a joint e-library and inter-library loan system. The project aims to build a next generation library system and to enrich the e-book collections. The new library system can facilitate resources-sharing, searching and information discovery. Over 30 000 students and teachers are expected to benefit by the end of the project in three years' time. The second project was a joint initiative by two institutions to develop interactive e-learning modules on science subjects mainly for secondary school leavers articulating to related post-secondary programmes. An online platform and an interactive outcome-based learning and teaching package will be designed.
As for the nine open-ended projects, they focused on the development of teaching and learning tools, the enhancement of career guidance services and employability of post-secondary graduates and the upgrading of an information system.
Further details about the QESS and the approved projects in the first round of application are available at the Information Portal for Accredited Post-secondary Programmes (iPASS) at www.ipass.gov.hk/edb/index.php/en/home/pfund/pfund_b.
Ends/Thursday, November 28, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:38
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