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Secondary school leavers can consider taking sub-degree programmes or vocational education and training courses whilst mapping out their study pathways, said the Under Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, at the opening ceremony of the Information Expo on Multiple Pathways 2014 today (May 17). He also said post-secondary institutions will offer sufficient places for qualified students.
He remarked that a sub-degree is a valuable standalone qualification to help students take up junior management and assistant posts in the relevant professions. Outstanding sub-degree graduates may apply for publicly funded senior year undergraduate places or articulate to self-financing top-up degree programmes. Vocational education and training courses, he added, can provide young people with a solid foundation to join the industry sectors that best suit their interests.
Mr Yeung said, "We expect that various institutions will offer a total of about 60 460 full-time locally accredited post-secondary places in the 2014/15 academic year, including 22 160 undergraduate places and 38 300 sub-degree places."
"In addition, these institutions can also provide about 11 700 places for students studying the Yi Jin Diploma programme, continuing education programmes and vocational training programmes."
Mr Yeung also noted that the Chief Executive announced in the 2014 Policy Address a series of new initiatives to provide students with more opportunities for higher education, including a new scheme to subsidise students to pursue self-financing undergraduate programmes in selected disciplines; progressively increasing the intakes of senior-year undergraduate places in University Grants Committee-funded institutions by a total of 1 000 up to 5 000; introducing a Mainland University Study Subsidy Scheme; implementing a new scholarship scheme to support outstanding local students to pursue studies in renowned universities outside Hong Kong; and setting up a $100 million scholarship fund.
"Full implementation of the above measures will offer more opportunities and wider choices for senior secondary graduates to pursue higher education. It is expected that an additional 2 120 subsidised places will be provided to local students to pursue degree education in and outside Hong Kong."
The expo is organised by the Education Bureau, with the Federation for Self-financing Tertiary Education, the Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters and Hong Kong Education City as supporting organisations. It is being held from 10am to 6pm today and tomorrow (May 18) at Rotunda 3 of the Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, 1 Trademart Drive. Admission is free.
More than 30 exhibition booths will provide information on locally accredited post-secondary programmes not covered by the Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS), the Yi Jin Diploma Programme and vocational education programmes, as well as the Qualifications Framework, the Information Portal for Accredited Post-secondary Programmes (iPASS), the Electronic Advance Application System for Post-secondary Programmes (E-APP), the e-Navigator and the Concourse for Self-financing Post-secondary Education (Concourse). To assist students in acquiring information for further studies more easily and conveniently, the mobile website of Concourse is being launched today. A demo zone is also set up in the venue. Web-based application for the full-time Yi Jin Diploma Programme for the 2014/15 academic year also commences today.
Post-secondary and vocational education institutions and guidance and advisory organisations participating in the expo will provide candidates of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination and other students with enquiry services and course information.
Hok Yau Club and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups will also offer advisory services to students. There will also be talks on multiple study pathways and career planning for secondary school leavers.
Ends/Saturday, May 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:34
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