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The Education Bureau (EDB) today (September 16) received a review report from the University Grants Committee (UGC) on the application for university title by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd).
The report notes the satisfactory progress made by the HKIEd since the last review conducted in 2009, and recommends, among others, that the HKIEd should be granted university title at this juncture. The report considers that it will be a matter for the HKIEd Council, staff and students to decide on an appropriate future title, provided that the title should refer explicitly to the core mission of education and thus should contain the word "Education".
The Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, expressed his gratitude to the Chairman and members of the UGC, as well as the Review Group led by Sir Ivor Crewe, for looking into the matter thoroughly and submitting the review report to the EDB for consideration.
The EDB will carefully study the report's content and recommendations. Taking into account the UGC's recommendations, and having regard to the established criteria for the award of university title and the public interest, the Government will consider the HKIEd's application and make a submission to the Chief Executive in Council (CE in Council) for consideration and decision in due course.
If a change to the title of the HKIEd is warranted, consequential amendments will have to be made to the relevant provisions of the HKIEd Ordinance (Cap. 444).
In June 2009, in light of a review conducted by the UGC, the then CE in Council decided on the way forward with respect to the institutional development of the HKIEd. In July 2014, the HKIEd submitted an application for university title to the Government. In line with the established procedures, the Secretary for Education has since invited the UGC to consider the application and to let the Government have its expert views on this matter.
Ends/Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:01
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