New round of application under Quality Enhancement Support Scheme opens
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As one of the major support measures to promote the healthy and sustainable development of the self-financing post-secondary sector, the QESS was launched in November 2012 with the aim of enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in the sector. The Scheme currently supports three project categories, namely theme-based, open-ended and industrial attachment projects.
All applications are considered by the independent QESS Sub-committee established under the SPEF Steering Committee. In the 2016/17 round of application, 10 out of 32 applications were approved with a total earmarked grant of about $22.6 million. The approved projects mainly aim to enhance internship support, improve students' learning experience, and/or enhance student guidance service.
For the 2017/18 round of application, applicants will be allowed to set their own themes for theme-based projects as long as the proposals are collaborative in nature, i.e. proposed and undertaken by more than one eligible institution, to foster closer collaboration and synergy among institutions and benefit the sector as widely as possible.
For open-ended projects, applicants should submit applications within the scope of the QESS, which mainly include the following:
(1) improving the overall learning experience and language proficiency of students;
(2) developing and improving teaching methodology and practices, including development of assessment strategies;
(3) strengthening and improving quality assurance and related measures; and
(4) enhancing student support and career guidance services, including support for non-Chinese speaking students and students with special educational needs.
The new category of industrial attachment projects was launched under the QESS in January 2016 to:
(1) increase students' employability by sourcing more internship opportunities for post-secondary students; and/or
(2) enhance relevant institutional support for students.
To benefit more institutions and students, the SPEF Steering Committee has decided to receive two more rounds of application for industrial attachment projects to be launched in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 academic years.
The deadline for this round of application is February 28, 2018. All 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.
Further details about the QESS are available at the Concourse for Self-financing Post-secondary Education at
www.cspe.edu.hk/content/Overview-Measures-Fund-QESS.
Ends/Friday, October 27, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:20
Issued at HKT 15:20
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