Dear Colleagues:

Quality Assurance and Institutional Development

As the first joint venture university between HK and Mainland China, UIC has undertaken the mission to develop a new kind of educational model for China and probably the world. Through this model, different kinds of international educational practices may be tested in the local context. We are NOT just bringing HK academic programs and an internationally accredited academic degree over here. We are trying to advocate new educational ideals, cultivate good academic and management systems and practices, and ultimately allow the international academic community to fully participate in the promotion of quality education in China. These educational experiences will hopefully make it possible for others to appreciate more of the Chinese experience. 

As UIC is granting Hong Kong Baptist University degrees, our programs and management are accredited and monitored by the Hong Kong University Grants Council (UGC). Since 1995, UGC has been developing a wide range of measures to enhance the quality of teaching, research and management of all the universities in HK. From the Teaching and Learning Process Quality Reviews (TLPQR) (1995-7, 2001-3) and Management Review (1998-9) to the recent Quality Assurance Council’s (QAC) audit (2008-10), all universities in HK must comply with these measures.

QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDIT WORKSHOP

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY PROF. EDMUND KWOK,

EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF UIC

As a new institution, UIC is in a very advantageous position to make the best out of the values and directions behind all the reviews. We can make use of the procedures and reference framework to build up our own system of teaching, research and administrative management. We are young and inexperienced. There are no precedents that we may follow. How would the HK or international systems be localized? What are our objectives? How do we go about achieving our objectives? How do we measure these achievements? What processes are in place for improvement?

 

In the last two years, UIC has been consistently carrying out annual strategic planning. This year, with the QAC audit, we can take this golden opportunity to help us do our own quality assurance audit and carry out strategic planning following the QAC spirit and values. I sincerely appeal to you to help the College realize these objectives.

 

Edmund Kwok

April 9, 2008

QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDIT WORKSHOP

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY PROF. EDMUND KWOK,

EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF UIC

AGENDA

1. HKBU/UIC Degrees and Programmes(a) General Governance at UIC (b) Programme Accreditation Process(c) Programme Revision Protocols(d) Quality Assurance Measures(e) Institutional Objectives, Graduate Profile and Attributes(f) Whole Person Education, Experiential, Outcomes-Based, and

Lifelong Learning

2. Quality Assurance Council Audit 2008-09(a) The Quality Assurance Council(b) Structure of the Audit(c) Focus Areas(d) Important Dates

3. Implications and Significance

QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDIT WORKSHOP9 April 2008Room B201

Academic Accreditation and Governance

• A joint venture university set up by two universities governed by a Council (with 5 representatives from each university), appointing a President to manage

• Academic status granted by both Ministry of Education and University Grants Council (Degrees from HK and Mainland mutually recognized)

• All recognized degree programmes and institutions offering these programmes are accredited by and monitored by HK University Grants Council in order to keep up with international standards

HK UGC Management & Accreditation

Policies and Processes • 1995-1997; 2001-2003 Teaching and Learning

Quality Process Reviews (TLQPR) • 1998-1999 Management Review• Setting up of Quality Assurance Council (QAC)

under UGC• UNESCO/QECD Guidelines on Quality

Provision in Cross-Border Higher Education (2005)

• Longstanding accreditation procedures in USEuropean Union, UK, Australian, New Zealand and other Quality Assurance Agencies or Units

General Governance of UIC

Source: Self Assessment Report (2007) to HKBU– University United International College (UIC), p. 9.

CommitteesSenate Committees

• Senate • Committee of Academic Affairs • Division Board• Academic Development and Quality Assurance Committee • College Board of Examiners for Bachelor Degrees (Honours) • Committee for Experiential Learning • Committee of General Education • Committee on Languages Enhancement

Senate Committees (Cont’d)

• Course and Timetable Committee • Entrance Examination Committee • Library Committee • Scholarship and Financial Aid Committee • Committee on Student Career

Development • Staff and Student Relations Committee • Student Disciplinary Committee • Committee of Cyber Campus • High Table Dinner Programme Committee

Non-Academic

Committees

• Senior Executive Committee• Executive Committee of Administrative Affairs • Committee for Development, Publicity and

Admission • Committee for International Development • Equipments, Planning and Purchase Committee • College Life Committee • College Wellness and Anti-Smoking Committee• Space Allocation Committee • Staff Review and Development Committee

CPA Australia Accreditation

Accounting Programme of UIC was awarded the CPA Australia accreditation on Sep 3, 2007. Graduates of the Accounting Programme can apply for Associate Membership with CPA Australia immediately upon graduation.

Six of the 17 colleges under the Minnesota Private College

Council, after 2 years of in-depth review of UIC, agree to

develop full scale cooperation with UIC

UIC-MPCC

Full Scale Cooperation

2005- 2007

Chairman：Prof. Ng Ching-Fai President, UIC and President & Vice-

Chancellor, HKBU

Members：Prof. Franklin Luk Academic Vice-President, HKBU

Dr. LAM, Robert Academic Registrar, HKBU

Prof. KWOK, Edmund, Siu Tong Executive Vice-President, UIC

Prof. ZEE, Sze Yong Associate Vice-President, Dean of Division

of Science and Technology, UIC

• An External Examiner system, consisting of HKBU staff, is formed to help maintain the academic standard of UIC courses.

• Appropriate standards are set and followed.

• Student performance is comparable to those taking similar courses of study at HKBU; assessments and examinations are fairly conducted.

Teaching Quality Supervision Task Force

External Examiner

Academic Consultation Panel

• An Academic Consultation Panel (ACP) set up by HKBU will visit UIC periodically to review and assess the standard of UIC academic departments/ units.

• In June 2007, HKBU Institutional Review was carried out to evaluate the teaching, academic research and management at UIC. In its report, the panel praised the achievements of UIC in the past two years.

BEIJING NORMAL UNIVERSITY–HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

UNITED INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE (UIC)

Summary Report

of the Institutional Review Panel Visit

on the Beijing Normal University—Hong Kong Baptist University

United International College

June 2007

Source: Hong Kong Baptist University Manual of Academic Policies Regulations & Procedures Nov 2007, p. 113, Appendix 4.

Programme Revision Protocols

a) Programme revisions requiring HKBU Senate and UIC Senate approval:

- Title and award of degree/associate degree- Programme duration and mode of attendance- Number of units for degree/associate degree- Adding/dropping of entire options/concentrations- Graduation requirementsb) Programme revisions requiring Academic

Development and QA Committee - Aims, objectives and learning outcomes of

programme - Title for options/concentrations- Courses for study abroad students- Language policy

Programme Revision Protocols (Cont’d)

c) Programme revisions requiring Division Board approval- Adding/dropping of courses & course categories:

supporting, majors, non-majors, required & electives groupings

- Assessment, weighting and methods- Number of lectures/tutorials/laboratories per week- Change of general education courses (to be endorsed by

GE committee)- Title/coding/level of courses and unit credit for courses- Special requirements (visits, fieldwork, internship,

placement, etc.)- Change of course from required to elective, major to

non-major or supporting, etc., and vice versa

Programme Revision Protocols (Cont’d)

d) Programme revisions requiring Programme Management Committee of Major Programme approval:

- Aims, objectives and learning outcomes of courses- Target students- Outline of topical content of syllabus- Reading list/references/textbooks and teaching materials- Sequencing, pre-requisites and co-requisites

Source: HKBU-SEN/06-07/4/A8- Annex 3

QUALITY ASSURANCE MEASURES

Source: Self Assessment Report (2007) – Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC), p. 1

Major Programmes/Centres/GE Programme/WPE Programme

Division Board/Coordinating Committee

CAA

Senate

ADQAC

Executive Committee

UIC Quality Assurance Internal Mechanism

Whole Person Education

Language Culture

Experiential Development

Voluntary Service

Sports CultureEnvironment Awareness

Emotional Health

Artistic Experience

Adversity Quotient

Tips on Writing Course Documents inOutcomes-Based Teaching & Learning Mode (OBTL)

Tony Hung (17/03/08)

1. Traditional Course Aims and Objectives - Q: What do we try to achieve in the course or programme?2. Intended Learning Outcome (ILO)- Q: What do we want students to be able to do by the end of the course?- Tip: Using “verbs of doing” to describe ILO3. Teaching and Learning Activities (TLA’s)- Q: What teaching/learning activities do I need to conduct in order for the

students to achieve the learning outcome I intend?- Tip: Aligning each TLA with one (or more) specific ILO, & vice versa4. Assessment- Q: Assignments, tests and exams should be properly aligned to the ILO

(as in the case of TLA’s)- Tip: The traditional type of assignments, tests and exams, which often

test nothing more than students’ ability to regurgitate previously learned knowledge might not be appropriate.

The Quality Assurance Council

Mission

(a) To assure that the quality of educational experience in all first degree level programmes and above, however funded, offered in UGC-funded institutions sustained and improved, and is at an internationally competitive level

(b) To encourage institutions to excel in this area of activities

Terms of Reference

(a) To advise the University Grants Committee (UGC) on quality assurance matters in the higher education sector in Hong Kong and other related matters as requested by the committee

(b) To conduct audits and other reviews as requested by the UGC, and report on the quality assurance mechanisms and quality of the offerings of institutions

(c) To promote quality of assurance in the higher education sector in Hong Kong(d) To facilitate the development and dissemination of good practices in quality

assurance in higher education

Quality Assurance Council (Cont’d)

Audit Methodology – ADRI

Approach: What objectives are the institution trying to achieve and on what basis does it set the objectives?

Deployment: How does the institution go about achieving its objectives?

Results: How does the institution measure achievement of its objectives and what evidence is there that the objectives are being achieved?

Improvement: What processes are put in place for improvement?

Source: Quality Assurance Council Audit Manual, pp. 7-13 (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/doc/qac/publication/auditmanual.pdf)

SAMPLE (data are made up for demonstration purpose only)

Hong Kong Baptist UniversityMatrix of Learning Outcome at Course Level

Course title (code): Sculpture I (VA1113)

Offering Department: Department of Music and Fine Arts

HKBU GraduateProfile/Attributes

Knowledge Transferable SkillsLifelong Learning

Personal & Attitudinal

Programme learning outcome

Course learningOutcome

Provide students with solid training in concepts of arts and skills in various studio arts

Cultivate artists and designers who can meet the urgent need of creative industry to produce artistic works incorporating fine arts skills and computer graphics

Utilize the features of the locale and cultivate the talents of student to integrate Chinese and Western ideas to present a unique blending of both perspectives in their artistic work

Cultivate an extremely rich mind of creative ideas with cultural awareness and a refined taste

Appreciate and be able to criticize art work and the arts

Become an independent and self-directed learner

Enable students to understand the importance of arts and art development in society

Provide an international outlook to students on the Chinese and Western perspectives in art work.

1.Equip students with knowledge, practice and experience in sculpture making

1.Enable broader dimension on artistic expression

1.Raise the awareness of the importance of sculpture in environmental construction

SAMPLE (data are made up for demonstration purpose only)

Hong Kong Baptist UniversityMatrix of Learning Outcome at Programme Level

Programme title: Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Visual Arts

Offering Department: Academy of Visual Arts with involvement from different departments

HKBU Graduate Profile/Attributes

Knowledge Transferable SkillsLifelong Learning

Personal & Attitudinal

Programme learning outcome

Courses

Provide students with solid training in concepts of arts and skills in various studio arts

Cultivate artists and designers who can meet the urgent need of creative industry to produce artistic works incorporating fine arts skills and computer graphics

Utilize the features of the locale and cultivate the talents of student to integrate Chinese and Western ideas to present a unique blending of both perspectives in their artistic work

Cultivate an extremely rich mind of creative ideas with cultural awareness and a refined taste

Appreciate and be able to criticize art work and the arts

Become an independent and self-directed learner

Enable students to understand the importance of arts and art development in society

Provide an international outlook to students on the Chinese and Western perspectives in art work.

Core Subjects

VA1111 Drawing

VA1112 Painting

VA1113 Sculpture I

VA1114 Chinese Painting: Critical Analysis and Practice

VA1125 Elements and Principles of Design

IT2001 Fundamentals of Multimedia

HUM2140 Chinese & Western Modes of Thought

HUM3160 Artistic Creativity & Aesthetics Awareness

VA3110 Honours Project

DGC1180 Communication Design: History & Theory

VA2001 History of Western Art

VA3001 History of Chinese Art

VA3002 Concepts in Contemporary Arts

1. Programme title2. Mode of study (duration of study) Full-time mode (4 years) Part-time mode (2 years)3. Offering department/programme4. Award5. No. of total units / credits6. Entry requirements7. Aims & objectives8. Programme structure (components) Required Courses ( units) Electives ( units)9. Learning outcomes (a) Knowledge (b) Skills (c) Attitude10. Assessment/grading criteria11. Programme director

Hong Kong Baptist UniversityProgramme outline

Template

1. Course title2. Course code3. Level4. Offering department/programme5. No. of units/credits6. Contact hours7. Syllabus prepared/reviewed by8. Aims & objectives9. Learning outcome (a) knowledge (b) skills (c) attitude10. Course content/description11. Assessment 12. Textbook(s), if any13. Reference /recommended reading:

Hong Kong Baptist UniversityCourse syllabus

Template

The Eleven Common Focus Areas of Audit

1. Articulation of appropriate objectives2. Management, planning and accountability3. Programme development and approval processes4. Programme monitoring and review5. Curriculum design6. Programme delivery, including resources, teaching mode, and the

student learning environment7. Experiential and other “out of classroom” learning (e.g., leadership

development, overseas exchange, work-integrated learning, service learning)

8. Assessment9. Teaching quality and staff development10. Student participation11. Activities specific to research degrees

The above focus areas are used across all programmes, including UGCfunded programmes, self-financed programmes and joint programmes. In the case of programmes offered outside Hong Kong the listed focus areas are supplemented by others which relate to activities specific to extra-territorial delivery.

HKBU-UIC Quality Assurance Audit19-23 January 2009

Important Dates

15 April 2008- Teaching staff submit revised syllabi to Programme/Divisions/Centres/Units

28 April 2008- Divisions/Programmes/Centres/Units submit programme updates together with revised syllabi and matrix checklists to AR (Dr Wendy Chan, Special Adviser, Quality Assurance & Management)- All programme documents should have been revised at this stage to include: learning outcome; alignment of TLAs to ILO; alignment of assessment methods to ILOs; QA mechanism and processes 13 May 2008UIC consolidates individual reports from Divisions/Programmes/Centres/Units into one single document as a part of HKBU’s Institutional Submission to UGC

24 November 2008Quality Assurance Council’s Preliminary Visit to HKBU. Arrangements for any visits outside Hong Kong and Programmes for sample programme review will be discussed during this Preliminary Visit. If UIC is chosen for a visit, it will occur in the period between the Preliminary Visit and the Audit Visit, i.e., between November 2008 and January 2009

For full information of the quality assurance audit, see HKBU’s QA Audit Website: http://net3.hkbu.edu.hk/~qacaudit/. Annex D (pp. 74-76) of the Manual, “Auditing Programmes Offered Outside Hong Kong” is of particular reference to UIC.

1. Outcome-based and lifelong learning a worldwide trend: help UIC align its mission and vision internationally

2. The QA audit as a benchmarking exercise with universities in Hong Kong and abroad

3. Help UIC set up an internationally recognized system of academic and administrative (staff and student services) management

4. QA audit of systems, procedures, due processes and mechanism in alignment with current self-review and strategic planning

IMPLICATIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE