APQN Members
University Grants Committee (UGC)
Membership Type: Full
Email: ugc@ugc.edu.hk
Year in which Organisation/Agency commenced operations: 1965
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Title: Prof.
First Name: James Tuck-hong
Surname: Tang
Job Title: Secretary-General
Phone: +852 2524 3987
Fax: +852 28451596
Email Id: jamestang@ugc.edu.hk
Nominated Contact Person (if different from CEO)
First Name: Veronna
Surname: Ho
Job Title: SEO (Quality Assurance)
Email Id: vho@ugc.edu.hk
Organisation Details
University Grants Committee
Address: 7/F, Shui On Centre, 6-8 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Website: http://www.ugc.edu.hk/
Additional Contacts
Criteria Requirements for Full Member
1 Criterion: Nature of the operations of the agency:
Measure: The agency is responsible for reviews at institutional or programme level of post-secondary
education institutions or post-secondary quality assurance agencies
Measure: The agency is responsible for reviews at institutional or programme level of post-secondary
education institutions or post-secondary quality assurance agencies
Description: The main function of the UGC is to offer impartial and respected expert advice to the Government on the development and funding of higher education in Hong Kong. Specifically, the Committee has to determine precise grant recommendations in the light of indications of the level of funding that can be made available, overall student number targets by level of study and year as specified by the Government, the breakdown of these numbers between institutions as agreed in-principle by the Government, and their distribution between various academic programmes as proposed by the institutions to meet community needs as well as the related capital works in support of academic development. The Committee also provides the institutions with academic advice having regard to international standards and practice and supports and assists institutions in quality assurance and enhancement initiatives and processes.
2 Criterion: Mission statement and objectives:
Measure: The agency has formulated a mission statement and objectives which are consistent with the nature of the agency
Measure: The agency has formulated a mission statement and objectives which are consistent with the nature of the agency
Description: The UGC is in the process of reviewing its mission statement. The current statement is as follows:-
Having regard to Hong Kong's dual role as a leading metropolis and business hub of South China and as a regional and international financial and service centre and hence its need for an adequate supply of high quality and bilingual manpower and an engine-room of innovative science and technology;
Considering the rapid changes happening in Hong Kong and worldwide, and hence the need for people with intellectual capability, international outlook, flexibility and leadership skills who can take up the political, economic, social and cultural challenges of the time;
Drawing on Hong Kong's uniqueness as the meeting point of different cultural, social, economic and business systems;
Recognizing the merits of, and the need to preserve, academic freedom and institutional autonomy subject to appropriate financial and public accountability as well as the different and complementary roles of the UGC-funded higher education institutions;
The University Grants Committee, in performing its function as the advisory body to the Government of SAR on the developmental and funding needs of higher education in Hong Kong, will:
a. support the institutions in -
i. the provision of appropriate internationally recognized academic and professional programmes to meet the manpower and education requirements as stated above;
ii. the conduct of research and development;
iii. becoming centres of academic excellence in the region; and
iv. technology transfer;
b. encourage institutions' collaboration and consultation with the various education sectors in the planning of the provision and structure of higher education;
c. encourage and reward excellence in each of the institutions' activities, including teaching, research and other scholarly activity in accordance with its specified role and mission;
d. promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the activities of the institutions; and
e. avoid undue intervention in the affairs of the institutions, subject to this being commensurate with the need for the Committee and the institutions to be publicly accountable.
Having regard to Hong Kong's dual role as a leading metropolis and business hub of South China and as a regional and international financial and service centre and hence its need for an adequate supply of high quality and bilingual manpower and an engine-room of innovative science and technology;
Considering the rapid changes happening in Hong Kong and worldwide, and hence the need for people with intellectual capability, international outlook, flexibility and leadership skills who can take up the political, economic, social and cultural challenges of the time;
Drawing on Hong Kong's uniqueness as the meeting point of different cultural, social, economic and business systems;
Recognizing the merits of, and the need to preserve, academic freedom and institutional autonomy subject to appropriate financial and public accountability as well as the different and complementary roles of the UGC-funded higher education institutions;
The University Grants Committee, in performing its function as the advisory body to the Government of SAR on the developmental and funding needs of higher education in Hong Kong, will:
a. support the institutions in -
i. the provision of appropriate internationally recognized academic and professional programmes to meet the manpower and education requirements as stated above;
ii. the conduct of research and development;
iii. becoming centres of academic excellence in the region; and
iv. technology transfer;
b. encourage institutions' collaboration and consultation with the various education sectors in the planning of the provision and structure of higher education;
c. encourage and reward excellence in each of the institutions' activities, including teaching, research and other scholarly activity in accordance with its specified role and mission;
d. promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the activities of the institutions; and
e. avoid undue intervention in the affairs of the institutions, subject to this being commensurate with the need for the Committee and the institutions to be publicly accountable.
3 Criterion: Agency staff, Numbers, Profile, Roles:
Measure: The profile of the staff is consistent with the Mission Statement
Measure: The profile of the staff is consistent with the Mission Statement
Description: Members of the UGC are appointed by the Chief Executive and all of them are prominent in their field. The membership comprises eminent academics from overseas and Hong Kong, as well as prominent local community leaders. Currently, the UGC comprises 23 members and the membership list is available at the following link:-
http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/about/committee/ugc.htm
The UGC is served by the Secretariat which is a Government department staffed by a total of 48 civil servants. It provides administrative support to the UGC which advises the Government on the development and funding of tertiary education in Hong Kong, to administer Government grants to the UGC-funded tertiary education institutions, and to support the UGC's objectives of maintaining and improving the quality of teaching, learning, and research in the UGC-funded institutions and monitoring the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the institutions' activities.
http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/about/committee/ugc.htm
The UGC is served by the Secretariat which is a Government department staffed by a total of 48 civil servants. It provides administrative support to the UGC which advises the Government on the development and funding of tertiary education in Hong Kong, to administer Government grants to the UGC-funded tertiary education institutions, and to support the UGC's objectives of maintaining and improving the quality of teaching, learning, and research in the UGC-funded institutions and monitoring the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the institutions' activities.
4 Criterion: Profile of reviewers:
Measure: The profile of the reviewers is consistent with the Mission Statement
Measure: The profile of the reviewers is consistent with the Mission Statement
Description: Most of the reviews are carried out by UGC members and their professions are available at http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/about/committee/ugc.htm. Other reviewers would be appointed on ad hoc basis.
5 Criterion: Independence:
Measure: The judgements and recommendations of the agency’s reports cannot be changed by third parties
Measure: The judgements and recommendations of the agency’s reports cannot be changed by third parties
Description: The judgements and recommendations made by the UGC, once endorsed by its the Main Committee, cannot be changed by third parties. However, the Administration may or may not accept the recommendations made by the UGC in full.
6 Criterion: Resources:
Measure: The agency has sufficient resources to run its operations in accordance with its mission statement and objectives
Measure: The agency has sufficient resources to run its operations in accordance with its mission statement and objectives
Description: The UGC Secretariat, which is a Government department, receives recurrent funding from the Government to run its operation. For evidence, please refer to the following document (2003-04 Statement of Expenditure Analysis):
7 Criterion: External quality assurance criteria and processes:
Measure: The description of the processes and criteria applied should be transparent and publicly available and normally include:
self evaluation, site visit, public report and follow-up measure
Measure: The description of the processes and criteria applied should be transparent and publicly available and normally include:
self evaluation, site visit, public report and follow-up measure
Description: In conducting reviews, the UGC will usually form a panel comprising local and international experts in the relevant field and deliberate with the UGC-funded institutions on the agreed processes and criteria, etc. The review template, institutionsâ?? self-evaluation documents and the review reports are transparent. For evidence, please refer to the relevant documents in relation to the Second Round Teaching and Learning Quality Process Reviews posted in the following website:-
8 Criterion: Quality assurance:
Measure: The description of the processes and criteria applied should be transparent and publicly available and normally include:
self evaluation, site visit, public report and follow-up measure
Measure: The description of the processes and criteria applied should be transparent and publicly available and normally include:
self evaluation, site visit, public report and follow-up measure
Description: he UGC is accountable to the government and the public.
Criteria Requirements for Institutional Member
Institutional Member Criteria:
Measure: Institutional Members are institutions of higher education in the region that are in good standing with the relevant quality assurance agency if one exists.
Measure: Institutional Members are institutions of higher education in the region that are in good standing with the relevant quality assurance agency if one exists.
Proof of recognition as a Higher Education Institution: Applicable Only For Institutional Members
Proof of the organisation’s good standing with the local QA agency: Applicable Only For Institutional Members
Criteria Requirements for Associate Member
Associate Member Criteria:
Measure:Associate Members are organisations with a major interest and active involvement in evaluation, accreditation and quality assurance in higher education, but without the responsibility for assuring the quality of institutions, education programs, or external quality assurance agencies
Measure:Associate Members are organisations with a major interest and active involvement in evaluation, accreditation and quality assurance in higher education, but without the responsibility for assuring the quality of institutions, education programs, or external quality assurance agencies
Applicable Only For Associate Members
Criteria Requirements for Intermediate Member
1 Criterion: Nature of the operations of the agency:
Measure: The agency is responsible for reviews at institutional or programme level of post-secondary education institutions or post-secondary quality assurance agencies
Measure: The agency is responsible for reviews at institutional or programme level of post-secondary education institutions or post-secondary quality assurance agencies
Description: Applicable Only For Intermediate Members
2 Criterion: Mission statement and objectives:
Measure: The agency has formulated a mission statement and objectives which are consistent with the nature of the agency
Measure: The agency has formulated a mission statement and objectives which are consistent with the nature of the agency
Applicable Only For Intermediate Members
3 Criterion: :
Proof of the organisation’s good standing with the local QA agency
Proof of the organisation’s good standing with the local QA agency
Applicable Only For Intermediate Members
Criteria Requirements for Observer
Criterion For Observers:
Measure: APQN accepts as Observers organisations outside the Asia-Pacific region, including: external quality assurance agencies; institutions with a major interest in evaluation, accreditation and quality assurance in higher education; other regional networks that have major interests in and strong links with the region
Measure: APQN accepts as Observers organisations outside the Asia-Pacific region, including: external quality assurance agencies; institutions with a major interest in evaluation, accreditation and quality assurance in higher education; other regional networks that have major interests in and strong links with the region
Criteria Requirements for Observer: Applicable Only For Observers
Documentation and Fees
Additional Information: No additional information is required for my application
Upon approval of my application I agree to pay:
- $500 (Initial Joining Fee: Full Member, Intermediate Member, Associate Member)
- $300 Member Fee: Full Member, Intermediate Member (if not INQAAHE Member)
I will be applying for support for: None
Documents Submitted
Located in: APQN Members
