The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has received high commendations from the Quality Assurance Council (QAC) of the University Grants Committee (UGC), which released its Report of a Quality Audit of The Chinese University of Hong Kong today. Compiled by an independent panel, the Report confirms that 'CUHK is providing a high quality student learning experience that reflects its mission and role statement, underpinned by good quality assurance systems.' The Panel commends the University's commitment to assuring the core quality of its teaching and learning activities and expresses affirmation of many existing measures in quality assurance adopted by the University.
On the whole, QAC commends CUHK for its overall commitment to assuring and enhancing the quality of its taught programmes and especially the development and implementation of an Integrated Framework for Curriculum Development and Review; its introduction of a rigorous system of programme reviews; and its commitment to a bilingual policy and the deployment of resources to achieving desired language attributes at the undergraduate level.
It has also commended CUHK on the following:
Undergraduate education
- the level of academic support and pastoral care available to undergraduate students
- the variety and extent of experiential learning opportunities available to students, particularly the exchange and internship programmes
- articulating graduate attributes with the capacity to clearly differentiate CUHK graduates from those of other universities
Approach to curriculum design
- ensuring the University's desired graduate attributes are reflected through the inclusion of major, minor, elective, general education and language courses
- requiring all students to pass an IT Proficiency Test as a graduation requirement
Promotion of quality teaching
- the clear commitment to recognizing and rewarding good teaching through a variety of channels including the promotion threshold related to teaching, the transparency of the performance assessment system for merit increases and the systems of exemplary teaching awards
- the support of its teaching staff, and the compulsory staff development courses for new junior staff and teaching assistants
Training of research students
- the overall approach to providing and assuring a quality experience for its research students
Prof. Lawrence J. Lau, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, welcomes the QAC's audit report and thanks the panel for its work. 'CUHK is proud to have been the first UGC-funded institution to be audited by the QAC. In terms of providing high-quality teaching and learning, this report, compiled by independent experts, confirms that the University is upholding its mission of becoming a bilingual research-led comprehensive university of world-class standing. To meet the needs of globalization, CUHK is committed to continually improving the quality of its education and learning environment, ensuring the disciplinary relevance of its curriculum, providing whole-person education, enriching students' learning experience, and nurturing graduates with generic skills. Members of the University are heartened by the outcome of the QAC Audit.'
The Chinese University was the first UGC-funded institution to have been audited by the QAC. About nine months before the audit visit, in accordance with the audit process of the QAC, the University conducted a comprehensive review of its teaching and learning, and submitted a self-review report to the QAC in January this year. In April, the QAC panel met with over 150 teaching and administrative staff, 80 students, lay members of the University Council, local employers and CUHK alumni, to gain an accurate understanding of the University's teaching and learning measures and quality assurance systems and to make an independent and comprehensive assessment.
The excellent results of the Audit would not have been possible without the collaboration of the teaching and administrative staff, students and other stakeholders. On this firm basis, the University shall continue to step up its efforts in maintaining a high standard in teaching and learning. For the full Report, please go to:
www.cuhk.edu.hk/v6/en/teaching/images/qac_cuhkreport.pdf