Thirst for knowledge boosts postgraduate studies in HK
In an increasingly knowledge-based society there is a thirst for information. So it is not surprising that postgraduate studies are reporting a huge pick-up in enrolment figures.
A senior executive, who did a part-time postgraduate degree at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and works for an oil major, said having one degree was not enough to carry out his management duties effectively. So he studied for a second degree to keep abreast of developments in the fast-changing world oil industry.
'In a knowledge-based society, the continuous thirst for knowledge is a natural progression as the factors surrounding business and the skills required keep changing,' he said.
The University of Leicester, in collaboration with the Hartford Institute Hong Kong, recently presented academic degrees to 134 graduates who had successfully completed the university's postgraduate programme by distance learning in Hong Kong.
Leicester University, hailed by the Financial Times as being in a league of its own for postgraduate education, offers four popular programmes in Hong Kong, where it has been in operation for 15 years.
The programmes are the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Marketing (MScM), Master of Science in Finance (MScF) and Master of Arts in Mass Communications.
The graduation ceremony of the class of July 2002 was witnessed by more than 200 guests. John Fothergill, pro-vice-chancellor of the University of Leicester, made the official welcome remarks at the ceremony.
Also attending were Peter Jackson, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Patricia Jackson, executive director of distance learning programmes and director of administration. Student representative Ronald Pang also spoke at the ceremony.
The intake for the MBA programme is in January, April, July and October. The intake for the MScF, MA and Master of Science in customer services management programmes are in April and October, and the MScM's programme intake is in January and July.
Meanwhile, the University of Exeter has also had a good response to its postgraduate programmes, which include MSc in sustainable development, MA in heritage, education and management and MA in film studies.
The university's department of lifelong learning attracts many international students as it believes in the value gained by having a diverse student body. The university is fully online, so distance learning and part-time modules are ideal for students studying abroad, or for those who may be in Britain temporarily.
Princeton Review reports a leap in postgraduate numbers. It is the fastest-growing test-preparation company for Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) in the world, helping more than 1million students each year with their further education.
The Princeton Review's Hong Kong franchise was acquired by the Sara Beattie Group in 1996. Princeton Review is popular because it runs small classes which it says offer students more personalised attention.
Its instructors are expert test takers and inspirational teachers who ensure that students learn all the strategies they need to know by keeping them interested and involved.
Princeton Review instructors said they were happy to go the extra mile and help students outside class hours.
Princeton offers many flexible programme options and schedules so students can find comprehensive solutions that fit their busy lifestyles. Sara Beattie Group spokeswoman Grace Wong said: 'We run GMAT courses every month and we also offer GRE courses twice a year. But students can do private tutorials with us all year round.'
