HKIEd's university dream is still alive
The Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) can be called a university if it becomes more multidisciplinary and strengthens its research capability, the University Grants Committee (UGC) said yesterday.
In a report on its review of HKIEd's development, the UGC said HKIEd had not done enough to become a university so far. But it could gain the title by pursuing one of two options - offering additional degree courses in subjects other than education or merging with an existing university.
HKIEd president Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said he was disappointed with the recommendations but encouraged by UGC's recognition of HKIEd's past efforts to strive for a title change.
'The report reaffirms that what we are doing now is right, and with the report coming out we can speed up what we are doing and strive towards changing our name,' Professor Cheung said.
UGC chairwoman Laura Cha Shih May-lung said teacher-training providers should offer a wide range of disciplines to give students alternative academic and career pathways.
'We are not denying HKIEd's previous achievements and the quality of the teachers they have trained,' Mrs Cha said.
If HKIEd sharpened its focus and became multidisciplinary, the institution would be able to put a stronger case to the government to change its title to university, she said.
The UGC report said that to become a university, HKIEd would need to offer at least three non- education degree courses and demonstrate adequate capacity to conduct research and train postgraduate students.
HKIEd has 12 chair professors and 15 professors, and more than 90 per cent of its teaching staff possess doctoral degrees. It says its staff have the capacity to conduct research and train postgraduate students, but the UGC has not assigned it any quota for postgraduate students.
In its report, the UGC estimates that a one-off HK$100 million will be required to help HKIEd launch degree programmes in three new disciplines, fund 30 places for research postgraduate students and other measures required to become a multidisciplinary university.
An additional HK$27 million in recurrent funding per year would be required to continue the endeavour.
But it would be up to the government to decide whether to grant HKIEd the extra resources required to become a multidisciplinary university with high research impact, Mrs Cha said.
She added that merging with another local university would be the quickest way for the teacher-training institution in Tai Po to become a university.
Mrs Cha said the perseverance HKIEd had shown in its quest for a university title was encouraging.
The HKIEd began offering bachelor of education degrees a decade ago and has been allowed to accredit degree programmes since 2004.
HKIEd has repeatedly rejected calls to merge with local universities.
Two years ago it submitted a formal application to be designated a university, and an outline of its plans for development in the next 10 years.
After Professor Cheung, an executive councillor formerly at City University, became HKIEd president last year, it appointed its chair professors and restructured faculties to boost its academic and research status.
The institute's staff and students have been particularly upset by the government's decision to grant the title of university to the former Shue Yan College six months after it gained self-accrediting status in 2006.
In response to the UGC report, a spokesman for the Education Bureau said HKIEd had come a long way in improving research and academic development in teacher education. The bureau would study the report's contents and recommendations.
