Associate degrees offer a second chance
Students gain a place at university through the programmes
An increasing number of students are entering universities through associate degree programmes which are gaining wider recognition locally and overseas.
According to the University of Hong Kong, 557 students who obtained an associate degree from its School of Professional and Continuing Education are now studying in local and overseas universities.
The number was just 100 in 2001 and 301 in 2002. This year, more than 300 students have already been accepted by different universities in Hong Kong and overseas.
Enoch Young Chien-ming, director of the school, believed the increase was related to the increasing recognition of associate degrees, which drew scepticism when they were introduced in 2000.
Form Five graduates who fail to secure a Form Six place could enrol in a three-year associate degree programme. Associate degree holders with good results could be directly accepted as a second-year student.
Professor Young said more than 50 overseas universities recognised Hong Kong's associate degrees and the number of second-year places in local universities would increase five-fold from 210 to 1,050 this year.
Athena Li Wan-yu, who is among the students benefiting from the associate degree programme, has been offered a nursing degree place at the University of Hong Kong next month.
She was overjoyed that the programme had helped to make her dream come true. 'I've joined the Red Cross since I was in Form One and I really want to help people,' she said.
Ms Li said that when she obtained unsatisfactory results in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE) three years ago, she decided to find a job.
But after a year working as an office receptionist, she realised that if she wanted a better future, she had to improve herself. 'Society is very competitive, so I decided to study.'
She also has a word of advice for Form Five students: 'The opportunity is just in front of you, but you have to grasp it yourself.'
Schoolmate Kenneth Yu Quo-leung, 23, never expected to study in a university after getting mediocre results in the HKCEE.
But having completed an associate degree in English, he has secured a place at the University of Hong Kong for an English language degree next month on a scholarship.
Professor Young also announced that the school's new college building in Kowloon Bay was expected to be completed in September 2006. The new facility will include 60 classrooms to cater for more than 2,000 students.
He also revealed plans to build a new college in Suzhou.
