VOCATIONAL education provides a great variety of courses for students wishing to further their studies. Higher diploma courses normally take three years, although some may take four. They are a popular choice among students wishing to pursue an alternative to mainstream education. Admission is generally based on HKCEE results. There are also some two-year higher diploma courses designed for Form Seven leavers or equivalent. Students who wish to pursue further studies at degree level are provided with articulation arrangements locally and overseas. The Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) has collaborated with several prestigious overseas universities to offer top-up degree programmes locally for its higher diploma graduates. There are top-up programmes in business administration, information technology, and hotel, service and tourism studies. Other top-up programmes offered from this year will be in construction, electrical, electronic, mechanical, manufacturing and industrial engineering. Eventually, there will be top-up degree programmes for all higher diploma courses.