No one or organisation in Hong Kong can tell which overseas tertiary institutes offer accredited courses as there is virtually no system to find this out until the students have completed their studies.
Educators warn parents and students to be on high alert when choosing overseas high schools or universities as the fortune spent may go down the drain if the courses offered are not widely recognised by Hong Kong educational institutes or employers.
The Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation (HKCAA) is an independent organisation responsible for academic accreditation and gives individual qualification assessment services to the public. The HKCAA only assesses local and non-local diplomas or such courses offered in Hong Kong.
However, on individual assessment, the council assesses the academic achievement of applicants who have acquired diplomas or similar qualifications, including those from abroad. This is usually made at the request of the applicants' potential employer during the recruitment process.
One of the council's assessment criteria is made with reference to general comparability with local academic qualifications.
This means that students who have chosen a foreign school and are willing to study there, cannot find out from the HKCAA if the institute they intend to enter is recognised in Hong Kong or not.
The Education Bureau website features a list of registered non-local higher and professional courses jointly organised with institutes in Hong Kong. It also highlights courses offered by overseas schools which jointly operate with local universities. These courses are exempt from registration, being supervised by the local universities.
