With the senior secondary reforms spelling the end of the sixth-form college system in 2012, Hang Seng School of Commerce has set its sights on becoming a private university.
The Sha Tin school is a matriculation college for Form Six and Form Seven. It also offers sub-degree programmes. But with the switch last year from four years of senior secondary education ending in Form Seven to three years to Form Six, it plans to become a tertiary institute.
School president Chui Hong-sheung said: 'We want to repeat what we do now ... transform average university entrants into top university graduates. Instead of fighting with the publicly funded universities for top-flight graduates, we just want to aim at the middle or average scorers.'
Last month, the school won government approval to offer degree courses in business administration, supply chain management and business translation from September.
A total of 460 places will be provided for the three disciplines on the four-year degree programmes. Annual tuition will be HK$50,000 for the first and second years and HK$55,000 for the third and fourth years.
'We are applying for six pieces of land to build more dormitories,' Chui said. 'Our goal was to become a 4,000-capacity university. If we get approval for the six pieces of land, we will build more dormitories and provide an extra 1,000 dormitory places.'