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SCMP Reporter

Students at Chinese University will no longer have to sit exams for most required subjects from the next academic year. 
That's when degree courses will be lengthened from three years to four. The revised programme will introduce all students to Chinese and Western classics. 
There will also be more language courses to improve students' command of Chinese and English. That's because they will have one year less of language study in secondary school, where they will spend only six years under the '3+3+4' system. 
Chinese University will do away with final exams in most compulsory courses in general education, languages, information technology and physical education. Instead students will be assessed mainly on assignments and projects.
Every student will be able to get practical training through research or internships and the chance to join foreign exchange programmes.
Undergraduates will need at least 123 credits to graduate, about a quarter more than the 99 they need now. Credits for the four compulsory subjects will increase to 39 from 23. 
Professor Andy Curtis, director of the English Language Teaching Unit, says he became worried about students' command of English when the secondary school programme was shortened from seven years to six. This is why the required credits for English language courses will triple to nine. Required credits for Chinese language courses will also increase from three to six.  
Curtis says the new curriculum will bring changes to the memorisation- and exam-driven learning style commonly found in local schools.
'Students get a bit of a shock [when they enter university],' he says. 'Teachers tell you what to do in secondary school, but you have to decide what to do in university.'
Mervyn Cheung Man-ping,  chairman of the Hong Kong Education Policy Concern Organisation,  says instead of scrapping exams, universities should just  give increased weight to assignments. Cheung says exams still have their value, because students can learn from a standardised exam marking script. 
He agrees students' language abilities should be emphasised.
'It is recognised by employee groups that there has been a decline in language abilities among university graduates. Some do not have good communication skills as well,' he says. While it is important to improve students' language abilities for academic purposes, he says, they should also learn useful communication skills from the language courses. 
Cheung says universities agree that students' horizons have to be broadened in the extra year. This can be done by offering internships so that students can get hands-on experience in their fields of study. 
Chu Kai-man, a third-year medical student at Chinese University, says it is a good idea to do away with final exams - if the university can prevent plagiarism.
'At least students will not do their revision right before the exam. Language is something you can make progress in only if you practise every day,' Chu says.
He says while university students are often criticised for their poor English, it doesn't help that some tutors are not native speakers. 
Another third-year medical student, Prisca Yeung Wan-han, also welcomes the scrapping of exams.
'Students won't have to memorise every thing right before the exam. I personally prefer doing assignments: I can choose the topic I like if it is a project,' she says.
The University of Hong Kong is also putting a new focus on language ability and breadth of education. Students there will have to complete even more credits for English language courses than their counterparts at Chinese University. 
The required credits will double to 12. Required credits for Chinese language will also double, to six.
Students will need 36 credits from the four core subject areas: science and technology, human sciences, global issues and Chinese culture.



Students say good riddance to exams