Hong Kong Metropolitan University ‘expected to become city’s first university of applied sciences by next month at earliest’

Education authorities are expected to approve Hong Kong Metropolitan University as the city’s first university of applied sciences (UAS) by next month at the earliest and set aside as much as HK$50 million (US$6.39 million) to promote the benefits of vocational training offered by such institutions, the Post has learned.

A spokeswoman for the university in Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, confirmed on Saturday it had submitted an application to the government.

“We are looking forward to the positive feedback from the government on our application and will input our utmost efforts to facilitate our fulfilment of the application,” she said.

A source told the Post that the application was submitted after the Lunar New Year holiday ended earlier this week. A panel comprising three to four members hired by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications would review the application, the insider added.

In last October’s policy address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the city would develop universities of applied sciences in a bid to change poor perceptions about vocational education. Lee revealed the government would provide a start-up fund to support postsecondary institutions by forming the Alliance of Universities in Applied Sciences.

Another source told the Post that the government would set aside a maximum of HK$50 million to support the creation of the alliance, intending to show students, parents and the community the benefits of vocational and professional education and training.

The government early this month announced a set of procedures and requirements for tertiary institutions to become UASs. It would also offer a HK$5,000 subsidy to full-time students enrolling in applied degree courses who took non-laboratory-based programmes and HK$8,000 in funding to those enrolled in lab-based ones.