From distance learning education provider to full-fledged university: OUHK’s 30 years of transformation

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The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK), celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, boasts a unique history and a remarkable course of transformation. Its modest beginnings were nonetheless significant: it was founded by government statute to be the main local provider for distance learning education for working adults in 1989, and shifted to a self-financing model in 1993. Over the years, it has evolved along a trajectory shaped by social change, whilst always keeping the mission of serving society at heart. At 30, it is now a full-fledged university with a wide range of programmes on offer — full-time and part-time, undergraduate and postgraduate — to nurture our leaders of tomorrow.

The first decade: pioneering open and distance education
OUHK’s success story is rooted in a pioneering spirit combined with a keen eye for society’s needs. It was originally named the Open Learning Institute (OLI), its very establishment providing a revolutionary solution to the majority of Hong Kong adults who had left school to go directly to work. The Institute gained self-accrediting and university status by 1997, and already by the end of its first decade it had established itself as a clear leader in the field, recognized by prestigious awards from the Commonwealth of Learning and the International Council for Open and Distance Education (1999). It had more than measured up to its mission of providing “education for all”.

The second decade: venturing into full-time education
OUHK’s second decade was marked by a key breakthrough: the launch of its first five full-time, face-to-face programmes at Associate Degree level in 2001, followed by Bachelor’s degrees in 2003 in response to the Government’s call to further expand higher education. Fresh demand from secondary school leavers made the new full-time offerings an instant success. By 2007, OUHK was given the green light to participate in the Government’s Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS), staking its place in the arena of full-time undergraduate education alongside the UGC-funded institutions.

The third decade: full establishment
Now full-fledged, OUHK offers 220 programmes made up of some 800 full-time and part-time courses. Educating more than half of its students on campus, it has climbed to sixth place among local universities in terms of full-time student numbers. In 2018/19, OUHK’s full-time student population has grown to 10,392, 90% of which are undergraduates.

Behind these figures is an ongoing effort to gauge market trends, identify economic changes and observe government policy. OUHK’s current focus on training new talent for industries in demand has given rise to practical, professional signature programmes in Creative Arts, Testing and Certification, Nursing, Energy and Environmental Studies, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, Corporate Governance and Hospitality Management. The Government has shown its approval by granting the University a third of the subsidized quota under its Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors (SSSDP) for two years in a row.
 

Towards a promising future
With a firm commitment to grooming talent, OUHK has risen to the challenges of the times and grown with society. Now, as Hong Kong faces an ageing population and heightened demand for healthcare services, the University has embarked on the Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare project that integrates campus development with the training of healthcare professionals. More broadly, it has just released its Strategic Plan to enhance its education on every front: all in the aim of transforming the future for tomorrow’s generation.

OUHK in 1989 vs 2019

Milestones in full-time programme development