Over the past three years, The Hong Kong Institute of Education has been undergoing a significant process of transformation under the “Education-plus” vision to become a University of Education. This goal was articulated in the Institute’s Strategic Plan 2009-12 and Beyond, spanning four areas – transforming people, transforming our capacity, transforming schools and the community, and transforming the regional education landscape.

Supported by our highly committed staff, the “Education-plus” vision has been steadily taking shape in the range and level of our academic programmes, developed upon our strong foundation in delivering Teacher Education at the Bachelor, Postgraduate Diploma, and taught Master and Doctoral levels.

Last year, the Institute began to admit students to its new Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Language Studies and Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Global and Environmental Studies programmes. The third University Grants Committee (UGC)- funded non-Teacher Education programme, namely the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Creative Arts and Culture has just been launched for 2011-12.

New self-financed Bachelor of Social Science Education programmes complementary to Education have been planned for introduction in 2011-12, in addition to the existing Bachelor of Music in Education and Bachelor of Health Education. They cover Liberal Studies Education, Greater China Studies, Science and Web Technology, and Sports Science.

Major progress has been made in postgraduate and research education. To meet professional and community needs, new taught postgraduate programmes have been planned for implementation in 2011-12: namely, Master of Arts programmes in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, in Mathematics and Pedagogy, in Educational Linguistics and Communication Science, and in Contemporary Studio Art and Criticism in Education; as well as Master of Social Science Education programmes in Ethnicity and Global Citizenship and in Greater China Studies.

During the year, the Institute admitted the first cohort of research students to its newly launched Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy programmes, following the establishment of the Graduate School in April 2010. These students have now finished their taught courses and are commencing work on their research theses. Meanwhile the first batch of students in the Doctor of Education programme will soon complete their dissertations.

While fully gearing up for programme expansion, the Institute has not lost sight of preparing for the 3-3-4 academic structure* to be implemented in higher education institutions in 2012-13, whereby students of our core Bachelor of Education programmes will have a new five-year curriculum while those pursuing other Bachelor degree programmes will study for four years.

A comprehensive curriculum review has been conducted for 3-3-4. Irrespective of programme streams, the new undergraduate curriculum will feature greater connectivity among different areas of knowledge through a more multidisciplinary design, curricular and co-curricular learning, and a reinvigorated General Education component underscored partly by a Foundation Course delivered by Chair Professors and Professors in a specially designed lecture series. The new General Education mode is to be pilotrun in 2011-12.

It is hoped that an extended innovative learning experience beyond the traditional classroom-based curriculum, plus overseas exchange and immersion programmes, will form an integral part of the “Total Learning Experience” to broaden the minds and perspectives of our students.

The Institute underwent an audit by the Quality Assurance Council (QAC) early this year. The QAC report, just released at the time of finalising this Annual Report, commends the Institute on the range of support given to student learning through language enhancement, advisory services and extracurricular activities, and international and Mainland experiences, and affirms that it is on the move from an earlier approach of quality control, through to a quality assurance approach and on to the implementation of an embedded quality enhancement culture.

During the past year, the Institute has strengthened its Teaching and Learning Framework and established a new Committee on Learning and Teaching under the Academic Board to drive a quality enhancement culture and learning innovation initiatives (including e-learning). New President’s Awards for Outstanding Performance in Teaching, Research, and Service are being planned for introduction in 2011-12.

On the research front, the Institute has made significant progress during the year, with research scopes broadened to encompass Education and related fields in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Creative Arts and Culture. Academic staff have been active in conducting research projects with funding support from the Research Grants Council (RGC), Quality Education Fund and other external bodies and government departments.

I am excited to report here that in the latest round of 2011-12 RGC funding applications the Institute fared very well as a new research-active institution, ranking among the top two in terms of success rates in Education and Social Sciences, comparing favourably with the established local universities.

As the Institute continues to strengthen its research capacity, its wide array of research is having a growing impact on innovation in teaching and learning, policy discourse and social and human development. New knowledge and research findings are disseminated through conferences, seminars, journals, publications and extensive knowledge transfer activities for schools, the profession and the community.

An increasing number of the Institute’s scholars are also now actively engaged in policy advocacy and commentary, sharing their research analysis with the community and presenting diverse insights and perspectives in the public arena. With such engagements, they unleash intellectual power and create impact in advancing the cause of educational development, human betterment and social progress.

During the year we were delighted that the academic and research achievements of the Institute scholars were recognised by the wider community. In March 2011, the first Endowed Chair Professorships were bestowed on four distinguished scholars, supported by endowments set up by three generous and visionary donors.

The Institute is known for its close links with local schools and education professional bodies, benefiting the education sector and also providing useful inputs to the Institute’s efforts in enhancing teaching quality.

To take school partnership to greater heights, the Institute signed agreements with four major school sponsoring bodies in December 2010, namely the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, the Anglican (Hong Kong) Primary School Council, the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China and the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals.

The Institute’s graduates have continued to gain recognition in the Chief Executive’s Award for Teaching Excellence Scheme. In 2010-11, of the 104 winning teachers, 89 were our alumni, with 40 receiving awards and 49 certificates of merit. The awardees have been enlisted as Teaching Consultants to various departments of the Institute to benefit our staff and students, as well as to strengthen alumni ties.

In recent years, the Institute has placed a strategic focus on transforming the regional education landscape, as we assume an expanded role in leading and shaping the regional education discourse through organising international conferences and projects, and forging alliances and partnerships around the world.

Our work has gained international recognition, with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) awarding the Institute a highly prestigious Chair in the area of Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Lifelong Learning in January 2011. This was the first time for UNESCO to award an education Chair to a tertiary institution in Hong Kong, providing an important platform for the Institute to engage international partners in the promotion of lifelong learning and poverty alleviation among underprivileged communities.

In addition, the Institute signed a memorandum of understanding with the UNESCO Bangkok Office in April 2011, to establish a UNESCO Arts Observatory for Research in Local Cultures and Creativity in Education, testifying to the Institute’s growing standing and impact in arts education in the region.

Building on the success of the inaugural Asian Roundtable of Presidents of Universities of Education in May 2009, the Institute is at the time of writing earnestly preparing for the Second Asian Roundtable, to be held on 3 November 2011. On this important occasion, around 40 university presidents or their deputies from across Asia and Europe will converge and share insights into the future of the region’s universities of education (and normal universities) in the face of global challenges and opportunities.

As we approach 2012, the Institute is entering a crucial year in its final preparation for taking the title of university. While we are working at full steam to achieve the milestones as outlined in the Strategic Plan, no efforts have been spared in ensuring that concurrent implementation of the 3-3-4 academic structure will be on track.

At this institution, we seek to reinvigorate and connect with the great traditions of university education, where wisdom and ideas are cultivated, humanistic concerns cherished and future leaders groomed. The Institute is also a place vibrant in free thought and free speech, and where rationality and diversity are championed and advanced. Its distinctive vision will enrich the tertiary education scene as Hong Kong strengthens as an education hub in the region and beyond.

In review, I am deeply grateful for the support of the entire Institute community, which works in unison and with great resolve in forging ahead with the “Education-plus” vision. This is a vision that is propelling the Institute into being a centre of knowledge creation in the region, with contributions to social progress and the enlightenment of humanity.

* The official title of the 3-3-4 academic structure is the New Academic Structure for Senior Secondary Education and Higher Education in Hong Kong. Under this structure, students will receive six years of secondary education (three junior and three senior), and four years of university education.

Professor Anthony B. L. Cheung, GBS, JP
President