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President’s Overview |
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.
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Programme Diversity |
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.
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Revamping of the Undergraduate Curriculum |
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.
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Quality Assurance |
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.
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Research and Scholarship |
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.
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Partnership with Schools and the Community |
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.
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International Linkage and Leadership |
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.
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Looking Ahead |
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
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