Chapter 7 Graduate Attributes and Student Conduct

Graduate Attributes

The University’s curriculum is currently guided by the following framework of the graduate attributes, ‘PEER & I’. The University has established a set of seven Generic Intended Learning Outcomes (GILOs) which represent the University’s expectation of all students:

PEER & I

Professional Excellence
Ethical Responsibility
Innovation

GILOs

Problem Solving Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Creative Thinking Skills
Oral and Written Communication Skills
Social Interaction Skills
Ethical Decision Making
Global Perspectives

For detailed information, please visit the website of Learning and Teaching.

Student Conduct

Students are expected to observe the General Code of Student Conduct which spells out the expectation of students in terms of professional and personal conduct. A Warning will be issued to students whose behaviour deviates from the Code and who violate the rules and regulations of the University.

Students on receiving the Warning should improve themselves in order to meet the expectation that has been set out. If persistent misconduct is observed after the issuance of the Warning, the case will be referred to the University’s Student Disciplinary Committee for consideration, which may lead to the discontinuation of their studies.

General Code of Student Conduct

The following General Code of Student Conduct is formulated to provide guidance to students during their studies at the University. Students are expected to demonstrate sound moral character together with social commitment and learning attitudes required of university graduates in addition to satisfactory academic performance. Students should be well behaved and show responsibility to the University and the community. As modern citizens, students should value and respect human rights, freedom, peace, equality and rationality, show an interest in and concern for current affairs, and participate actively in community service. Students should make every effort to uphold the honour, dignity and ethics of the educational and other relevant professions and to contribute to a harmonious learning environment. As lifelong learners, students should also strive to improve themselves to achieve personal growth and development, and to keep abreast of the latest learning and developments in their fields.

The Code

Students are expected to

1	uphold the image and the reputation of the University by behaving themselves in a disciplined and responsible manner;
2	participate and function effectively in the required academic and professional contexts;
3	when undertaking placement (e.g. block practice, attachments to organisations, school visits, internships or other external activities) respect the traditions/culture of the organisations concerned, participate willingly in activities and functions, and follow rules and regulations (e.g. safety precautions) specified by the respective organisations;
4	refrain from behaviour which may pose a health/safety hazard to themselves/others within and outside the campuses;
5	uphold academic honesty (see chapter 8 in this handbook); and
6	observe all other academic policies and regulations stipulated by the University.

Students should observe this Code. Evidence of persistent failures in meeting the above expectations may result in the student concerned being issued with a Warning and/or referral of the case to the Student Disciplinary Committee (see chapter 4.4 in this handbook).

Besides observing the General Code of Student Conduct, students should also be guided by the codes of the professions they aspire to join. Some of these professions are listed below:

For Teachers:	Guidelines on Teachers’ Professional Conduct, The Education Bureau (https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/teacher/guidelines_tpc/index.html)
For Nursing Professionals:	Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Nurses in Hong Kong, The Nursing Council of Hong Kong (http://www.nchk.org.hk/filemanager/en/pdf/conduct.pdf)

Postponing Teaching Practice (TP) for Students with Sex-related Crimes Conviction and/or Prosecution

(Applicable to all full-time and part-time programmes with TP/Practicum/Internship or equivalent activity where participants require placements from EdUHK from 2014/15 academic year onwards)

Provision of Teaching Practice (TP)/Practicum/Internship or equivalent activity by EdUHK to its students is conditional upon the students:

1.1	Throughout the course of their study in EdUHK, declaring and updating the EdUHK of any conviction (except for "spent" conviction(s) see Note 1) and/or prosecution for any sex related offences (including but not limited to offences of similar nature) during the course of their study in EdUHK.
1.2	Where a student fails to provide the relevant declaration mentioned in 1.1 above or the declaration transpires to be inaccurate, EdUHK reserves its right to terminate the TP/Practicum/Internship or equivalent activity and to take appropriate disciplinary action against the students.

Upon receipt of a student's declaration showing a conviction and/or prosecution record, the Faculty/Graduate School, representing the University, will convene a case conference panel (For TP case conference see Note 2) to decide whether the declared incident(s) would, in the view of the Panel, constitute any potential threats to children and mentally incapacitated persons in the placement schools/child-related organisations and consider withholding and/or postponing the TP/Practicum/Internship or equivalent activity until related judiciary process(es) and/or EdUHK internal disciplinary procedure(s) complete(s). The membership of the panel would be the same as a normal case conference for FE/Practicum/Internship or equivalent activity.

If a student is recommended for postponing TP/Practicum/Internship or equivalent activity, their participation in the activity/course registration will become invalid and will be removed from the record. Students who are found innocent after the conclusion of the judiciary and disciplinary procedures will be eligible to register the course again and be placed on TP/Practicum/Internship in the following block practice/practicum/internship period subject to his/her study plan.

Note 1:

Under section 2 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Ordinance (the "ROO"), a person's conviction record will be considered as "spent" where:-

(a)	an individual has been convicted in Hong Kong (before or after the commencement of this Ordinance) of an offence in respect of which he was not sentenced to imprisonment exceeding 3 months or to a fine exceeding $10,000;
(b)	he has not been convicted in Hong Kong on any earlier day of an offence; and
(c)	a period of 3 years has elapsed without that individual being again convicted in Hong Kong.

Note 2:

The Panel of Case Conference(s) will comprise the following membership:

Chairperson:	Director of SPFE or designate
Members:	Relevant Programme Leader/Coordinator or designate Relevant Field Experience Coordinator FE Supervisors of student(s) concerned
Secretary:	Relevant EO/EA (SPFE Office)

If necessary, additional member(s), such as representative from SAO, course teacher(s) could be opted to the Case Conference to discuss relevant performance of the student.