Higher education in Hong Kong

Higher Education in Hong Kong means any education higher than secondary education, including professional, technical and academic. It is the highest level of education in Hong Kong, regulated under Hong Kong Law Education Ordinance (Cap. 279).

Institutes

Universities

Universities are those educational insititutes who gained approval from both the Chief Executive and the Executive Council, and then make into law by the Legislative Council. To date, there are nine universities in total: (Listed in the order of date of granted full university status )

• The University of Hong Kong (HKU, founded in 1910) - University of Hong Kong Ordinance (Cap. 1053)

• The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK, founded in 1963) - The Chinese University of Hong Kong Ordinance (Cap. 1109)

• The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST, founded in 1991) - The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Ordinance (Cap. 1141)

• Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU, founded in 1956, granted full university status in November 1994) - Hong Kong Baptist University Ordinance (Cap. 1126)

• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU, founded in 1972, granted full university status in November 1994) - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Ordinance (Cap. 1075)

• City University of Hong Kong (CityU, founded in 1984, granted full university status in November 1994) - City University of Hong Kong Ordinance (Cap. 1132)

• The Open University of Hong Kong (OpenU, founed in 1989, granted full university status in 1997) - The Open University of Hong Kong Ordinance (Cap. 1145)

• Lingnan University (LU, founded in 1967, granted full university status in July 1999) - Lingnan University Ordinance (Cap. 1165)

• Hong Kong Shue Yan University (SYU, founded in 1971, granted university status in 2006) - First private university in Hong Kong

It was commonly misconcepted by people that The Hong Kong Institute of Education is a university-by-law as it provides degree programmes and it is Government-funded. Such misconception was mostly affacted by JUPAS, which unites almost all of the Government-funded-degrees admissions since 1991 and providing solely Government-funded-programmes until 2006. The uses of "八大" by media, which can both mean "eight (governemnt-funded) universities" or "eight (governemnt-funded) Tertiary Institutes (providing degrees)" in Chinese further confuses the matter.

For local students, the JUPAS is the main stream for entering the university listed above, other than partial programmes from the OUHK and all programmes from the SYU.

Colleges

Colleges are those educational insititutes who gained approval from both the Chief Executive and the Executive Council, and then make into law by the Legislative Council. This kind of colleges are being accredited by Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation for their academic awards. To date, there are two colleges in total: (Listed in the order of date of founding)

• Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) - The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance (Cap.1135)
• Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) - The Hong Kong Institute of Education (Cap. 444)

Post-secondary colleges

Post-secondary colleges are educational institutes formed under the Post-secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320). This kind of institutes are allowed to give out academic awards with the prior permission from the Chief Executive and the Executive Council. This kind of colleges are being accredited by Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation for their academic awards. To date, there are two post-secondary colleges in total:

• Caritas Francis Hsu College
• Chu Hai College of Higher Education

Vocational Training Council Institutes

Vocational Training Council Institutes are formed under the Vocational Training Council Ordinance (Cap. 1130), this kind of institutes are being accredited by Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation for their academic awards. To date, there are three Vocational Training Council Institutes in total:

• Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education
• School of Business and Information Systems
• Hong Kong Design Institute

General institutes

The following educational institutes are formed under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) and approved by the Secretary of Education and Manpower Bureau for Higher educations, this kind of institute are being accredited by Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation for their academic awards.

• Caritas Bianchi College of Careers
• Hang Seng School of Commerce
• HKU SPACE Po Leung Kuk Community College
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong - Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Community College
• Hong Kong Institute of Technology
• Hong Kong College of Technology
• The Art School, Hong Kong Arts Centre

Academic awards

• Honour Diploma is a former academic award issued by College or Institute before it was granted full university status, such as CityU, PolyU, HKBU, LU and SYU.

Details

Based on the above information, ranking by status and the date of founding.

Note:

• UGC is abbreviation of University Grants Committee
• HKCAA is abbreviation of Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation

See also

• Medical education in Hong Kong

External links

• Education and Manpower Bureau
• University Grants Committee
• Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation