QA Handbook (QUALITY ASSURANCE FRAMEWORK)

The objectives of the Common Core Quality Assurance (QA) Framework are:

1. To support the mission of the Common Core Program (“the Program”) through ensuring the high quality of common core courses and providing teaching and learning support;
2. To facilitate the continuous enhancement of the quality of common core courses;
3. To ensure consistency and effectiveness of the QA processes and activities; and 
4. To establish the roles and responsibilities for all parties involved in the QA processes and activities.

Instructors, Course Offering Units, and Schools: Instructors and course offering units hold the primary responsibility for the quality of common core courses particularly for their design, delivery, and assessment. They develop new common core courses and recommend changes to approved ones when deemed necessary. These proposals are submitted to their respective Schools for consideration and endorsement before being forwarded to the Committee on Undergraduate Core Education (CUCE) for approval. Schools are also responsible for ensuring that common core requirements and processes are met and implemented by their course offering units. They establish arrangements to monitor departmental processes for assuring the quality of common core course delivery and for maintaining the academic standards of these courses.

Course Review Panel (CRP): The Common Core CRP is established by CUCE to provide insights into the delivery of common core courses and enhance their quality. It is responsible for reviewing common core courses during both regular and triggered review exercises. It also serves as a consultancy during the common core course proposal vetting process on essential elements of course development and makes recommendations to CUCE when requested.

Committee on Undergraduate Core Education (CUCE): CUCE is a sub-committee of the Committee on Undergraduate Studies (CUS). It advises and makes recommendations to CUS on common core policies and regulations, as well as monitors and reviews procedures, quality, and performance relating to the Common Core curriculum in undergraduate degree programs. It also reports to the Committee on Teaching and Learning Quality (CTLQ) on QA matters and the evaluation of the implementation of these measures.

Committee on Undergraduate Studies (CUS): CUS advises and makes recommendations to the Senate on policies and regulations, and to monitor and review procedures, quality, and performance relating to undergraduate studies. CUS also considers and approves common core courses approved by CUCE as undergraduate courses and receives annual report from CUCE on the progress of the Program.

Committee on Teaching and Learning Quality (CTLQ): CTLQ advises and makes recommendations to the Senate on policies, regulations, and guidelines relating to QA; promotes the quality of teaching and learning; and provides University-level monitoring of the operation of QA processes. Being part of the university education, the Program submits annual reports to CTLQ on its QA and improvement work through the Undergraduate Core Education (UCE) Team.

Advisory Board for the Undergraduate Common Core Program (ABCCP): ABCCP comprises external experts from the academic sector and the community to provide support and counsel to CUCE on issues central to the Program, including its academic content, strategy for future development, and quality related issues. The Advisory Board members are appointed by the Provost.

External Review Panel (ERP): The external review aims to ensure that the Program maintains a high academic standard compared to similar top-ranked programs both locally and internationally. The ERP performs a holistic review of the Program focusing on the design, content, pedagogy, and assessment of common core courses, as well as other teaching and learning related issues as reflected from the performance of students.

Undergraduate Core Education (UCE) Team: The UCE Team is administratively structured under the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) and is headed by the Academic Director. The UCE Team supports and coordinates QA activities of the Program and provides administrative and executive support to CUCE in the areas of course administration, quality assurance, and promotion of university core education.

The Common Core QA Framework contributes to the wider HKUST QA Framework, which sets out clearly the roles and responsibilities of all members of the University in the collective work of QA and enhancement, including students, academic staff, alumni and the community, academic departments and divisions, schools, and academic support units, etc. They are expected to participate in and contribute to the QA efforts of the Common Core Program in the same manner as described in the broader QA framework.

The Common Core QA Framework covers the full spectrum of course level processes, including the planning, approval, delivery, modification, and review of common core courses. It also includes the management of program level implementation, monitoring, and review. Teaching and learning support activities are instrumental in this framework through promoting and recognizing innovations and excellence in teaching and learning in common core courses. The processes and activities in this framework are outlined below.