Competency Education

Education on common core competencies [link to “Common Core Competencies” in Section F] is essential for achieving the Common Core goals and objectives [link to the “Goals” section of “The Program” in Section E]. When developing your common core course, keep in mind that common core courses collectively allow students to: 

  • Explore most, if not all, competencies in the Foundations group;
  • Learn how competencies are applied across different common core areas, particularly those outside their major, in the Broadening group; and
  • Apply competencies acquired in real-life contexts in the Experiencing group.

You have the freedom to teach and/or assess specific competencies in compliance with the guidelines set out below. You are responsible for determining and evaluating the relevant competencies for your courses, and ensuring that students can acquire and demonstrate the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to meet the intended learning outcomes (ILOs) of your course. 

Minimum number of sub-competencies

(a) Foundations group

The Foundations group [link to the “Foundations Group” section of “Requirement” for the 2026-27 cohort in Section L] aims at providing students with a foundational understanding of competencies, enabling them to develop and deepen their knowledge in the Broadening and Experiencing groups. This group covers most of the sub-competencies collectively by all the Foundations courses.

Each Foundations course should teach and assess at least one sub-competency under any of the broad competencies.

(b) Broadening group

Different requirements apply to various common core areas in the Broadening group [link to the “Broadening Group” section of “Requirement” for the 2026-27 cohort in Section L] for different major programs, aiming not only at encouraging students to explore academic knowledge outside their discipline but also at allowing them to understand how different competencies are applied and manifested differently in other disciplines.

Each Broadening course should teach and assess at least one sub-competency under any of the broad competencies.

(c) Experiencing group

Courses in the Experiencing group [link to the “Experiencing Group” section of “Requirement” for the 2026-27 cohort in Section L] should enhance students’ competencies and are required to teach and assess at least one sub-competency under each broad competency, with the understanding that the teaching and assessment of sub-competencies may differ from each other.

Select at most six sub-competencies

It is strongly recommended that you teach and assess at most six sub-competencies in your common core course. This recommendation is based on experiences and pedagogical considerations, e.g., teaching and assessing too many competencies may overwhelm students and possibly distract them from the course focus.

When deciding on the competencies for your course, consider the following pedagogical aspects:

  • Validity: Ensure that the competencies taught and assessed are meaningful, directly related to the course focus, and appropriate for the level of study. Teaching and learning (T&L) activities should support students in completing assessments.
  • Fairness: Maintain fairness and consistency in grading students’ performance on the selected competency.
  • Transparency: Clearly communicate the purpose, processes, and criteria associated with the competencies to be taught and assessed.
  • Reliability: Ensure that the chosen competency is appropriate and relevant to the course content and objectives.
  • Feasibility: Consider the practicality of the chosen competency in terms of time, resources, and class size. Ensure that students have ample opportunity to acquire and demonstrate the application of the chosen competency.

Course topics and T&L activities

You must assign at least one topic in the course outline or one activity in the T&L arrangement for each chosen sub-competency, along with brief explanations of how each sub-competency will be taught.

Assessment tasks

You should design assessment tasks that promote student learning and provide opportunities for them to demonstrate their achievement and progress toward achieving the intended competency. You must indicate at least one assessment task for each chosen sub-competency, along with brief explanations of how each sub-competency will be assessed.

You need to ensure adherence to the standardized 5-point assessment rubrics [link to the “Assessment Rubrics” section of “Common Core Competencies” in Section F] when evaluating students’ competency performance and provide individual feedback on their competency development for each relevant assessment task. 

Guidance to students

Experience shows that clearly explaining and elaborating on the competencies, how they will be taught and assessed, and the associated assessment criteria and rubrics is crucial for student understanding. Besides, helping students develop and practice these competencies with timely feedback is essential. You are encouraged to provide guidance throughout their learning journey in attaining these competencies.