QA Handbook (PROGRAM REVIEW)

Program review plays an important role in maintaining the quality of the Common Core Program (“the Program”). The Quality Assurance (QA) Framework delineates the activities to review the Program as a whole. While the Committee on Undergraduate Core Education (CUCE) monitors the teaching and learning quality of the Program internally through various QA activities, the Advisory Board for the Undergraduate Common Core Program (ABCCP) and the External Review Panel (ERP) provide external perspectives on academic contents, standards, strategic planning, and quality related issues.

The organizational framework for conducting the internal and external program reviews is outlined below:

Committee on Undergraduate Core Education (CUCE): As stated in its terms of reference, one of the key roles of CUCE is to monitor and review the quality of the Common Core Program as a whole. CUCE reviews the QA arrangements of the Program periodically to identify areas of concern as well as good practices for maintaining and enhancing the quality of common core courses. Based on this program level review, CUCE formulates improvement actions and new initiatives for the coming years. The review results will be recorded in an Annual Report to be submitted to the Committee on Teaching and Learning Quality (CTLQ).

Committee on Teaching and Learning Quality (CTLQ): Based on the reports submitted by the Undergraduate Core Education (UCE) Team (as well as by Schools and other academic support units), CTLQ submits annual reports to the Senate on its findings. This annual reporting process provides the backbone for the University’s monitoring of QA practices and educational quality. This exercise also serves as a reference for improvement in teaching and learning by encouraging a reflective and forward-looking review of programs.

Committee on Undergraduate Studies (CUS): CUS provides university-level monitoring of quality and performance related to undergraduate studies including the Common Core Program. CUS monitors the work of CUCE, through receiving from it an annual report that summarizes its work undertaken regarding curriculum development, QA measures for the Common Core Program, and their effectiveness.

External Review Panel (ERP)

An External Review Panel (ERP) will be established to undertake the external review. In the interim, the Advisory Board for the Undergraduate Common Core Program (ABCCP) will be engaged to undertake QA related work as stipulated in its terms of reference.

The role of the ERP is to assure the academic standards of the Program. The Panel includes external academics with experience and expertise in teaching common core courses or general education in tertiary institutions. It will undertake 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. The Panel will report to CUCE its assessments and make recommendations for improvement.

Advisory Board for the Undergraduate Common Core Program (ABCCP)

The ABCCP provides support to CUCE in evaluating the content and quality of the Program against external reference points. It will receive and review reports on the Program from the UCE Team and advise CUCE on the strategic development, course planning, and academic content of the Program in relation to the changing needs of society.

Quality Assurance Council (QAC) Audit Panel

The QAC is established under the aegis of the University Grants Committee (UGC) which serves to assist the UGC in assuring the quality of programs offered by UGC-funded institutions at the first-degree level and above. The QAC Audit is a periodic external QA process that involves independent peer review by senior academics in the higher education sector. It reviews the QA arrangements in place within institutions for assuring and enhancing the quality and effectiveness of their provisions. As one of the UGC-funded institutions in Hong Kong, HKUST will be reviewed by the Audit Panel of the QAC. The Program, as part of the undergraduate curriculum, is covered in the audit.