(1) Hub/College and the Deans

Hub/College Deans have key roles and responsibilities in maintaining Academic Standards in the Assessment of Students, and for implementing Quality Assurance and Enhancement mechanisms for the review and oversight of educational programs under the Hub/College, in particular for ensuring that the University’s policies and procedures for the assurance and improvement of quality and the maintenance of academic standards are implemented by Thrust/Pillar/Base.

Hub/College receives recommendations for new courses and programs and for changes to courses and programs from Thrust/Pillar/Base and endorse these recommendations prior to Senate Committee and Senate.

Hubs/Colleges have a key role in processes for the recruitment, retention and promotion of faculty. In discharging their responsibilities, Hubs/Colleges are expected to take into account the University’s emphasis on the performance of faculty as teachers and their contribution to the educational mission of the University.

Hubs/Colleges should therefore establish arrangements to:

  • Monitor Thrust/Pillar/Base processes for assuring the quality of educational delivery and the maintenance of academic standards and support Thrust/Pillar/Base in establishing effective processes
  • Work with Thrust/Pillar/Base to implement arrangements for the periodic review of educational programs, including external peer review, in line with university policy
  • Allocate resources and provide incentives to encourage faculty and students to maintain and improve educational quality
  • Promote and share good practice

Hubs/Colleges submit an Annual Report to the CTLQ on the quality assurance and improvement of educational programs under the Hub/College, based on an approved template.

(2) Thrust/Pillar/Base and the Heads

Academic Thrust/Pillar/Base, under the leadership of the Head, have the principal responsibility for the quality of the courses and programs under their management, in particular: the design and delivery of courses, programs and complementary out-of-class educational experiences; the evaluation and progression of students; and academic advice and mentoring.

The Head of Thrust/Pillar/Base therefore has key roles and responsibilities in maintaining Academic Standards in the Assessment of Students, and for implementing Quality Assurance and Enhancement mechanisms for the review and oversight of educational programs under their Thrust/Pillar/Base.

The Head of Thrust/Pillar/Base is responsible for ensuring that course instructors are highly qualified both academically and professionally. Typically, the instructor for a course should be a faculty member of HKUST(GZ), including those with Joint and visiting appointments. Any changes to the course instructor must be justified and approved by the Head of Thrust/Pillar/Base.

Starting from the 2024-25 academic year, Thrusts/Pillars/Bases and other course offering units should nominate a Course Coordinator for each course offering at the beginning of each term. A Course Coordinator has the responsibility of coordinating the planning and review of the teaching and learning activities of the course, and ensuring the assessments are appropriate and consistent across all sections of the course in case where multiple instructors are assigned to teach the same course. In situations where the course delivery is shared by visiting faculty and guest lecturers, the Course Coordinator plays an important role of communicating and coordinating with these non-full-time teaching members of HKUST(GZ) to ensure the proper execution of the University’s academic policies, including assessment policies/practices.

Thrust/Pillar/Base should also ensure that good practice in teaching and learning is recognized and rewarded and pro-actively seek to disseminate good practice within the Thrust/Pillar/Base and beyond.

Thrust/Pillar/Base should ensure that there is adequate peer support for colleagues in their role as teachers, especially for new and inexperienced staff, and opportunities for professional development of faculty in their role as teachers.

In making recommendations for the recruitment, retention and promotion of faculty, Thrust/Pillar/Base is expected to take into account the University’s emphasis on the performance of faculty as teachers and their contribution to the educational mission of the University, and to take account of guidelines for the criteria and evidence to be used by the committees concerned with these decisions.

To ensure that the quality and academic standards of the Thrust’s/Pillar’s/Base’s educational provision are being maintained and improved, Thrust/Pillar/Base is expected to establish:

  • Committees and other forums for faculty responsible for courses, programs and other learning activities: (i) to review and monitor admissions and induction, the design of the curriculum and co-curriculum, the delivery of educational programs, the assessment of students, and student advising and mentoring (ii) to agree follow-up action and plans for improvement as necessary and (iii) to monitor the implementation of changes for improvement;
  • Arrangements for seeking feedback from students and other stakeholders and other evidence of success in achieving intended outcomes, and for taking this feedback into account in decisions;
  • Arrangements for benchmarking programs and students' achievements relative to international standards in line with Hub/College and University policy for external peer review.

Thrust/Pillar/Base should submit Annual Report to its Hub/College on undergraduate education and taught postgraduate programs, based on an approved template.

30 Aug 2024