Continuing education in a lifelong learning society: the Hong Kong model

Abstract

This paper examines the role and position of continuing education in the lifelong learning society of Hong Kong. The first section describes the basic components of Hong Kong's lifelong learning system, which is composed of two interconnected sub‐systems—namely, conventional education and continuing education—integrated under a common qualifications framework. The second section illustrates the contribution of the Federation for Continuing Education in Tertiary Institutions, an organisational alliance formed among key continuing education providers to assure quality in the sector; enhance communication among government, industries and the professional bodies; map strategies for developing human capital; and widen access to higher education by providing high‐quality continuing education programs. In the final section, the HKU SPACE case study highlights ‘sharing of quality education resources with overseas collaborators’, ‘achieving self‐financing status through economies of scale’, and the ‘provision of flexible, multiple‐level, well articulated and quality education services’ as key features of the Hong Kong model of continuing education.