REPORT ON SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
(SPACE)
7.
MAJOR OBSERVATIONS
As background, it may be noted that SPACE was established in 1956. It thus has a long history
and enjoys the first mover’s advantage in the realm of continuing education. Over the years, it
has recorded impressive growth in terms of both programmes and student enrolments. As of
early 2002, it had over 100,000 students enrolled, which is equivalent to more than 17,000
FTEs.
7.1
The senior management of SPACE was well prepared for the TLQPR visit. They had
assembled more than adequate documentation, supporting materials and publications. The
management team responded knowledgeably to questions raised by the Panel, and
demonstrated positive attitudes, commitment and support for the overall mission and various
activities of SPACE. The impression given is that of a hands-on management team who know
their business well.
7.2
SPACE became self-financing in 1996, and is now fully responsible for all costs including
rentals, salaries of staff, access costs to library facilities, etc. This self-financing mode allows it
to commit funds to areas that are deemed to be worth developing, and it is not constrained by
any external formula-driven method.
7.3
The School has direct linkage to the requirements of the market and will accordingly be
rewarded or punished according to the quality of its teaching and learning. Not surprisingly, it
is very conscious about quality assurance and improvement. This is evident from the fact that it
proactively started to develop a School-wide Quality Assurance System in 1998, and published
a handbook, “Quality Assurance in SPACE”, in May 2001. This handbook contains a very
detailed account of how SPACE undertakes the design and modification of curricula, teaching
and learning processes, the use of students’ assessment, and various measures in the
implementation and monitoring of quality education. SPACE is well advanced in meeting the
requirements for E