The Community College of City University (CCCU) is taking off, embarking on a new stage of development with a sharper focus on sub-degree education supported by a high-calibre teaching force.

Following Council’s approval in September 2007 of a proposal to redeploy CCCU staff on superannuated terms of employment to the School of Continuing and Professional Education (SCOPE) and a realignment of activities for both CCCU and SCOPE, the former will focus on sub-degree education, including running the Yi Jin programmes, while the latter will focus on top-up degree programmes and adult education.

The vast majority of CCCU’s current workforce of more than 250 employees is staying with the College. Apart from staff on superannuated terms of employment, there are many quality teachers on CCCU contracts or are industry professionals who have a long-term commitment to teaching the courses. Sixty-eight teaching staff and 16 non-teaching staff on superannuated terms of employment have opted to transfer to SCOPE on 1 July 2008, while around 70% of CCCU’s current teaching force will remain.

“The realignment of the foci of CCCU and SCOPE will benefit the University in the long run, as both units can invest their resources in more targeted areas of work,” said Professor Richard Ho Yan-ki, Acting President. “The opportunity also allows the College to employ new talent to start new programmes and bring in new blood to further improve the quality of existing programmes.”

The teaching staff who have opted to transfer to SCOPE will continue to work on the top-up degree programmes that will be transferred to SCOPE in July 2008. CCCU will recruit about 50 new academic staff to fill the posts vacated.

“This is an opportunity for CCCU to bring in expertise from the market,” said Ms Jennifer Ng Glok-hong, CCCU Principal. “There are plenty of experienced people out there who can introduce new thoughts and ideas to our curriculum, enabling our courses to keep abreast of market needs.”

“In addition to the people from the industry, we have plans to recruit professorial level staff. Their rich experience and qualifications will certainly enhance the quality of teaching at CCCU and contribute to cultivating an intellectual ambiance that is beneficial to our students,” Ms Ng said.

In addition to a strong team of teaching staff, Ms Ng said CCCU has in place a stringent quality assurance system to ensure its programmes are of the highest standard. The same quality assurance system, identical to the one applied to courses offered by CityU, will continue to be applied to future programmes.

CCCU’s programmes have recently been reviewed by the Joint Quality Review Committee. The fact the committee chose CCCU for its pilot review exercise was encouraging and indicated a culture of quality assurance was alive and well in the College at all levels, Ms Ng said.

“Furthermore, the Management Committee on the Transition of CCCU Staff to SCOPE, established by the Council to monitor the transition, will ensure the transfer of programmes between CCCU and SCOPE is smooth and that the transition would not affect the quality of programmes,”said Professor Ho, who is Chairman of the Committee.

He added that the Committee has made proposals for CCCU to uphold and improve the quality of programmes after the transition, for example, it was suggested CCCU could invite prominent people from different industries to form advisory panels to maintain and improve the quality of programmes.

Ms Ng also added that between now and July 2008, arrangements would be made for close consultation with the staff who are transferring to SCOPE, to ensure the transition is smooth.

“With a stable force of quality teaching staff, a stringent quality assurance system, effective transitional arrangements and strategies to uphold quality, we believe students will continue to enjoy and benefit from a quality education at CCCU,” said Professor Ho.