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The use of Qualifications Framework (QF) credits at higher education level has been reviewed for the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

UK NARIC undertook this review on behalf of the Education Bureau and QF Secretariat of Hong Kong, from March 2017 to 2018, to enhance the transparency of learning programmes recognised under the framework.

The Education Bureau has now announced that an implementation plan for indicating QF credits for HE qualification has been adopted for learning programmes at QF levels 5 to 7 on the Qualifications Register (QR) from 2020 onwards. 

UK NARIC proposed a method for translating between the QF credit system and the existing university credit systems, so that the credits for Bachelor and Master's level programmes can be expressed in QF credits on the QF Register. UK NARIC also proposed amendments to the existing Operational Guidelines for the Use of Credit, to take into account the use of credit at HE level. 

Non-self-accrediting bodies will need to indicate QF credit for their HE courses by September 2020 (for newly registered programmes) and September 2022 for all learning programmes.  Self-accrediting bodies will be encouraged to indicate QF credits for the programmes but this will be voluntary. However, from September 2020, if these bodies do not indicate QF credits, an indicative range will be noted, informed by the findings of the project.  

UK NARIC project officers Katherine Latta and Jon Walden travelled to Hong Kong twice during the course of the project, for meetings with the eight University Grants Committee-funded universities.

The team initially collected and analysed information about the universities’ existing credit systems and their procedures for credit accumulation, transfer and recognition. 

The Operational Guidelines have also been updated and are published at: https://www.hkqf.gov.hk/en/KeyFeatures/credit/index.html