Purpose - This study aims to identify effective strategies and practices for higher education institutions (HEIs) to enhance their knowledge recipients’ knowledge absorptive capacity.Design/methodology/approach - Questionnaire surveys and interviews were conducted to examine the effectiveness of a knowledge transfer (KT) project and these were administered by HEIs in Hong Kong. Pre- and post-test questionnaire surveys with t-tests were used to evaluate changes in the knowledge absorptive capacity of 1,014 participants from 20 schools. Qualitative interviews were conducted to investigate school leaders’ perception of the effectiveness of the KT strategies.Findings - Results revealed significant differences between the pre- and post-tests in all the elements of absorptive capacity. The processes of knowledge acquisition, contextualisation, internalisation and externalisation in a closed-loop mechanism were identified as effective KT strategies. Conducting training programmes, workshops, consultations, work-based studies and presentation seminars were found to be effective KT practices to support the recipients in acquiring, contextualising, internalising and externalising knowledge.Practical implications - HEIs should provide consultative support to recipients by conducting work-based studies and presentations to enhance their knowledge absorptive capacities.Originality/value - This study contributes empirical evidence to validate the application of Liyanage et al.’s (2009) KT model to HEIs’ KT model for the purpose of designing KT activities and enhancing the absorption capacities of the recipients. This research contributes an empirical closed-loop KT model, effective KT strategies and practices for HEIs to support their knowledge recipients so that they can internalise the acquired knowledge. Copyright © 2020 Emerald Publishing Limited.

The current New Senior Secondary curriculum was implemented in Hong Kong in 2009. This educational reform promotes a paradigm shift in learning and teaching strategies, with the ultimate goal to prepare secondary school students for meeting the changing needs of the workplace and for lifelong learning. This paper reports empirical findings by investigating the impact of such a paradigm shift in education on student learning through comparing the perceptions of different stakeholders (i.e., school heads, teachers and students). The data were collected from a self-reported questionnaire, involving 91 secondary schools, 1,439 school heads, Key Learning Areas coordinators/panels heads, Secondary 6 teachers, and 4614 Secondary 6 students. Key findings are: (1) seven dimensions of student learning were identified (in terms of generic skills, personal growth and well-being, values and attitudes) and these are regarded as the important paradigm shift in the secondary education curriculum; (2) school heads were more optimistic than Key Learning Areas coordinators/panel heads and frontline teachers about the performance of Secondary 6 students; and (3) Secondary 6 students had a more positive outlook than their teachers regarding world views, pluralistic views, communication skills, critical thinking and creativity. Implications and recommendations are discussed.
[Copyright of Asia Pacific Journal of Education is the property of Routledge.]

發展內涵式高等教育,貫徹和落實大學章程建設,規範和完善高校內部治理結構是我國現階段一流大學和一流學科建設理論研究和實踐探索的重要課題。縱觀香港地區高等教育的發展雖然起步晚,但發展迅速;規模不大,但世界影響力大;沿襲西方大學治理傳統,同時保留東方文化底蘊。透過香港地區一流高校的大學章程文本,研究大學的內部治理結構,在理論上可以深化對大學章程的理論研究、深化對大學治理結構的認識、豐富高等教育學的理論體系;在實踐上可以指導、促進內地大學章程建設的完善及治理結構的優化。香港地區的一流高校沿襲了西方大學的治理傳統,大學章程從其誕生之日起就承擔著調整大學內外部關係、規範大學相關主體權力的使命。大學內部治理結構是以大學章程為基礎形成的大學治理機構與治理機制的總稱,治理機構是基礎,治理機制是核心。以扎根理論視角分析香港地區三所一流高校:香港大學、香港中文大學、香港科技大學的大學章程,分析提煉出香港地區一流高校治理權力類型包括:行政權力、學術權力和監督權力;治理機構包括校董會為代表的行政權力機構、教務委員會為代表的學術權力機構、以及評議會和顧問委員會為代表的監督權力機構。權力類型和權力機構交叉形成了香港地區一流高校內部治理的靜態結構,但要進一步明晰內部治理結構,還需要釐清權力的配置機制, 釐清治理的動態結構。結合“依賴——權力”、“資本——權力”理論分析大學章程文本得出香港地區高校治理機制:校董會領導的校長負責機制、委員會為基礎的權力轉授機制;教師為中心的學術自治機制;多方利益參與的民主監督機制。誠然香港地區一流高校內部治理存在著不足之處,與內地高校的治理環境也存在著較大差異,但高校自治的需求是一致的,追求中國特色世界一流的目標是一致的。香港地區多所高校能在較短時間內發展成為世界名校,與其科學、合理的內部治理結構存有著內在關聯。內地高校在進行雙一流建設時,亦有可借鑒之處:一是依托大學章程明確政、校關係;二是依托大學章程加強黨委領導、落實校長負責;三是依托大學章程實現學術自治;四是依托大學章程實現多元監督。

書院制度是近些年來我國內地高等教育的新生事物,是高校應對經濟、社會變化對高等教育人才培養模式變革積極探尋的產物。現代書院制度不是我國古代書院的簡單復現,也不是西方大學住宿學院制模式的直接照搬,而是依托本土特色,創造性地融合古代書院教育精髓與西方大學住宿學院制度特色,為適應現代社會對一流人才的需求所形成的新型書院教育管理制度。由於內地高校書院制度起步較晚、經驗尚淺,在發展的過程中問題頻出,因此對現代書院制度進行研究不僅具有重要的理論價值,而且具有較強的現實意義。香港中文大學書院制度在歷經半個多世紀發展後,目前已形成穩定的制度體系、運行模式與文化特色,其培養的人才深受行業和僱主的好評。面對香港中文大學書院制度的成功,我們不禁要追問,香港中文大學書院制度是如何產生和發展的?在經過半個多世紀的歷史演進之後,其發展現狀如何?有哪些獨特之處?對剛剛起步且問題頻出的內地書院制度有哪些可借鑒之處?本研究綜合運用文獻研究、歷史研究、比較研究和個案研究等多種研究方法,系統、深入探究香港中文大學書院制度的歷史演進與現實狀況,提煉香港中文大學書院制度的主要特點;然後結合我國內地高校書院制度存在的問題,為我國內地高校書院制度的優化提供可資借鑒的啟迪。本研究除緒論和結語外,主要分四個部分展開論述。第一部分是香港中文大學書院制度的歷史演進。該部分從歷史的維度對香港中文大學書院制度展開梳理,將香港中文大學書院制度的歷史演進分為“初步籌建期”、“書院改制期”、“緩慢發展期”、“快速發展期”四個時期,從歷史的向度追溯香港中文大學書院制度的流變,展現香港中文大學書院制度演進的獨特圖景,探尋香港中文大學書院制度演進邏輯和基本規律。第二部分是香港中文大學書院制度的現實狀況。該部分主要從書院育人理念、育人內容、育人方式和育人機制四個方面對香港中文大學書院制度的現實狀況進行解讀,勾勒香港中文大學書院制度的基本特徵,闡明香港中文大學書院制度的運作機制。第三部分是香港中文大學書院制度的主要特點。該部分通過對香港中文大學書院制度歷史演進與現實狀況的研究,總結和歸納香港中文大學書院制度的主要特點。香港中文大學書院制度主要特點包括中西合璧:匯古今通中西造就獨特模式;以生為本:以書院學生全面發展為書院旨歸;三位一體:教育、管理與服務相融相依;博文約禮:以文化內涵為書院價值凝練。第四部分是香港中文大學書院制度對內地高校書院制度的啟示。該部分首先分析我國內地高校書院制度建設現狀,然後結合我國內地高校書院制度存在的問題,提供有益啟示。對內地高校書院制度的啟示主要包括理清書院與學院的關係,造就書院持久活力;改善書院導師評價機制,塑造和諧師生關係;融教育、管理與服務三位一體;積澱書院文化特色,凝練書院文化內核。

Many critics tended to oppose the education reforms in the last two decades in Hong Kong for its neoliberalist and managerialist origins and aim to achieve performativity, accountability and global competitiveness (e.g., Chee, 2012; Choi, 2005; Ho & Tsang, 2008). However, Ko, Cheng and Lee (2016) argued that these reforms also contributed to school autonomy, teacher professionalism, transparent school governance, flexibility in curriculum and resources management and the development of a self-evaluation culture. This paper examines the paradoxical interactions of professionalism and neoliberalism on professionalising school leadership and governance from findings in the interviews with school leaders from the middle to school-sponsoring body level. Unlike the academic critics, different actors (senior teachers, principals, school managers) were less concerned about the anti-neoliberalist issues but stronger expectations on developing their professionalism in changing times like innovative pedagogy, learner diversity, organisational learning, and crisis management. Copyright © 2019 The Education University of Hong Kong.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to systematically analyze the neoliberal challenges and problems facing public schools in the particular Hong Kong context.Design/methodology/approach: Based on a systematic and critical analysis on the history and socio-political context of Hong Kong's school policies and practice as well as the official documents and statistics, this paper examines the impacts of neoliberalism in four main aspects of school education in Hong Kong: school governance, accountability, privatization and government expenditure.Findings: Convergence, as well as deviation, on neoliberal globalization occurs in the particular Hong Kong context. School bureaucracy has irresistibly expanded. Policymakers have placed increasing emphasis on instrumentally evaluating schools while decentralizing, diversifying and privatizing education. School leadership has become focused solely on succeeding within those imposed performance management and metrics, pulling ahead of school competitions and prioritizing easily quantifiable and measurable tasks. Teachers have faced a potential threat from the loss of autonomy through the market logic and consumerist metrics. The rise of privatized education has further intensified school practices based on competitiveness and performativity. On the other hand, resource cutbacks and financial constraints – problems that are generally inflicted by neoliberal discourse – have rarely occurred in Hong Kong.Research limitations/implications: This study is part of concerted efforts in research that adopts the comparative and critical perspectives emerging from different social contexts to consider and flesh out how neoliberalism look across the school systems, how it challenges the systems differently, and how it evokes various responses from within the systems (Apple, 2001). Taken all the efforts together, a finely nuanced understanding of the trails of neoliberalism can help collectively re-discover school education as a social good

Since 1989 the Hong Kong government has taken an active interest in environmental education. The Guidelines on Environmental Education in Schools was issued in 1992 and both government departments and non‐governmental environmental organisations made efforts to promote the implementation of this curriculum change. However, there has developed a gap between the rhetoric of the ‘Guidelines’ and actual practice. Environmental emphasis has been primarily subject based and institutional commitment to environmental education in schools has been unsatisfactory. There are needs for policy reforms, teacher education curriculum and environmental education curriculum reforms and improved curriculum strategies such as resource provision and in‐service education. Copyright © 1997 Carfax Publishing Ltd.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to highlight the urgent need for a genuinely effective and attainable citizenship education model in Hong Kong’s schools, which focusses on promoting student participation in school governance. It is an empirical citizenship education management model for school leaders that illustrates the predictive effects of personally responsible, participatory, justice-oriented and patriotic citizenship, necessarily supported by school management practices, school ethos and teacher beliefs.Design/methodology/approach - A total of 3,209 students from 51 secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in a quasi-experimental design questionnaire survey. A structural equation model (SEM) was applied to confirm the model.Findings - The results of the SEM show that the values and cultural practices held by a school’s teachers drive the implementation of its citizenship education. Moreover, it is well known that organizational values can exert a powerful influence and it is the same within educational structures: management practices in schools have an impact on ethos, teachers’ beliefs and student participation in school governance.Practical implications - The paper provides practical proposals for school leaders to create opportunities for student participation in school governance.Originality/value - This study builds on existing literature and provides school leaders with a practical model for implementing student participation in school governance. Copyright © 2019 Emerald Publishing Limited.

課本是教育系統中的重要環節，也是重要的教學內容、系統知識的組織、課程與教學間的連結。然而，香港對課本的探討仍然不足，課本的品質亦有待提升。本文嘗試評析教育局在香港課本編審機制中的作用。全文主要分為兩部分，首先會探討教育局在課本編審機制中的作用，然後提出加強教育局作用的建議。本文作者認為，教育局在課本編選機制中扮演非常重要的角色；然而，除維持現有角色外，教育局也應與其他相關的組織配合以及統籌與課本有關事宜，進行更多的課本研究，以及研究優化編審課本的機制。Textbooks, crucial in educational systems, consist of essential teaching materials and represent the organization of systematic knowledge and the bringing together of curriculum and teaching. Hong Kong, however, needs to carry out more research of textbook and to improve the quality of textbooks. This article discusses the roles of the Education Bureau in textbook editing and selection mechanism and suggests ways to enhance those roles. The authors confirm that the Education Bureau plays crucial roles in the textbook mechanism. We suggest, however, that in addition to its present roles, the Education Bureau should cooperate with other relevant organizations to coordinate textbook affairs, conduct more textbook research, and strive to improve the textbook mechanism. Copyright © 2010 國家教育研究院.