在全球經濟一體化下，持續教育提供了一個提升及保持個人競爭力的出路，在過去十年，很多香港人透過持續教育提升學歷，甚至取得大學學位或以上資格。香港經濟轉向知識型，為配合此結構性的經濟轉型，政府於2001年提出要在10年內將適齡的大專教育參與率提升到60%，預期增長部分主要來自在2000年引入香港的副學士學位課程。各院校已承諾所開辦的副學士學位課程需符合一個通用指標，而政府亦帶頭承認了畢業生就業的資歷，至於私人機構對這新制度則有待逐步接納。
Continuing education provides an avenue to increase and maintain competitiveness of individuals within the context of economic globalization. During the past decade, many people in Hong Kong have substantially raised their education attainment, including at degree level and beyond, through continuing education. The Government proposed to increase the participation rate of post-secondary education of the relevant age group to 60% within the next ten years in response to the structural change of the economy to a knowledge-based one. It is expected the increase will be from the Associate Degree sector, which has been introduced in Hong Kong in 2000. A common set of descriptors for the Associate Degree has been agreed upon and the Government has taken the lead in recognizing its value for employment purposes, while recognition by the private sector it is estimated to be a gradual process.
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