Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to offer direct tests of the effectiveness of renaming vocational education and training (VET) in enhancing the image and popularity of the subject. Although many proponents of renaming argue that the word “vocational” is associated with lower levels of skills and knowledge and should therefore be supplemented by better recognised words, empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of this strategy is scant. Design/methodology/approach: This study exploits a rare policy change in Hong Kong, where VET was renamed as vocational and professional education and training (VPET) and conducted an original survey experiment of 1,004 parents in the city to test if the new name would improve respondents' perceptions of the subject. Findings: The findings reveal a complex picture regarding the effects of renaming. Although renaming does not seem to improve the overall popularity of vocational education, it may widen the support base for vocational education by diluting its class character. Specifically, while attitudes toward VET are significantly and negatively correlated with family income, no such association is found in regard to VPET. Originality/value: This paper offers the first direct and comprehensive test of the effectiveness of renaming vocational education – a popular policy suggestion in many countries. Its findings complicate conventional expectations and contribute to the study of educational preferences in advanced economies. Copyright © 2022 Emerald Publishing Limited.

One proposed initiative of the Hong Kong Government is maintaining the city's competitiveness and strategies by cultivating the creativity of her people. Thus, understanding the economic outputs generated by people's creativity, and the structural and environmental conditions that allow people to remain creative is important. This paper examines the concept of creativity and the two main forms of creativity cultivation in schools. Based on interviews with teachers of a local secondary school excelled in drama education, the contributions of a whole-school approach, internal support and opportunities, and capital resources to creative education in school are explored. Finally, a stronger emphasis on creativity education in extra-curricular activities, and vocational education and training is proposed, especially for students of lower academic achievements and those from backgrounds of lower socioeconomic status.
[Copyright © 香港靑年協會].

Operating a quality assurance system in tertiary education is the rule rather than the exception, because of the belief that it will improve quality. However, proving this is not easy. This study examines three ways of providing the evidence: the a priori method, the stepwise backtracking method, and the external evaluation method. The quality assurance system of the Vocational Training Council of Hong Kong is used as a case-study, but the findings on the advantages and disadvantages of using these methods have relevance for testing the effectiveness of quality assurance systems for other education institutions.
[Copyright of Journal of Vocational Education and Training is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13636820902933247 ]