Academic Promotion of Higher Education Teaching Personnel: Hong Kong Gerard Postiglione & Roger Y Chao Jr. 27 November 2014 Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel Hangzhou, China

Agenda Context/Background National/System Policy Objectives Significant Issues Structure & Criteria for Academic Promotions Evaluation/Recruitment Procedures Conclusion

Context/Background Governance Increasing Access & Provision “Big Market Small Government” & (efficiency, quality, and accountability) Top Down Management Style with High Institutional Autonomy High Regard for Academic Freedom UGC (RAE, TLQPR & RGC) Increasing Access & Provision 2 to 19 Degree awarding HEIs (HKU (1911)/ CUHK (1963)) 1-2% in the 1970s to 18% (60%) in UGC in mid-2000s Regional Education Hub Advanced by UGC in 2002

Context/Background Shift in Academic & Faculty Structures From British to an American Model From 3 to 4 year UG programs From Lecturer/Sr. Lecturer/Reader/Prof to AP/Associate Prof/Prof Research productivity, OBTL, Student Based Teaching Evaluations & Service Faculty & Working Conditions Intl Mix (Earned PhD abroad, Worked abroad & non-HK ethnic origin) Merit based/ Delinking of academic salary (2003) Competitive Salary / Benefits / No Barriers to hiring FX academics Institutional Autonomy UGC Funded HEIs – statutory autonomous corp. with their own ordinances Selection, promotion, substantiation & remuneration HKU, HKUST & CityU – annual performance review (40-40-20)

HK’s Degree Awarding HEIs

Student Enrollment (UGC)

HK Academics & Their PhD

Academic & non-Academic Staff

National/Institutional Policy Objectives UGC Objectives Source: http://www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/ugc/policy/policy.htm See Hong Kong’s higher education sector serving as the “higher education hub in the region” driving forward the economic and social development of Hong Kong, in the context of our special relationship with Mainland China and the region. Takes a strategic approach to Hong Kong’s higher education system, by developing an interlocking system where the whole higher education sector is viewed with one force, with each institution fulfilling a unique role, based on its strengths Works with institutions to ensure that each provides quality teaching in all areas relevant to its role Aims to promote “international competitiveness” where it occurs in institutions, understanding that all will contribute to this endeavour and that some institutions will have more internationally competitive centers than others; and Values a role driven yet deeply collaborative system of higher education where its institution has its own role and purpose, while at the same time being committed to extensive collaboration with other institutions in order that the system can sustain a greater variety of offerings at a high level of quality and with improving efficiency

National/Institutional Policy Objectives Internationalization of HE Sr. Chinese Diaspora, geographic location of doctorate studies, ethnic diversity Increasing trend of HK PhD graduates International benchmarking (performance based assessments &evaluations) Shifting Academic Structure Focus on liberal arts and General Education Establishing World Class Universities Focus on research, internationalization and teaching efficiency International mix of students and faculty

Significant Issues Status & Working Conditions Transparent on Individual Rights & Freedom (roles & responsibilities) Employment, promotions & remuneration procedures & criteria Grievance Mechanisms Male Dominated (esp. at sr. levels) CAP 2007: 67.3% men and 32.7% women Women faculty increasing (24.6% (1993), 28.6% (1999) and 32.7% (2007) Men 4X likely to be full professors (RIHE 2008) Need for gender – related working conditions Note: HKEOC (No discrimination vs sex, disability, family status (1997/8) & race (2007)

Significant Issues Managerial Considerations High Degree of Professionalism & Transparency Faculty are satisfied with Physical Resources (e.g. classrooms, lab, libraries, and research equipment) Public funding challenges & focus on managerialism & efficiency Decreased satisfaction level (RIHE 2008)

Structure & Criteria for Academic Promotion

Evaluation & Recruitment Procedures

Conclusion Challenges Shaped HK higher education policy directives Maintaining economic competitiveness Political integration with Mainland China Meeting social demand for higher education Shaped HK higher education policy directives Governance structures, increasing access & provision, internationalization, and shifting academic structure and faculty ranks towards a more American Model Institutional Autonomy within a top down hierarchy International benchmarking Convergence of HEI academic promotion and substantiation practices Accountable, performance-based and transparent system does not discriminate against sex, disability, family status, and race

Conclusion HK Academic Promotion Practices Presents clear and transparent criteria Uses various assessment tools Encourages broader participation Ensures fair decisions (3 tier review committees) Incorporates grievance mechanisms Relevant Issues Low level (but increasing) women faculty Lack of gender, disability, family status and race specific policies Recent trends deteriorating technical research support hiring faculty who acquired their doctorates in Hong Kong sudden increase of faculty and promotion to senior academic posts

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