Chapter 14
Advanced Education Hong Kong is full of opportunities to learn new skills for business or leisure. Whether you want to pick up a new language or learn something new for fun on the weekends, there are different types of institutions offering interesting and useful classes, as well as opportunities for further academic study as a university or post-graduate student.
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Many expatriates living in Hong Kong take the opportunity to attend the wide range of extramural university and language classes available here. Just as you can find nearly any product that’s made on the planet here, the same applies to learning opportunities. Do you want to learn how to cook the local cuisine? How about learning more about the local culture or new computer skills? Want to learn the brush strokes of Chinese calligraphy? It’s all here, along with chances to take universitylevel classes to earn that degree or diploma you’ve always wanted. Since English is a lingua franca in Hong Kong, you can easily communicate without learning Cantonese or Mandarin. Also, there are extramural and university courses taught in English. However, many find it rewarding to learn at least some Cantonese. Foreign language instruction here goes far beyond Chinese though. You’ll find course offerings for other Asian languages and for several European languages as well.
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Special Interest Courses Many groups and some businesses offer a variety of short special interest classes, as well as longer courses using English as the medium of instruction.
General Courses The YWCA’s Centre of Learning & Life Enhancement offers a wide range of short courses, talks, events and outings that are available to all, including expatriates, their family members and domestic helpers. Courses include the arts, local culture and language, parenting, cooking, Chinese watercolors, gymnastics, international cuisines, swimming and courses for domestic helpers. These are courses are geared towards enhancing life through continuous learning and empowering people with education. You can apply for an Annual Pass that allows you to enroll online. http://clle.ywca.org.hk
Cooking Classes TownGas, a provider of energy for households, offers introductory and practical cooking classes in English, with
instruction in local and Western dishes alike. They also bring in guest chefs to demonstrate their own specialties. www.towngascooking.com
In addition to Cantonese and Mandarin, you can also study Japanese, Korean, Thai, German, Italian, French or Spanish.
Hong Kong Electric also provides English cooking courses for Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Vietnamese and French cuisines. www.hkelectric.com
Cantonese (Guangdonghua), a dialect of southern China and one of Hong Kong’s official spoken languages, is the dominant form of local Chinese spoken here. It is a tonal language, with up to nine tones, and it can be quite difficult to learn for many Westerners.
Cantonese
Arts At the Hong Kong Art School, you can get instruction in art appreciation, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography and film, all offered as short courses. The Hong Kong Art School also offers Diploma, Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. www.hkas.edu.hk
Languages There are more than 50 dialects spoken in China, but the traditional written characters are the same for all. The characters are pronounced differently in every dialect. Cantonese and Mandarin are the two main dialects spoken in Hong Kong. Many expatriates are eager to learn the local languages while living in Hong Kong. You can find language study programs at private language institutes and at some of the local universities. Private tutors are also available to help you learn a language, typically providing lessons at your office or home.
A single word can have many meanings, depending on the tone and the written character. Because the tones are hard to master, you may find yourself saying something entirely wrong. There are stories of a man inviting a guest to sit down, but actually saying “get out.” The word “gai,” depending on the tone, can mean chicken, street or prostitute and some other things as well. The tones used in the language make puns a regular feature of Chinese humor, and many foreigners add to the humor by their unintended mispronunciation of words.
Mandarin Mandarin (Putonghua) is China’s national dialect and one of Hong Kong’s official spoken languages. It is also a tonal language, but since there are only four tones, many Westerners find it a bit easier to learn than Cantonese. Knowing Putonghua will prove convenient if you do much traveling and business in the Mainland.
Language Schools and Centers There are many schools and centers that offer Chinese language studies and you can set your own pace studying part-time, weekends or evenings. Those wishing to move faster can enroll in a full-time course. Some even offer online tuition assistance.
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Berlitz The Berlitz organization offers Cantonese and Mandarin courses from home study to full private tuition. They are located on Gloucester Road, Wan Chai. www.berlitz.com.hk
Chinese Language Centre The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Yale-China Chinese Language Centre offers Certificate, Diploma, and Advanced Diploma Programs in Chinese as a foreign/ second language. www.cuhk.edu.hk
Chinese Language Professional The Chinese Language Professional’s head office is located on Des Voeux Road, Central and their training center is located in Queen’s Road, Central. They offer instruction in Cantonese, Mandarin and Shanghainese. www.clprof.com
Hong Kong Language Learning Centre Hong Kong Language Learning Centre (Cantonese, Mandarin) is located on Johnston Road, Wan Chai. www.hkllc.com
New Concept Mandarin New Concept Mandarin (Mandarin) is located in Connaught Road, Central. www.newconceptmandarin.com
Where You Can Study Foreign Languages There are many language centers with foreign language classes particularly suited for expatriates. Some will also provide tutoring to individuals at their home or workplace. Foreign Language centers include:
Alliance Française (French) With locations in Wan Chai, Sha Tin and Kowloon. www.alliancefrancaise.org.hk
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Berlitz Hong Kong SAR (Asian & European languages) Located on Gloucester Road, Wan Chai. www.berlitz.com.hk
Goethe Institut (German) Located on Harbour Road, Wan Chai. www.goethe.de/hongkong
Hong Kong Institute of Languages (European & Asian languages) The Hong Kong Institute of Languages offers classes seven days a week in many languages including French, German, Mandarin and Cantonese. They are located on Wellington Street in Central and at One Island South in Wong Chuk Hang. www.hklanguages.com
Universities Hong Kong has eight publicly funded universities: • City University of Hong Kong (CityU) • Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) • Lingnan University(LU) • The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) • The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The (HKUST) • The University of Hong Kong (HKU) Eleven self-financing institutions also award degrees: • Caritas Institute of Higher Education • Centennial College • Chu Hai College of Higher Education • Gratia Christian College • Hang Seng Management College • HKCT Institute of Higher Education • Hong Kong Nang Yan College of Higher Education • Hong Kong Shue Yan University • Tung Wah College • Technological and Higher Education Institute
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Study Opportunities In Hong Kong there are four main categories of tertiary institutions: universities funded by the University Grants Committee, self-funded or private institutions, public institutions, and institutions that award certificates up to the sub-degree level. Additionally, international universities have set up campuses in Hong Kong, including Henley Business School, Middlesex University, Monash University, Richard Ivey School of Business (The University of Western Ontario), RMT University, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, The University of New South Wales and Upper Iowa University. In the field of executive education, Hong Kong is a major international player. The city is truly an Asian hub for education as it attracts not only Mainland Chinese but also international students from around the world. The Hong Kong Government has implemented a flexible visa policy encouraging non-local graduates (professionals) to stay and work in the city (they can stay for one year and look for work). Additionally, there are now many Mainland Chinese students who see Hong Kong as a good alternative to studying abroad, and this in turn is also drawing more foreign institutions to set up a campus in the territory. There are some post-secondary study opportunities in Hong Kong for expatriates. If you are interested in Asian and Chinese studies, for example, you can enroll as an external student at the University of Hong Kong or at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Business and MBA Programs Hong Kong has some of the world’s top business education programs, and top executives fly in from all over the world to study. MBA/EMBA programs are offered by:
The Chinese University of Hong Kong The Chinese University of Hong Kong offers a two-year part-time EMBA program. www.emba.cuhk.edu.hk
The University of Hong Kong HKU offers a full-time 14-month MBA program, in partnership with London Business School and Columbia Business School. Classes of the part-time MBA program take place either on weekdays or weekends and afford students a high degree of flexibility. www.mba.hku.hk
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA program, a partnership between HKUST and
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University of Chicago Booth School of Business The Chicago Booth Executive MBA program has its own campus on Hong Kong Island. Students attend class at a state-of-the-art facility which provides the same superior quality classroom, study, function, and administrative space as all other Chicago Booth locations. www.chicagobooth.edu
schemes for designated education courses. For more information, go www.gov.hk
Continuing Education There are extramural courses at several universities in Hong Kong, and they do not require any university prerequisites. Course offerings include history, culture, art, language, philosophy and many more.
Lifelong Learning
Continuing Education courses are offered by: Learning centers affiliated with Chinese University of Hong Kong’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (CUSCS) are located throughout Hong Kong, including Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and TaiKoo Shing. www.scs. cuhk.edu.hk
The GovHK website has details on academic and vocational courses for adults, with information and links to local and non-local higher and educational courses, as well as financial assistance
City University’s School of Continuing and Professional Education (SCOPE) is located on Tat Chee Avenue in Kowloon Tong. www.cityu.edu.hk
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Hong Kong Baptist University’s School of Continuing Education (SCE) has learning centers in Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Tong and Sha Tin. www.sce.hkbu.edu.hk Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s College of Continuing and Professional Education (CPCE) is in Hung Hom, Kowloon. www.polyu.edu.hk Hong Kong University’s School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE) is located at the main campus on Pok Fu Lam Road in the west side of Hong Kong Island, with learning centers in Admiralty, Causeway Bay and North Point. http://hkuspace.hku.hk In addition to continuing education available locally, there are many distancelearning programs with the option of online courses. Also available are part-time MBA programs and executive education offered by local business organizations affiliated with overseas schools.
SCAD The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) opened a campus in Hong Kong a few years ago, situated in the former North Kowloon Magistracy Building (a UNESCOdesignated site) at 292 Tai Po Road, Kowloon. SCAD has restored and revitalized buildings for use on their campuses in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, USA and in Lacoste, France. For its Hong Kong campus, SCAD was entrusted with the North Kowloon Magistracy Building to restore and rehabilitate. Recognized as a leader in historic conservation education and practice, SCAD turned the historic site into an educational facility with a library and art
gallery, computer labs and digital studios, classrooms and lecture halls. SCAD Hong Kong offers US Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. Their course offerings include: advertising, animation, fashion, fashion marketing and management, graphic design, illustration, interactive design and game development, interior design, luxury and fashion management, motion media design, painting, photography, sequential art and visual effects. www.scad.edu/hong-kong
The Continuing Education Fund The Continuing Education Fund subsidizes course fees for adults who pursue continuing education and other training courses. Those eligible to receive the subsidy must be Hong Kong residents who have the right of abode or the right to land or remain in Hong Kong without restriction. The letter “A” (right abode), “R” (right to land) or “U” (remain in Hong Kong without restriction) will appear on the Hong Kong Smart ID card just below the date of birth. Eligible applicants will be reimbursed 80% of their course fees on successful completion of a reimbursable course, up to a maximum of HK$ 10,000. Reimbursements can be given for more than one course, subject to the maximum of HK$ 10,000 in total for all courses completed. Reimbursable courses are approved by the Secretary for Labor and Welfare. Information on reimbursable courses, eligible applicants and registered course providers can be obtained from the website of the office of the Continuing Education Fund. www.wfsfaa.gov.hk
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