The Technological and Higher Education Institute, part of the Vocational Training Council in Hong Kong, is one of four institutions expressing interest in becoming a university of applied sciences (UAS). The move comes after the government introduced plans for such institutions, with Hong Kong Metropolitan University recently obtaining UAS status. Donald Tong Chi-keung, the council's executive director, revealed that the institute, established in 2012, is seeking program area accreditation (PAA) in three key areas: sports and recreation, architecture and environment, and computer science and information technology.
Tong emphasized that the institute had been working towards this goal independently of government initiatives, targeting 2026 as the earliest application date. The institute currently hosts over 2,200 full-time students and offers more than 20 professional applied science degree programs. The concept of UAS institutions was introduced by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu as part of efforts to enhance the perception of vocational education.
In addition to the UAS plans, the council is set to launch a professional diploma program in dental hygiene care, aiming to address workforce shortages. The 18-month course, costing HK$140,000, will commence in the first quarter of the following year. Eric Liu Sai-Lok, the council's deputy executive director, highlighted the importance of ancillary dental workers amid a shortage of professionals in the field.
Furthermore, the council has initiated a pilot program allowing non-local students to enroll in designated higher diploma programs in industries facing labor shortages. Graduates from these programs can remain in Hong Kong to seek employment, potentially leading to permanent residency after seven years. Alaina Shum Jiu-fai, the council's deputy executive director, noted that the scheme covers industries such as aviation, transport and logistics, innovation and technology, electrical and mechanical services, and building and civil engineering.
