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Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) has obtained the consent of the University Grants Committee to elevate its status to that of a university - a dream its teachers and students have harbored for years. Given that the remaining steps in the approval process are mainly procedural, there is little doubt that HKIEd is going to be rebranded as a university soon - probably later this year or early next year. The success of HKIEd's renaming application is testament to the hard work of its staff. It recognizes the contributions of HKIEd in teaching, research and services to society. HKIEd's efforts have finally paid off.

In Hong Kong, a university title carries a lot of weight. A higher educational institute may boast superb performances, but if the school does not carry the university title it will still be considered second-tier. There are many reasons for this phenomenon. One is Chinese culture, which attaches great importance to names.

The government firmly controls use of the term "university". During the colonial era many mainland universities moved to Hong Kong after 1949, but they could generally not use the term "college". In the case of HKIEd, it was formed as a result of the merger of five teachers' colleges. At the beginning, the teaching and research capabilities probably were not up to the same standard as those of the universities. However, after years of effort, the HKIEd is now an institution with genuine university capabilities. It therefore deserves to be renamed as a university. The question, however, is where HKIEd will go after this. What roles will HKIEd play in the dynamic sector of higher education? And how will the government position higher education in Hong Kong? These questions require serious thought.

HKIEd used to be a training school for teachers. Its previous application for renaming was turned down. This was because it was a single-discipline institution offering only relatively few subjects. The government also made it clear that HKIEd needed to have self-accreditation status in three areas before it could be renamed as a university. Since then, HKIEd has other disciplines and has strengthened its research capabilities. After the successful renaming there will be even more development at HKIEd. It has been attracting a lot of attention from many different people.

A university cannot only pay attention to one particular discipline, because each university has a large pool of talent. Scholars from different disciplines excel in their respective fields, so it is a natural for universities to develop in different areas. After changing its name, HKIEd will have a natural tendency to grow and expand in disciplines other than education. Judging from the experiences of normal universities on the mainland and in Taiwan, the most likely direction of a normal university is to become a comprehensive university. Nowadays, some universities even have a business or engineering school. Many people wonder whether HKIEd will develop along a similar path.

The renaming is the first hurdle or challenge for HKIEd. The name itself will have implications for its future development. For HKIEd, the simplest approach is to change the word "Institute" to "University" - it is logical to rename itself the "Hong Kong University of Education". However, having the word "Education" in its name may limit its future development. Judging from the mainland and Taiwan experience, the term "Normal University" will provide greater room for development. Nevertheless the renaming will involve many people, including teachers, students and alumni. They will have their own ideas of the future development of HKIEd. Many of these may be emotional rather than rational. Eventually, the teachers and students of HKIEd will make a decision.

The renaming of HKIEd will inspire other institutions which aim to become universities - setting a good example for them to follow. But universities should have their own mission. Educational institutes are not there to become universities for the sake of it. When facing a long list of schools wishing to upgrade to university status, will the government simply follow the established rules in handling their applications? Or will it use strategic thinking in the future development of higher education? Given the highly competitive environment in Hong Kong, the future development of higher education cannot be taken lightly.

(HK Edition 09/17/2015 page9)