Project title

Evaluation of Construction Education in Hong Kong (QEF grant no. 8710181)
supported by Quality Enhancement Fund

Abstract:

Construction is one of the major sectors of life in Hong Kong. It influences the macro- and micro-environment, and, simultaneously, is affected by the environment of society. A graduate with sufficient knowledge has the potential to be a professional in the industry, and has the potential to push the whole sector forward. However, recently, the practical abilities of university graduates have come under criticism by the construction industry.

Education is vital for everyone who wants to become a professional in the construction industry. The construction industry needs practical on-site experience and techniques for its jobs, while the higher education emphasizes creative thinking and intellectual abilities. In order to reduce the current gap between the industry and academia, an appropriate construction study by universities in Hong Kong is needed. The proposed research would formally investigate the basic needs of the construction industry, and review the current syllabus of the construction courses that are provided by the three universities in Hong Kong.

The project would be divided into three stages: existing course analyses (stage I), a questionnaire survey (stage II) and a case study (stage III). The results would be analysed by both quantitative and qualitative methods for identification of the most important knowledge and skills of a construction graduate. The relative levels of importance of construction knowledge and the level of achievement of the skills would be determined to finally predict and improve overall construction university education.

Team Members:

Leung M.Y., Cheung S.O., Fung S.Y. (2002a) Quantity surveying education for a new generation, The Journal of Building Surveying, 3(1), 2-7.

Leung M.Y., Cheung S.O., Fung S.Y. (2002b) Strengths and weaknesses of quantity surveying graduates. The Journal of Building Surveying, 4(1), 31-41.