Qualifications Framework (QF)
The Qualifications Framework (QF) was officially launched in 2008. It aims to help Hong Kong people set clear goals and directions for continuous learning to obtain quality-assured qualifications. In the long run, it will help enhance the overall quality and competitiveness of the local workforce.
The QF in Hong Kong is a seven-level hierarchy of qualifications covering the academic, vocational and continuing education sectors. Each level has a generic level descriptor which is outcome-based and featuring common aspects of that particular qualification. The QF is a comprehensive and voluntary network of learning pathways enabling individuals to pursue their goals according to their own roadmaps.
FSTE Member Institutions were supportive in the establishment and review of the QF and in the setting up of the Qualifications Registry (QR). In 2005, the Education Bureau invited FSTE to make recommendations on the position of “below AD” qualifications on QR, as well as the relative ranking of those qualifications in the hierarchy of titles. To this end, a consultancy report was produced.
