I. Introduction

1. This report presents the key findings and recommendations of the UGC Review Panel following its visit to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) on 13 and 14 April 1999. This visit was preceded by preliminary information collection and analysis undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers consultants involving the review of key documentation related to PolyU's management processes and 23 interviews with academic and administrative staff throughout the institution. The latter were undertaken over a two-day period in January 1999. The results of this background research were presented to the Review Panel (hereafter "the Panel") in a briefing paper in advance of the Panel visit.
   
   
2. The Panel visit consisted of a number of group and individual interviews and discussions with members of the senior management of PolyU, including the Council. A list of the people met during the visit is provided in Annex A; the members of the Panel are listed in Annex B.
   
   
3. The overall framework for the Management Reviews is described in detail in Annex C. This indicates that, in undertaking this and other management reviews, the Management Review Steering Group (MRSG) recognises the diversity in the existing management structures and processes of individual institutions stemming from their different missions, histories and cultures. For this reason, it considers that it would be wrong for any review to seek to impose a uniform management style across different institutions. The MRSG therefore distinguishes between the principles of good management (as it perceives them) and the form in which these principles are (or perhaps, are not) put in place. A number of generic principles of good management were identified in consultation with the Consultative Group of institutional representatives and distributed to PolyU in advance of the visit. These are listed in Annex D.
   
   
4. Following a general introduction to PolyU, this report is structured under the following six headings (consistent with the grouping of the good management principles):
   · strategic planning;
   · resource allocation;
   · implementation of plans;
   · roles, responsibilities and training;
   · service delivery;
   · management information and systems. Brief reference is also made to any issues raised with the Panel regarding the interface between PolyU and the UGC.
   
   HKPU - general background information
   
   
5. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, formerly known as the Hong Kong Polytechnic, was founded by the government to provide application-oriented education to meet the need for professional manpower training in Hong Kong. It originally comprised eight departments, focusing mainly on engineering, commerce and management, mathematics and science, nautical studies and textiles. In November 1994, the institution was upgraded to a fully self-accrediting university, offering undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses as well as sub-degree courses in six faculties: Applied Science & Textiles, Business & Information Systems, Communication, Construction & Land Use, Engineering and Health & Social Studies. Currently, PolyU has 29 Departments and Centres grouped under these six faculties.
   
   
6. In 1997-98, PolyU had a total of 13,879 fte students (19,449 headcount). Of these, some 7,952 fte were undergraduates, 4,678 fte were sub-degree students, 928 fte were taught postgraduate and 321 fte were research post-graduate students. Today, PolyU is the largest university in Hong Kong in terms of student population. It offers more than 120 courses in a wide array of academic disciplines, at levels ranging from higher diploma and bachelors degrees through to masters and doctoral degrees.
   
   
7. The University's mission is "Academic Excellence in a Professional Context" through:
   · Programmes that are application oriented and produce graduates who can apply theories in practice
   · Research of an applied nature, related closely to industrial, commercial and community needs
   · Intellectual and comprehensive development of students within a caring environment
   · Dedicated partnerships with business, industry and the professions
   · Enablement of mature learners to pursue life-long learning. Its vision is to become a 'preferred institution', offering 'preferred programmes' and producing 'preferred graduates', for Hong Kong, China and the Region.
   
   
8. PolyU is now fully established as a university. The transition has taken some time, reflecting the need to achieve a substantial change in culture from a supply centred to a client-centred focus, and from bureaucracy to devolved responsibility. The institution is also perceived to have started the transition from a position where its management processes were less than satisfactory. However, the Panel observed that PolyU is presently well-managed, and has a clear sense of identity, mission and vision. For the most part, members of staff are positive and committed to the overall mission and the various initiatives introduced by the President and his senior management team, in spite of the scale and pace of the changes they have experienced.
   
   
9. The Panel was struck by the extent of the improvements which have been achieved since the 1993 Institutional Review. Many of the changes provide useful examples of good practice The President has clearly been instrumental in guiding PolyU through the transition period, and is ably assisted by members of his senior management team. Looking to the future, the Panel encourages the President to maintain the momentum for change achieved to date, in order to position PolyU even more strongly both within Hong Kong and further afield.