Established in 1966, the CUHK Graduate School is the first of its kind in Hong Kong to provide a variety of taught and research postgraduate options leading to master’s and doctoral degrees.

Terms of Reference

I. Introduction

The Graduate School coordinates as a central administrative unit for all postgraduate programmes leading to higher degrees and postgraduate diplomas and certificates.  The governance structure as well as specific functions of the Graduate School are set out below and in Annexes 1-3.

II. Governance Structure

All postgraduate programmes are under the jurisdiction of a particular Graduate Division within a Faculty.  The Head of each Graduate Division reports both to the Dean of the Graduate School and the Department Chairman or – as the case may be - the Faculty Dean concerned for operations of his/her Graduate Division’s postgraduate programmes. 

The Graduate School provides administrative support to the Graduate Council and its Executive Committee.  The Graduate Council is a University body with the power and duty to (a) advise the Senate on all graduate programmes; (b) co-ordinate the activities of the Graduate Divisions; and (c) consider and deal with the recommendations of the various Graduate Divisions regarding course contents and the details of syllabuses. 

As the academic and executive head of the Graduate School the Dean of the Graduate School is the chairman of the Graduate Council, the Executive Committee of the Graduate Council as well as its sub-committees. The Dean of the Graduate School reports to the Provost.

III. Functions

  1. Initiation, planning and implementation of various regulations, policies, rules and guidelines relating to postgraduate studies;
  2. Provision of secretarial services to the Graduate Council, the Executive Committee of the Graduate Council and its sub-committees (Graduate School Admissions Committee, Bursary Sub-Committee, Graduate School Disciplinary Committee and other committees as required by the University);
  3. Overall quality assurance regarding postgraduate programmes and reporting to the Quality Assurance Council;
  4. Programme-specific quality assurance and reporting to Divisions/Faculties.
  5. Liaison and coordination with the UGC on postgraduate matters and the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS);
  6. Coordinates the admissions (e.g., promotion and coordination of the admission exercise) for all research and taught postgraduate programmes;
  7. Approval and re-approval of postgraduate programmes;
  8. Organisation and management of research skills and teaching skills courses for postgraduate students via the Centre for Learning Enhancement and Research (CLEAR);
  9. Liaison and coordination of joint RPg courses with sister institutions (e.g., via the Postgraduate Administrators’ Circle);
  10. Organisation of the annual Graduate School Information Exchange Forum and other postgraduate student events (including the Graduate School Seminars);
  11. All registry functions relating to research and taught postgraduate programmes/students.

Annex 1: Governance Structure for Postgraduate Studies

Annex 2: Organisational Structure of Graduate Council and its Committees

Annex 3: University Organisation Chart