Calendar 2005–06

Research Institutes and Centres 101 The Centre for the Advancement of Information Technology in Education was established in April 2005 under the auspices of the Hong Kong Institute of Education Research. In close cooperation with the Faculty of Education, the centre facilitates the study and advancement of the theory and practice of information technology in education, disseminates research findings to the educational community, and promotes the effective use of IT in education in Hong Kong, the Greater China Region, and the profession worldwide. The establishment of the centre will keep the University in good stead as a major hub for professional development and research in education for stakeholders. The objectives of the centre are to: • foster the integration of IT in schools of Hong Kong, the Chinese community and further afield through the professional development of teachers and educators; • promote collaboration among the Faculty of Education of the University and local and international organizations and institutions to form a knowledge- generating circle, with particular focus on professional development in IT in education. • establish and promote IT literacy in schools in Hong Kong and the Chinese community-at-large; and • develop multimedia and web-based learning environments for students at primary and secondary levels of schooling. The work of the centre focuses on four main areas, namely, offering professional development courses, engaging in research and development projects, forging local and international collaboration, and staging academic conferences and seminars. Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment Tel.: 2603 7209 Fax.: 2603 5336 E-mail: hkpisa@cuhk.edu.hk Website: http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~hkpisa The Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment was established under the auspices of the Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research (HKIER) in April 2003. Through close collaboration with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the centre aims to facilitate the creation of a new global assessment and monitoring system in Hong Kong, and to establish a comprehensive database which informs stakeholders of the readiness of young people to participate in further study, work, and community affairs. The database will be constructed through timely and longitudinal collection of data, and multilevel analyses of test scores that indicate the state of knowledge and skill acquisition among adolescents approaching the end of compulsory schooling. The objectives of the centre are to: • include Hong Kong in the network of international student assessment projects; • promote collaboration among OECD, HKIER and the HKSAR government on assessment policy;