Hong Kong Ordinances

ACCREDITATION OF ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS ORDINANCE - SECT 7

Qualifications Register

(1) Subject to the procedure referred to in subsection (2), the QR Authority
may—

   (a)  on payment of the fees determined under subsection (9)(a), enter a
        qualification coming within any of the descriptions specified in
        Schedule 3 into the Qualifications Register and specify the validity
        period of such an entry;

   (b)  on payment of the fees determined under subsection (9)(b) and on or
        before the date of the expiry of the validity period of an entry of a
        qualification in the Qualifications Register, extend the validity
        period for such period as the QR Authority thinks fit if the
        qualification has not ceased to be a qualification coming within any
        of the descriptions specified in Schedule 3;

   (c)  abridge a validity period specified under paragraph (a) if the
        relevant qualification ceases to be a qualification coming within any
        of the descriptions specified in Schedule 3 as in force at the time of
        the entry of the qualification into the Qualifications Register;

   (d)  abridge a validity period extended under paragraph (b) if the relevant
        qualification ceases to be a qualification coming within any of the
        descriptions specified in Schedule 3 as in force at the time of the
        most recent extension of the validity period; and

   (e)  remove an entry of a qualification from the Qualifications Register if
        the qualification has been entered into the Qualifications Register—

        (i)    by mistake; or

        (ii)   in reliance on any misleading or false statement,
               representation or information, either oral or in writing.

(2) The QR Authority shall determine the procedure for—

   (a)  the entry into or removal from the Qualifications Register of a
        qualification; and

   (b)  specifying, extending or abridging the validity period of an entry.

(3) An entry of a qualification in the Qualifications Register shall contain
the following information—

   (a)  the name of the qualification;

   (b)  the name of the relevant granting body;

   (c)  the description of the relevant learning programme, and the name of
        the relevant operator (if different from the granting body), if
        applicable;

   (d)  the relevant level of the Qualifications Framework under which the
        qualification is recognized;

   (e)  the registration number assigned by the QR Authority for the entry;

   (f)  the validity period of the entry;

   (g)  such other particulars as the QR Authority thinks fit.

(4) The QR Authority may—

   (a)  correct any error in the Qualifications Register, including any
        omission from the Qualifications Register; and

   (b)  make such amendments to the Qualifications Register as it considers
        necessary to record a change in the information contained in the
        Qualifications Register.

(5) The Qualifications Register shall be made available to the public for
inspection free of charge at such place and in such form and at such
reasonable times as the QR Authority may specify.

(6) The purpose of making the Qualifications Register available to the public
is to enable any member of the public—

   (a)  to ascertain what qualifications are recognized under the
        Qualifications Framework; and

   (b)  to ascertain the particulars of such qualifications.

(7) The QR Authority shall not be liable to refund any fee or any part of any
fee on the abridgement of a validity period under subsection

(1)(c) or (d) or the removal of an entry of a qualification from the
Qualifications Register under subsection (1)(e)(ii).

(8) The QR Authority shall, after making a decision to—

   (a)  enter or refuse to enter a qualification into the Qualifications
        Register under subsection (1)(a);

   (b)  specify a period as the validity period of an entry of a qualification
        in the Qualifications Register under subsection (1)(a);

   (c)  extend or refuse to extend the validity period of an entry of a
        qualification in the Qualifications Register under subsection (1)(b);

   (d)  abridge the validity period of an entry of a qualification in the
        Qualifications Register under subsection (1)(c) or (d); or

   (e)  remove an entry of a qualification from the Qualifications Register
        under subsection (1)(e), give notice in writing of the decision to the
        relevant operator, assessment agency or granting body and shall state
        in the notice the reason for the decision.

(9) The QR Authority may, subject to the prior approval of the Secretary,
determine fees to be charged for—

   (a)  the entry of a qualification into the Qualifications Register and the
        specification of a validity period of the entry; and

   (b)  the extension of the validity period of an entry of a qualification in
        the Qualifications Register, and charge such fees.