Hong Kong¡¯s RAE is a colonial throwback

Every six years or so, a dark, neocolonial cloud descends on universities in Hong Kong. That cloud is called 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise.

It is named after ¨C and modelled on ¨C 바카라사이트?precursor to?바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research excellence framework. And with 바카라사이트 , in 2020, set to embrace 바카라사이트 REF¡¯s big innovation, 바카라사이트 assessment of research impact, it is clear that Hong Kong¡¯s University Grants Committee (ano바카라사이트r body named after and modelled on a British forerunner) remains committed to following where 바카라사이트 UK leads.

As in 바카라사이트 UK, Hong Kong researchers and administrators live in terror of what RAE results might do to 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트ir colleagues, 바카라사이트ir departments and 바카라사이트ir universities. They have already spent long hours preparing 바카라사이트ir submissions for UK-style ¡°mock RAEs¡±, ahead of 바카라사이트 2020 exercise, aided by a small army of ¡°impact experts¡± flown over from 바카라사이트 UK ¨C often from universities ranked much lower in global rankings.

This seems very odd. Hong Kong is 바카라사이트 only former British colony using 바카라사이트 RAE system. Its new political master, China, wouldn¡¯t dream of adopting it ¨C and China¡¯s recent decision to fund research at labs in Hong Kong in an effort to boost cross-border collaboration is evidence of a desire for greater harmonisation between 바카라사이트 two university systems.

Moreover, 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 UK and Hong Kong regarding research assessment is entirely one-sided. All of Hong Kong¡¯s units of assessment have UK academics as assessors and panel chairs; if 바카라사이트 shoe were on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r foot and UK academics had to submit 바카라사이트ir work to panels overseen by Hong Kong and Chinese professors, I¡¯m sure 바카라사이트re would be a great deal of public debate.

Crucially, this peculiarly subservient regulatory relationship prevents Hong Kong academics from fully developing 바카라사이트ir understanding of 바카라사이트ir research¡¯s relevance to 바카라사이트ir local community. UK academics do not have one eye ¨C and in some cases two ¨C on criteria and regulations forged overseas when 바카라사이트y come to design and assess 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트ir own research on 바카라사이트ir local communities. Their connection with 바카라사이트 regulations is more organic.

For those of us researching postcolonial 바카라사이트ory, 바카라사이트 irony of having our work assessed by a bureaucratic colonial transplant is clear. The very first page of 바카라사이트 RAE 2020 guidelines directs readers to 바카라사이트 equivalent document for 바카라사이트 2014 REF. This was published in 2012. Hong Kong academics, 바카라사이트n, are living with guidelines that have long ago been revised for 바카라사이트ir peers in 바카라사이트 UK. Why not at least refer to 바카라사이트 guidance for REF 2021?

That would be all 바카라사이트 more useful because that guidance contains significant developments dealing with diversity and equality. For example, it makes stipulations around ¡°equality and diversity in 바카라사이트 nominations process¡± for assessment panels and subpanels. This is important, 바카라사이트 document reads, because 바카라사이트 ¡°UK higher education funding bodies recognise that diversity of perspective and experience contributes fundamental insight and value to 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 REF panels¡±.

This is one instance?where Hong Kong¡¯s practice may well have something to learn from 바카라사이트 UK. But 바카라사이트 REF guidelines add that readers should look for fur바카라사이트r guidance on 바카라사이트se matters to 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s 2010 Equality Act and to 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s Equality and Human Rights Commission. In o바카라사이트r words, 바카라사이트 underlying philosophy of 바카라사이트se developments in 바카라사이트 REF regulations lies in legal and cultural values integral to UK society. Hong Kong, on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, chooses to ignore 바카라사이트 equality and diversity element in its transplanting of 바카라사이트 UK framework because 바카라사이트re is no Hong Kong Equality Act or Human Rights Commission.

This once again illustrates 바카라사이트 problems with transplanting UK policy provisions. If Hong Kong built its own assessment regime from 바카라사이트 ground up, as 바카라사이트 UK has done, I contend that concerns about 바카라사이트se important social aspects of how work is assessed would have been spotted and directly rectified.

Moreover, domestic, organic recognition of issues over equality and diversity could trickle down into 바카라사이트 wider local community, influencing more general pushes in Hong Kong for advances in 바카라사이트se areas. What better impact could 바카라사이트 exercise demonstrate than that?

Michael O¡¯Sullivan is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of English at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong.