Referencing and borrowing from other systems: the Hong Kong education reforms

Abstract

Background: This paper analyses the role of, and approach to, policy referencing and borrowing in Hong Kong's recent reforms that culminated in the creation of its New Academic Structure and the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education. Main argument: It argues that Hong Kong has gone further than most jurisdictions not just in responding to global influences on education reform, but in taking explicit steps to internationally benchmark its curriculum and assessment, and in involving the global community at multiple levels in the process of education policy planning and implementation. Sources of evidence and method: The paper is based on the documentary analysis of policy documents in Hong Kong, and 23 interviews with key stakeholders in the policy network, including policy-makers, practitioners and community leaders. Discussion and conclusions: While policy referencing and borrowing in the Hong Kong context can, in part, be traced to a colonial legacy, the Special Administrative Region of China demonstrates a collaborative approach to education reform involving local and international engagement that may be relevant to other systems. Its approach was informed by a measured use of policy referencing that involved 'horizon scanning' of other systems' policies and practices; international benchmarking; and engaging international expertise to facilitate implementation.

Inspirations from abroad: the impact of PISA on countries’ choice of reference societies in education

“…The analysis shows that it seems that what happens in the referenced country/region is ultimately of little importance for the referencing country, as Steiner-Khamsi (2012) and Waldow (2012) have already argued. Frequently, the referenced policy has already been reformed in its original context or never existed, as is the case for German references to Swedish education policies (Ringarp and Rothland 2010) or English references to Hong Kong (Forestier and Crossley 2015;Forestier et al 2016;Adamson et al 2017). It also happens that the policies of the referenced countries/regions are hidden when they are not of relevance or even contradict the argument used, as with the policy aspects of Singapore's education used in USA education policy (Rook and Espeña 2018), for example.…”

“…These countries are now used as reference societies (e.g. Takayama 2009;Sahlberg 2011;Tucker 2011;Sellar and Lingard 2013;Waldow, Takayama, and Sung 2014;Forestier et al 2016;Adamson et al 2017). In promoting changes in the education system or in fighting against them, they have become resourceful knowledge-based tools used in attempts to clarify the arguments and make them more persuasive for the audience.…”

Connecting research and knowledge on educational leadership in the West and Asia: adopting a cross-cultural comparative perspective

“…If the dangers of cultural borrowing (eg. Forestier et al 2016) are avoided, the appeal to governments is apparent. For example, the policy formulation stage can be shortened, so that governments and policy makers may focus more speedily on implementation.…”

Towards understanding of policy transfer and policy learning in adult education in the context of United Kingdom

“…Crossley, 2019) and policy referencing (e.g. Forestier et al, 2016). In this paper, we consider the notion of transferring or borrowing policy in a broad sense, embracing the concept of policy learning (Raffe, 2011a(Raffe, , 2011bRaffe and Spours, 2007) to take into account the influence of globalisation (Crossley, 2008) and the way the political and social trends across influence or translate into the UK national policies and practices on social inclusion, specifically in relation to vulnerable young adults.…”