Preparing for University Transfer: Identifying and Meeting the Learning Needs of Sub-degree Students

Only about one-third of Hong Kong local secondary school graduates who take the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) are admitted to the eight reputable universities funded by University Grants Committee (UGC) (HKEAA, 2020; UGC, 2020). The remaining two-third, whose desire for university education is influenced by the traditional values and social expectation, are likely to enroll in a sub-degree programme, or to retake the HKDSE. Although there are various options for sub-degree graduates, a local qualitative study found that they consider themselves to be ‘losers’ (Wong, 2019); thus, they study hard as this is a second chance for them to get into the undergraduate study (Ching et al., 2021). However, their learning needs and experiences in sub-degree institutions have not been well-studied, especially in the Asian context. One of the purposes of this study is to fill this research gap. Students taking sub-degree programme usually perceive the sub-degree study to be a steppingstone to undergraduate education (Wong & Wong, 2021). They strive for outstanding academic results to facilitate their articulation to the senior year of a university to finish a major specific bachelor's degree. This session will explore the unique challenges encountered by this group of students in a digital era on academic study, social connection, and psychological wellbeing. The preliminary results from 625 completed responses imply that students’ responses are varied towards their learning needs and experience of a two-year college study life. I will illustrate the answers through the data and comments collected from the questionnaires. Based on those data to summarize the insights or implications on how students can identify their needs for better preparation for university transfer. The preliminary results will also provide recommendations on the enhancement of institutional support for students’ better learning experience, well-being, and preparedness for articulation. In addition, it will be able to discover their major study interest and develop their competitiveness for their future career adaptability in a two-year community college setting.