Accreditation

Since 2012, all HKIB’s Professional Qualification Programmes (PQPs) have been accredited through Learning Programme Accreditation (LPA) exercises conducted by the statutory accrediting body, the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) which are pitched at QF Levels 4 to 6 under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF).   Through accreditation, we manifest the Institute’s enduring strength in delivering training programmes with a very high standard of quality.  In 2020, the HKIB stepped forward being appointed as a Professional Qualifications Assessment Agency (PQAA) by the Secretary for Education (SED) for HKIB’s nine Professional Qualifications which are recognised under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) and registered in the Qualifications Register (QR).  The appointment of PQAA by SED demonstrates HKIB’s capability of delivering outstanding standard of professional qualification assessment in the Banking industry in Hong Kong.

Accreditation of Assessment Agencies for Professional Qualifications (AAPQ)    

The Accreditation of Assessment Agencies for Professional Qualifications (AAPQ) is a scheme to take forward the alignment of professional qualifications under the HKQF.  Through successful accreditation and appointment as an assessment agency, selected professional qualifications of local awarding bodies would be recognised under the HKQF.  The accredited Professional Qualifications Assessment Agency (PQAA) appointed by the Secretary for Education (SED) is eligible to provide qualifications including professional qualifications, occupation-based qualifications, licence-related qualifications, and trade tests, etc.

The HKIB has been appointed to be Professional Qualifications Assessment Agency (PQAA) with effect from 1 August 2020.  In accordance with the Guidance Notes of AAPQ by the HKCAAVQ, the roles of an appointed PQAA are:

• To assess the knowledge, skills and experience acquired by individuals in relation to a profession or industry; and
• To issue the Professional Qualifications it has developed and operates in recognition of such assessed knowledge, skills and experience.  The qualifications selected for accreditation would be recognised under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) and registered in the QR.

The training, assessment and certification process for both LPA and AAPQ remain the same.  The major difference is that the recognition under the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework (HKQF) lies at the Programme Level or Professional Qualification Level.  For LPA, learners will be awarded a QF-recognised Certificate/Diploma upon completion of the training and passing the assessment.  For AAPQ, candidates will be awarded a QF-recognised Professional Qualification upon completion of the training and passing the assessment as well as fulfilling HKIB’s required working experience.

However, for the previously granted QF recognized certificate under LPA, it is still valid though QF recognized certificate under LPA will not be granted any more from 1 January 2022. 

The following table shows the Institute’s 17 Professional Qualifications which are recognised under the HKQF and registered in the Qualifications Register (QR).

For further details about the recognition of Professional Qualifications under the HKQF, please visit the website of the Qualifications Framework (QF);

For further details about the accreditation of AAPQ, please visit the website of HKCAAVQ.

Please click HERE to FAQ related to AAPQ for further details.