Introduction

General Education as a curriculum idea in university education has found its way into many tertiary institutions in Asia in recent years. Compared with other parts of the region, Hong Kong and Taiwan have witnessed a longer history of General Education development, each with programmes that are well established and remarkable in achievements. Yet, the contents of General Education remain highly diverse.

In 2012, a major curricular reform took place in all public-funded universities in Hong Kong as undergraduate education changed from 3 to 4 years. The reform means General Education is playing a more vital role in undergraduate education in the city. Three years into the change, we find it an opportune time for a joint review of the aims, development, and pedagogical implications of General Education.

The conference will explore a wide range of foundational issues of General Education in both regional and international contexts. It aims to provide a platform for educators and practitioners to exchange ideas on the nature, objectives and goals of general education, and to share experience in the implementation of different models, teaching practices and assessment methods in universities. It will address such questions as: What purposes do General Education serve? What are the considerations and justifications of different models of General Education? What are the roles of General Education teachers in a neoliberal university context? How can we assess learning outcomes such as the cultivation of values and virtues?