Hong Kong students who wish to be admitted to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) course must take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) from next year.
The Steering Committee on the Review of Legal Education and Training in Hong Kong Thursday announced the IELTS grade would be one factor in deciding on admissions, although initially there would be no minimum grade set for admission.
This recommendation is in line with the recent decision of the University Grants Committee that the IELTS assessment will be available, on a voluntary basis, to all graduating students of UGC-funded institutions.
The Steering Committee was set up in 1999 after concern had been expressed about the quality of some newly qualified lawyers in Hong Kong.
"We are determined to ensure that future lawyers have a good standard in English, but we wish to avoid a proliferation of English testing. The adoption of the IELTS assessment will achieve both goals," said an official from the Steering Committee.
(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2002)
