General Studies Degree program director, Dan Bopp, spent five days in Hong Kong recently, where he toured the facilities of the Hong Kong Institute of Continuing Education (HKICE). The Indiana University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) and HKICE have been working together since 2003 to bring IU general studies degrees to students in Hong Kong.
HKICE students complete SCS distance education course work at an on-site location. “I was impressed by the facilities and the support students receive through HKICE,” said Bopp. “Administrators provide close monitoring of student academic progress, with a clearly demonstrated conscientiousness for course preparation and concern for student academic and personal well being.”
Students are required to maintain an attendance rate of 80 percent or better, and are also required to complete 10 hours of volunteer service and 10 hours of extracurricular activity during each school year.
“The students I spoke with have a high regard for the IU degree, and feel both honored and challenged as IU students,” said Bopp. “The language barrier provides the greatest challenge to students, but they are committed to success and feel supported by the HKICE personnel.”
The School of Continuing Studies has a long history of serving students in foreign countries, and is active in its pursuit of agreements with organizations dedicated to helping international students complete a U.S. degree at a distance.
Bopp left Hong Kong with an enriched sense of enthusiasm and energy for the efforts being made by the School of Continuing Studies — not only in Hong Kong — but also various other locations around the world.
For more information about SCS courses and programs available to students at a distance, call 800.334.1011, send an email to scs@indiana.edu, or visit the Web at scs.indiana.edu.
