The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has forced online teaching and learning to be the primary instruction format in higher education globally. One of the worrying concerns about online learning is whether this method is effective, specifically when compared to face-to-face classes. This descriptive quantitative study investigates how students in higher education institutions in Hong Kong evaluated their online learning experiences during the pandemic, including the factors influencing their digital learning experiences. By analysing the survey responses from 1,227 university students in Hong Kong, this study found that most of the respondents felt dissatisfied with their online learning experiences and effectiveness. Meanwhile, this study confirms that respondents’ household income level and information technology literacy affected their online learning effectiveness. Moreover, this study highlights the significant contributions of the community of inquiry, which places social presence on the promotion of a whole person development that could not be achieved when relying mainly on online learning. Findings encourage university leaders and instructors to search for multiple course delivery modes to nurture students to become caring leaders with the 21st century skills and knowledge set.

Writing has been recognized as a core competency for postgraduate students. However, improving writing performance, particularly for first-year postgraduate students, remains an important and challenging task. This study aimed to explore the effects of student engagement in peer feedback on writing performance from cognitive, affective and behavioral perspectives. Specifically, the participants were 88 postgraduate students. With the support of an online writing and peer review system (Peerceptiv), participants were asked to write an essay, engage in the peer feedback process, and revise their essays. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were utilized to analyze data on the quality of participants’ essays, peer feedback procedures, and interviews. Results showed that cognitive engagement, affective engagement, and behavioral engagement were significantly associated with postgraduate students’ writing performance. The analysis indicated that the helpfulness of provided comments was the strongest predictor of writing performance, followed by suggestion, integration, and positive affective engagement. These findings highlight the significance of student engagement in peer feedback to improve writing performance in higher education. Recommendations for future research on quality improvement in writing performance are suggested based on the findings.

Eight University Grant Committee (UGC)-funded public universities in Hong Kong positively and successfully responded to the global call for sustainability efforts in higher education institutions (HEIs). Various initiatives are transpiring within these eight campuses. The Hong Kong Sustainable Campus Consortium (HKSCC) was co-established by eight UGC-funded universities, which is an excellent example of integrating resources and efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and exert positive social impacts. Through interviews with HKSCC administrators and members and reviewing relevant documents, this study aims to examine the roles and challenges of HKSCC toward Hong Kong HEIs’ sustainability efforts, and present the good practices and achievements of HKSCC. Findings of this study reveal that although HKSCC and each UGC-funded university contribute in reaching the sustainability goals, they should pay considerable attention to the external impact of sustainability practices on communities and society. Moreover, we propose that the sustainable development of public universities in Hong Kong should look beyond the narrowed definition of sustainable development and broaden their roles to exert a social impact by addressing the negative consequences of the massification, privatization, and internationalization of higher education.

Graduate employment and unemployment or underemployment are becoming increasingly important issues confronting not only global higher education research but also social and political debates in contemporary societies. In addition to the rapid social and economic changes resulting from the exponential technologies, the outbreak of the COVID-19pandemic has further intensified unemployment resulted from the serious global economic downturn. As the leading article for the present Special Issue examining the complex issues of graduate employment before the COVID-19 crisis,this article reviews some key issues related to youth transition from education to work, specifically addressing graduate employment issues confronting the societies in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other East Asian societies. To prepare students to be adaptive to rapid social and economic changes generated from the unprecedented global COVID-19 crisis, higher education institutions must search for a more flexible approach to prepare them to manage uncertain futures. More research should be conducted to better understand not only graduate employment but also broader issues concerning university governance in the post-COVID-19 era.

Higher education professional development trends increasingly focus on areas of quality improvement, quality assurance and optimal technology delivery models to achieve academic excellence. World-class universities rely on their faculty professional development centres for an array of professional development programmes to support teaching, research and student learning. This article examines faculty development centres at eight world-class universities in Australia, China, the United Kingdom and the United States: Australian National University, London School of Economics and Political Science, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Hong Kong, University of Melbourne, University of Oxford, University of Pennsylvania and University of Pittsburgh. Findings from this study include the structural characteristics of each centre as well as a summary of best practices in terms of programme development and resource management. We provide suggestions and recommendations to assist higher education administrators interested in establishing or strengthening professional development programmes at their own institutions.