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This is a Macau Foundation funded research project. The aim of the study covers four aspects: 1. to understand the similarities and differences; 2. to investigate the feasibilities of collaboration; 3. to analyze the background conditions of collaboration; and 4. to recommend viable strategies for the collaborative development of continuing education among universities in the Greater China region (including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). From the four aims mentioned above, research questions such as the practice of continuing education, the attitudes and concepts of collaboration, the purposes and strategies of collaboration can be derived. The prime objective of the study is to evaluate the feasibilities of collaborative development of continuing education in the Greater China region. The research target includes a total of 30 interviewees who are practitioners of continuing education services, governmental administrative officers and scholars/experts. A qualitative approach is applied by means of documentary analysis, focus group discussion and interviews. Based on the literature review and analysis of related information, the outline of the focus group discussion and the interview questions were developed as research instruments of the study. Qualitative studies will be conducted to obtain findings on the following aspects:1.the function and current situations of continuing educations among universities in the Greater China region; 2.the differences of values in collaboration in the development of continuing education among universities in the Greater China region; 3.the feasible assessment of collaboration in the development of continuing education among universities in the Greater China region; 4.the influences of collaboration backgrounds and educational issues among universities; 5.the evaluation of the basis for collaboration among universities; 6.the foundations and prospects of collaboration among universities; 7.the feasible strategies for collaboration among universities; 8.the short-range, medium-range and long-range goals and their respective facilitations for collaboration among universities; 9.the potential problems behind the scenes of feasible strategies. Finally, based on the research findings and conclusion, recommendations are made to the government bodies, higher education institutions, adult education academics and future researchers.

Stream: Adult, Vocational, Tertiary and Professional Learning

Paper: , , , , Study on the Collaborative Development of Continuing Education among Universities in the Greater China Region, A,

Dr. Aliana Leong is the Director of School of Continuing Studies in Macau University of Science and Technology. She received her Bachelor’s, two Masters' and Doctoral degree in Tourism Business Management from Edith Cowan University, Australia, in Adult Education from the Ball State University, USA & in Hospitality Management from University of Birmingham, UK, and in Higher Education from Central Queensland University, Australia. During her studies in the US, she received the “Perfect GPA and Academic Excellence Award”. She was granted a scholarship by the Macau Foundation for her doctoral studies. She is also a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE). She is actively engaged in education and tourism research. She has published and presented over 30 papers in journals, books, international and regional conferences in Europe, East Asia, China, and America and has edited two books in adult education and lifelong learning in the past years. She is also the editor of the Journal of Macau Adult Education. Aliana enthusiastically tackles social responsibilities. She is the Vice Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the Macau Adult Education Association, Macau Coordinator for the East Asia Forum of Adult Education, Founding Member of Cross Strait Forum on Continuing Education.