Collaborative Courses

As an alternative to examinations as a point of entry to membership, the Institute has developed collaborative courses with several local universities, successful completion of which leads to full exemption from the Institute’s Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme (CGQP) for graduates.

When you join a collaborative programme, you should register as a student of ours; this is the first step to becoming a student of our Institute. As our student, when you complete the collaborative programme you can then go on to become the Institute's graduate. This means that when you gain enough relevant work experience, you can apply to become a full chartered member of the Institute.

For information about the programmes, content, timetable, delivery and university fees, please contact the course providers directly.

The International Qualifying Scheme syllabuses and reading lists are available HERE for reference only. 

Registration policies for Collaborative Course Agreement (CCA) programme students

1. Studentship registration
Click HERE to learn more about the studentship registration for CCA programme students.

If you re-register as our institute's student, you must maintain your studentship with a minimum period of 1.5 years from the date of your re-registration to apply for full exemption application and become a graduate of the Institute.

Re-registration

Click HERE to learn more about the studenship re-registeration.

2. Policy on late application charges for late studentship registration during the course of study
CCA programme students who do not register with the Institute as students within the designated period (i.e. 3 months after they have enrolled into the programmes) are subject to a late application charge of HK$450 per month if they want to register with the Institute during their course of study. The calculation is on a monthly basis from the 4th month after they commence the programmes until the date they register with the Institute. The Institute reserves the right not to admit any late applicant.

Late studentship registration fee

Click HERE to learn more about the administrative fee.

3. Maintenance of studentship

1. CCA programme students MUST maintain their studentship with the Institute during their course of study (for a minimum period of 1.5 years) for their applications for full exemption in order to become a graduate of the Institute.
2. CCA programme students who re-register with the Institute as students during the course of study MUST maintain their studentship with the Institute for a minimum of 1.5 years for their applications for full exemption in order to become a graduate of the Institute from the date of re-registration.
3. CCA programme graduates should apply for full exemption within a period of 6 months after graduation, i.e. the date of award of their master's degree.

4. Application deadline of full exemption
CCA programme graduates are obliged to apply for full exemption from the Institute’s examinations within a period of 6 months of their graduation, i.e. the date of award of the transcript of their master's degree. The Institute reserves the right to decline full exemption applications if CCA programme graduates fail to meet the studentship maintenance requirement and relevant CCA policies. Late full exemption applications (beyond 24 months of graduation) will NOT be accepted.

An additional administrative charge of HK$650 will be charged to ALL  late applicants.

CCA programme graduates who miss the full exemption application deadline stipulated by the Institute are subject to a late application charge as follows:

1. If the full exemption application is made between 7 and 12 months of graduation, two times the exemptions fee shall be charged.
2. If the full exemption application is made between 13 and 18 months of graduation, three times the exemptions fees shall be charged.
3. If the full exemption application is made between 19 and 24 months of graduation, four times the exemptions fees shall be charged.  

5. Credit transfer
Subject to provisions in the CCA programmes signed with the universities, exemptions (credit transfers) may be awarded to candidates who satisfy HKICS/The Chartered Governance Institute's requirements in the Professional Programme Part One. No exemptions will be eligible for the Professional Programme Part Two. All candidate exemptions (credit transfers) should be communicated to the Institute for the record. All students must complete the Declaration form to indicate the status of their credit transfer applications.

Credit transfers are allowed for OUHK MCG students if they have taken common courses with MCG from other OUHK master's programmes. Students from other OUHK programmes (e.g. the MBA) should inform the Institute on starting the MCG programme and should register with the Institute as students within a period of 3 months. Students must also declare the subjects taken at the OUHK in their Declaration form.

CCA programme students who apply for credit transfers on common subjects from other programmes from  the same university to the CCA programme should apply no later than 24 months from their graduation date from the programme and their declaration for the start date for the CCA programme. 

6. Exemption Policy
CCA programme graduates who are not eligible for full exemption can only be granted exemptions from Part One of the IQS Professional Programme under the following circumstances:

1. CCA programme graduates whose study period is longer than the normal programme duration;
2. The credit transfer by the university is not agreed by the Institute;
3. The date on which the credit transfer is offered by the university exceeds the time frame agreed by the Institute.

1. Apply for HKICS studentship maintain studentship with the Institute until graduation of CCA course and submission of full exemption application
   Application for studentship
2. Complete a CCA course within the period indicated above and apply for full exemption upon graduation of CCA course
   Application for Full Exemption (EE012 - CCA Exemptions Application Form)
3. HKICS confirm graduate status and graduate certificate will be awarded upon settlement of studentship subscription fee
4. An HKICS graduate may apply for membership (Associate / Fellow)

CCA programme graduates whose study period is shorter than the normal programme duration and who have  not yet fulfilled the 1.5-year studentship requirement for applications for full exemption should make their exemption application within six months after the fulfillment of the 1.5-year studentship requirement. Students who have fulfilled the 1.5-year studentship requirement should apply for full exemption within a period of six months after graduation.

Note:

1. All OUHK MCG students must declare their study modes (i.e. face-to-face full time; face-to-face part time or distance learning) to the Institute after they have enrolled in the programme.
2. Whenever an OUHK MCG student changes to their study mode during the course of study, he/she must inform HKICS and get confirmation from HKICS on changes in the required study timeframe, if any. Failure to report changes to the study mode may affect the full exemption application (this is at the sole discretion of HKICS).
   
   

CCA programme graduates who are not eligible to apply for full exemption under the following situations may be granted exemptions for the four subjects in Part One of the IQS Professional Programme:

1. CCA programme graduates whose study period is longer than normal programme duration
   For students who cannot complete the programme within the given time frame, a written explanation must be submitted to the Institute. Their application for full exemption will be subject to the Education Committee's approval.
2. The credit transfer by the university not agreed by the Institute
   The time limits for CCA programme students who apply for credit transfers on common subjects from other master's programmes (e.g. MBA) from the same university to MCG should be made no more than 24 months from their graduation date from their master's programme (e.g. MBA) or declaration of the start date of the CCA programme.
3. The date of credit transfer offered by the university exceeds the time frame agreed by the Institute
   The time limits for CCA programme students who apply for credit transfers on common subjects from other master's programmes from the same university to the CCA programme should not be more than 24 months from their graduation date from that specific master's programme or declaration of the start date of the CCA programme.
4. CCA programme students MUST complete all required courses prior to applying for full exemption before graduation.  The Institute will not grant full exemption if students complete required course(s) after their graduation from the CCA programme.