Bridging Courses offer officers lifelong
learning opportunities
Police College, in collaboration with the Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK), incorporated the two modules, "Psychology in Policing" and "Social Studies in Policing", into the foundation training for Recruit Police Constables (RPCs) and Probationary Inspectors (PIs) in January 2006 and November 2008 respectively.
This collaborative arrangement allows RPCs and PIs to be granted credit exemption upon completion of their foundation training for further part-time studies with OUHK for higher qualifications, e.g. Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours (B.Soc.Sc (Hons) in Law Enforcement and Security Management (LESM).
To enable officers who joined RPC foundation training before January 2006 or PI foundation training before November 2008 to obtain the same credit exemption as the existing recruits do, OUHK has offered two bridging courses, one for Junior Police Officers (JPOs) and the other for inspectorate officers and above.
Upon completion of the JPO bridging course, officers will be awarded a Certificate in LESM, which carry 30 credits. On the other hand, those who have completed the bridging course for inspectorate officers and above will be granted 80 credits in total for them to pursue the OUHK's B.Soc.Sc (Hons) in LESM, provided they have two years of working experience after passing the Standard II Inspectorate Professional Examinations.
Police Constable (PC) Leung Fuk-kin from Police College has joined the JPO bridging course. He said he is interested in the bridging course because all officers who completed RPC foundation training before January 2006 are eligible to enrol in the course, and the course would help them acquire knowledge useful for their daily jobs.
PC Leung added: "From the bridging course, I have learned how to improve my inter-personal skills, which help me a lot in improving my performance in day-to-day jobs. Working as a trainer in Police College, I realize it is important for me to have good relationships with trainees for attaining good training results. By applying the knowledge and skills acquired from the bridging course, I can build up good relationships and communication with trainees, which enable me to collect useful information and feedback from them for improving training programmes.
"The qualification awarded upon completion of the bridging course would help officers develop their careers and even start a second career after retirement. Therefore, I would like to recommend the bridging course to fellow officers."
A lecturer of the OUHK School of Arts and Social Sciences, Mr Chan Wing-lun, pointed out: "Officers who have graduated from the bridging course will be granted credit exemption for them to pursue the OUHK's B.Soc.Sc (Hons) in LESM. This arrangement can help them save time and money in pursuing further studies and promote a lifelong learning culture among officers."
Mr Chan added: "OUHK's bridging courses are tailor-made for police officers. The theories and concepts taught in the courses are illustrated with police scenarios. Through discussion of relevant cases and social issues, students are able to apply what they have learned from the courses to their daily jobs."
The OUHK is now accepting enrolment applications for the bridging courses for Junior Police Officers and inspectorate officers and above. Both courses will commence in October. Those interested may contact the university's Admissions Office on 2768-6601, or Mr Chan on 2768-6848 or wwlchan@ouhk.edu.hk for details.
PC
Leung
Fuk-kin (right) tells Mr Chan Wing-lun of OUHK that the bridging
course facilitates career development