The Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) notes that the PMSA Specified Courses (Specified Courses) for the property management industry licensing regime (Licensing Regime) have been launched progressively since October last year. The first batch of the Specified Courses will be completed as from the second quarter of this year. Mr Tony TSE, the PMSA Chairperson, recently issued an appeal letter to the students, and urged those holding provisional Property Management Practitioner (PMP) licences to apply for formal PMP licences early upon course completion.
The Licensing Regime came into operation in August last year. It aims to encourage and assist the property management industry and its practitioners to strive for enhancement in quality and professionalism through formulating and implementing a licensing regime and other complementary measures which tie in with the situation in Hong Kong. To allow the industry sufficient time to adapt, there is a three-year transitional period under the Licensing Regime. PMPs with supervisory/ management responsibilities who do not meet the relevant criteria for academic and/ or professional qualifications but possess the specified property management (PM) work experience may apply for a provisional licence first and attend a Specified Course. Upon completion of the Specified Course within the validity of the provisional licence, they may apply for a formal PMP licence without fulfilling the academic and/or professional qualifications required.
The PMSA has appointed four educational institutes to provide the Specified Courses, including the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, Vocational Training Council; Li Ka Shing School of Professional and Continuing Education, The Open University of Hong Kong; School of Continuing and Professional Education, City University of Hong Kong; as well as School of Professional Education and Executive Development, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The Specified Courses provided by the four institutes have been included in the Reimbursable Course List under the Continuing Education Fund (CEF). Upon completion of the Specified Courses, graduates can apply for the CEF to subsidise the course fees. The class locations of these institutes cover Hong Kong Island, Kowloon as well as the New Territories in order to facilitate the students to attend classes.
The first and second batches of the Specified Courses offered by the four institutes include 17 open enrollment classes and 17 corporate classes (i.e. individual PMCs have engaged the institutes directly to provide Specified Courses for their employees), with total number of students exceeding 1,000. The first batch of the Specified Courses will soon be completed.
In his letter to the students, the Chairperson TSE stated, “I am pleased to learn that the first batch of the Specified Courses is about to complete smoothly. I hereby appeal to those students who have obtained provisional PMP licence to apply for the formal PMP licence as soon as possible after course completion. Let’s work together to promote the industry’s development for enhancement in quality and professionalism, and for the provision of quality PM services to the public.” Chairperson TSE also added, “As for other students, I wish you have gainfully learnt from the Specified Courses and would be able to make good use of your knowledge gained by active participation in the delivery of PM services.”
Chairperson TSE also expressed his appreciation to PMPs in the letter, “PMPs remain steadfast in duties and have made great contributions in the joint fight against the coronavirus disease during the outbreak of the pandemic. Apart from a large increase in workload, PMPs also have to face substantial health risks in their work. It is no easy task for the students to complete the Specified Courses during such a difficult time. I sincerely wish that all students could successfully graduate, support the Licensing Regime and actively participate in the industry’s continuing professional development activities so as to enhance the professionalism of the PM industry.”
Since the Licensing Regime came into operation in August last year, the response from the industry to the Licensing Regime has been positive. The PMSA has so far received over 3,700 licence application bookings and has issued over 2,300 licences for PMPs and property management companies.
Ends/Tuesday, 30 March 2021
Issued at HKT 17:00
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