CWIE, just another fashionable terminology or a new conceptual direction? The World Associaion for Cooperative Education (WACE) adopted the byline advancing cooperative and work-integrated education. Yet, no explanation is provided. A definition of Work-integrated Education (WIE) appear on at least three webpages of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), namely the Faculty of Business, the Institute of Textiles and Clothing, and Hong Kong Community College: “work-based learning experiences which take place in an organisational context relevant to a student’s future profession, or the development of generic skills that will be valuable in that profession”.
Apparently the current choice of education (WIE) in the WACE byline, which is a deviation from the former notion learning (WIL), is because education is considered a the more complete, fuller term (learning and teaching combined). WACE is apparently also shifting away from using the original term cooperative education.
PolyU is said to be well recognized for providing professional education to meet the needs of society, because of its emphasis on practical training and connecting theoretical learning with workplace applications. PolyU students who have satisfactorily completed the compulsory work-integrated education (WIE) requirements of qualifications are provided with a Transcript (WIET) upon graduation—an official transcript displaying the details of completed WIE activities (including name of company/organization, location, duration and position etc.). The WIE Transcript, being endorsed by PolyU, can add value in the job-searching process of graduates.
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