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CPD Scheme - Guidelines (July 2006 Edition)
  1. Introduction


    2. 1.1 The Continuing Professional Development ("CPD") Scheme was launched on a voluntary basis in May 2005. Under the CPD Scheme, practitioners (including estate agents and salespersons) are encouraged to earn at least 10 CPD points every year in the spirit of life-long learning.

    1.2 The opportune time to progress to the mandatory phase will be determined in light of experience gained during the voluntary phase.
    1.3 The Estate Agents Authority (EAA) provides certain learning activities, including for example seminars, e-quizzes and workshops, for practitioners. Activities may also be offered by approved providers, including training institutions, trade associations and estate agencies, etc.

  2. Aims


    3. 2.1 To further the competence of practitioners and keep their professional knowledge up to date to enhance the trade's continuing contribution to Hong Kong's economic development.
    2.2 To strengthen public confidence and the protection of consumers through building professionalism and encouraging best practice among practitioners.
    2.3 To assist practitioners in their quest for continuous learning, personal satisfaction and career development.

  3. CPD Points


    4. 3.1 All CPD activities are assigned CPD points based on the nature of the activity and the input required from the learner. Generally, one CPD point will be awarded for each hour of formal classroom learning. For activities requiring significant interaction between the trainer and the learner, higher than published points per hour may be awarded. Self-paced activities, such as web-based distance learning, may earn lower than published points per hour.
    3.2 Practitioners are encouraged to earn not less than 10 CPD points per a 12-month CPD Period, comprising not less than six points from core subjects and the remaining four points either from core or non-core subjects. For the small number of 24-month (or exceptionally, six-month) licence holders, the 10 CPD point requirement will be adjusted proportionately, as will the corresponding CPD Period.

    3.3 The CPD Scheme's objective is to keep practitioners abreast of the latest developments so CPD points may not be carried over from one CPD Period to another.

  4. Core and Non-core Subjects


    5. 4.1 Generally speaking, areas related to estate agency law and practice, compliance or supervisory issues are core subjects. Those conducive to raising the standard of practitioners are non-core subjects.
    4.2 The following is a broad classification:
       
    Core ("C") Subjects Non-core ("N") Subjects
    (C1) Law relating to estate agency work
    (C2) Compliance matters
    (C3) Practice-related knowledge and issues
    (C4) Professional ethics
    (C5) Management and supervisory skills
    (C6) Language skills for estate agency work
    (N1) Marketing skills and techniques
    (N2) Business management
    (N3) Financial services
    (N4) Property management
    (N5) Property valuation
    (N6) Estate agency practice in other jurisdictions
    (N7) Information technology
    (N8) Macro socio-economic issues


  5. Learning Modes


    6. 5.1 CPD points can be earned through various modes of learning. To foster balanced development and to facilitate interaction between trainers and fellow learners, practitioners are encouraged to diversify the learning activities they undertake. Certain modes may therefore be capped in terms of the CPD points that can be earned over a 12-month CPD period. The main learning modes are:
       
    Activity mode Details CPD points Core /Non-core Points Cap
    Seminar / Lecture Conventional classroom seminar / lecture. 1 per contact hour Case by case Nil
    EAA E-quiz A case study on a topical issue conducted online by EAA. Advance registration required. (Annex A) 1 per session Core 4
    EAA Workshop An interactive learning session on prescribed forms or other topics (Annex B). Assignments to be prepared in advance. 3 per session Core 6
    Web-based Distance Learning Self-paced Internet learning packages. (Annex C) 1 per 3 contact hours Case By case 6
    Course leading to an Award or Multi-session training activities A structured series of classroom sessions (eg Skills Upgrading Scheme courses) that may culminate in the award of a certificate, diploma or other academic qualification. 1 per 2 contact hours Case By case Nil
    Teaching approved CPD course/ Conducting approved CPD activity EAA clearance required. 2 per session Case By case 6
    Pro bono work Activities conducive to raising the standard or status of the profession such as:
    • EAA committee work
    • Attendance at public education/ promotion programmes.
    EAA clearance required     		2 per session Case by case 6
    Publication The published work should be solely that of the author and serve to advance professional knowledge. EAA clearance required. 2 per publication Case by case 6

    5.2 While Skills Upgrading Scheme courses (Annex D) for the estate agency trade are automatically recognised under the CPD Scheme. All other courses leading to an award (eg Continuing Education Fund courses approved by the HKSAR Government http://www.sfaa.gov.hk/cef) need approval from EAA for CPD points to be earned.

    5.3 For the purpose of the award of the Certificate of Attainment (see Section 9 below), the following limitations apply in calculating CPD points:

    1. To encourage practitioners to diversify their modes of learning, certain modes may be capped. For example, the cap for EAA e-quiz is four CPD points per a 12-month CPD period. Therefore, even if a participant completes more than four e-quizzes (one CPD point each) during a 12-month CPD period, only four CPD points can be earned;


    2. An activity repeated within a CPD Period will not count the second time;


    3. Where "EAA clearance required" is specified for a particular activity mode, no CPD points can be earned without written approval from EAA.


    4. In calculating CPD attainment target for each CPD period, the points earned in compliance with disciplinary sanctions will be excluded.
    5.4 Since life-long learning is a worthy goal in itself, licensees are encouraged to undertake CPD activities beyond the minimum stipulated.


  6. Endorsement of CPD Activities


    7. 6.1 All activities need the endorsement of EAA's Professional Development Committee in order to be recognised under the CPD Scheme. Activities listed below, where provided by the institutions specified, already have the standing endorsement of the Committee:

    1. All activities by EAA;


    2. Seminars and multi-session training activities by educational institutions authorised to conduct specified training courses and which have two years' experience conducting CPD activities for other professions as set out in Annex E;


    3. Seminars by activity providers (other than (b)) who have over five years' experience conducting CPD activities for other professions;


    4. All activities (except seminars and multi-session training activities in (b) and (c)) approved by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) - see Annex F for assessment details;


    5. Skills Upgrading Scheme courses by HKSAR Government for the estate agency trade (see Annex D);


    6. Any other activity the Professional Development Committee considers worth adopting into the CPD scheme from time to time;


    7. Professional ethics seminars by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
    6.2 Upcoming CPD activities will be posted on the EAA website. The details provided include:

    1. Title of learning activity

    2. CPD point(s)

    3. Learning mode

    4. Whether core or non-core subjects

    5. Fee


    A fax version of the same information will be available via the EAA Professional Development Hotline. The HKCAAVQ will publish a list of the accredited CPD activities on its web site.
    6.3 Notwithstanding the standing endorsement of Professional Development Committee mentioned in Section 6.1, all activity providers must observe the requirements set out under the HKCAAVQ's Assessment Procedure in Annex F. For activities that do not require HKCAAVQ's assessment, the provider may make the necessary adjustments to these requirements but must submit the information, as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the Assessment Procedure, to the Professional Development Committee at least four weeks before an activity begins for endorsement (Application Form see Annex I). EAA will then assign activity codes to the endorsed activities and update the EAA website.
    6.4 If EAA considers any activity (and/or activity provider) is not meeting the requirements of the CPD Scheme, the Authority reserves the right to withdraw the relevant endorsement by giving reasonable notice to the activity provider concerned.
    6.5 EAA will reimburse $2,500 of the assessment fee (or the actual assessment fee, whichever is lower) to the activity provider for each successfully accredited CPD activity. The subsidy applies to the first 100 CPD activities successfully approved by HKCAAVQ since the start of the CPD Scheme. Each activity provider is eligible to be reimbursed for a maximum of 10 CPD activities (Application Form see Annex J).


  7. CPD Period


    8. 7.1 Although the CPD Scheme is being implemented on a voluntary basis initially, the CPD Period has been defined to facilitate implementation of a mandatory scheme in the long term.
    7.2 The CPD Period to which the 10 CPD point requirement relates is usually 12 months (to correspond with normal 12-month licence period). Given that a licence can be renewed three months before its expiry date, a CPD Period must also end three months ahead of the expiry date to enable a licensee to make the necessary declaration (except the first CPD Period, see Section 9 below) when submitting his/her licence renewal application. The CPD Period for individual practitioners may therefore end on different dates.
    7.3 For the small number of 24-month (or exceptionally, six-month) licence holders, the 10 CPD point requirement will be adjusted proportionately, as will the corresponding CPD Period. However, the CPD Period will always end three months ahead of the licence's expiry date (except the first CPD Period, see Section 9 below).
    7.4 For an activity straddling two CPD periods, CPD points will only be earned on the day of completion, not before.


  8. Record-Keeping


    9. 8.1 CPD-related matters will be posted on the EAA website for ease of access and greater accuracy. Hyperlinks will be available on the website for accessing related sites.
    8.2 Practitioners should visit the EAA website regularly to keep informed of the latest developments. Practitioners may obtain the information from the EAA Resource Centre or via the fax-on-demand service provided by the Professional Development Hotline.
    8.3 As CPD points can be earned in a variety of ways and from different activity providers (EAA being only one of them), the responsibility lies with practitioners to keep accurate records of all CPD activities undertaken e.g. original certificate of attendance. It is recommended that all CPD records should be retained for at least three years.
    8.4 After successful completion, all EAA-recognised CPD activities will be acknowledged by a certificate of attendance shown in Annex F (or a similar document from activity providers not requiring assessment from the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications). Practitioners should keep the original certificate themselves. Receipt of payment cannot by itself be proof of completion of an activity as absence, lateness or other factors may render the activity invalid for CPD purposes.
    8.5 To enable practitioners to keep track of CPD activities undertaken and to facilitate verification of the core/non-core subject requirement, Record of CPD Activities form (Annex G) are enclosed.


  9. Declaration of CPD Attainment, Certificate of Attainment and CPD Attainment Symbol


    10. 9.1 Except the first CPD Period described in Section 9.2 below, a CPD period ends three months before a licence expires.
    9.2 The first CPD Period for all practitioners to declare CPD attainment is from 1 May 2005 to 30 September 2006, meaning that to some licensees their first CPD Period may be as long as 17 months (A CPD period is usually 12 months to correspond with the normal 12-month licence). The reason for the extension of the first CPD Period is that a limited number and types of activities were available during the initial stage (May to September 2005).
    9.3 Practitioners who have acquired 10 points (with at least six points from core subjects) during the first CPD Period (i.e. from 1 May 2005 to 30 September 2006) may submit a Voluntary Declaration of CPD Attainment (Annex H) to EAA between 1 October 2006 and 1 November 2006 (both dates inclusive). Subject to EAA's endorsement of points earned, the practitioners will be presented with a Certificate of Attainment and a CPD Attainment Symbol in recognition of their self-enrichment efforts and support for the CPD Scheme. The CPD Attainment Symbol will be printed on the estate agent card issued by EAA upon licence renewal. Awardees will also be entitled to print the CPD Attainment Symbol on their business cards. The declaration is voluntary.
    9.4 In addition, EAA will award the 10 practitioners who earn the highest number of CPD points during the first CPD Period, and fulfil the above conditions, a Prize of Excellence, in recognition of their efforts.
    9.5 The second CPD Period for all practitioners will begin on 1 October 2006 and end three months before the expiration of individual licences, irrespective of whether practitioners have declared their CPD attainment during the first CPD Period (i.e. from 1 May 2005 to 30 September 2006) or not (see Annex K)

    Example 1

    Licence Expiry Date: 31 December 2006
    Licence Validity Period: 12 months
    CPD periods and the respective CPD attainment target:

    CPD Period Duration CPD Points earned from core subjects CPD Points earned from either core or non-core subjects Total CPD Points earned
    1st CPD Period 01.05.2005 to 30.09.2006
    (17 months)    		 6 4 10
    2nd CPD Period 01.10.2006 to 30.09.2007
    (12 months)    		 6 4 10
    3rd CPD Period 01.10.2007 to 30.09.2008
    (12 months)    		 6 4 10

    9.6 As the licence held by individual practitioners expires on different dates, the closing date for the second CPD Period for individual practitioners varies accordingly. The second CPD Period may also be shorter than 12 months in some cases. CPD points required for the second CPD Period will therefore be adjusted on a pro-rata basis.

    Example 2

    Licence Expiry Date: 31 March 2007
    Licence Validity Period: 12 months
    CPD periods and the respective CPD attainment target:

    CPD Period Duration CPD Points earned from core subjects CPD Points earned from either core or non-core subjects Total CPD Points earned
    1st CPD Period 01.05.2005 to 30.09.2006
    (17 months)    		 6 4 10
    2nd CPD Period 01.10.2006 to 31.12.2006
    (3 months)    		 1 0 1*
    3rd CPD Period 01.01.2007 to 31.12.2007
    (12 months)    		 6 4 10
      *In general, the CPD attainment target for a 12-month licence is 10 points per CPD period. If the CPD period is shorter than 12 months, the CPD points required will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis.
    9.7 For practitioners whose second CPD Period are fewer than two months, and have fulfilled the CPD attainment during the first CPD Period (i.e. earned no fewer than 10 CPD points with at least six points from core subjects), their CPD attainment requirement for the second Period will be waived. They will still be awarded the CPD Attainment Symbol for the second CPD period.

    Example 3

    Licence Expiry Date: 28 February 2007
    Licence Validity Period: 12 months
    CPD Periods and the respective CPD attainment target:

    CPD Period Duration CPD Points earned from core subjects CPD Points earned from either core or non-core subjects Total CPD Points earned
    1st CPD Period 01.05.2005 to 30.09.2006
    (17 months)    		 6 4 10
    2nd CPD Period 01.10.2006 to 30.11.2006
    (2 months)    		 0 0 0
    3rd CPD Period 01.12.2006 to 30.11.2007
    (12 months)    		 6 4 10

    9.8 The third CPD Period (and the periods thereafter) will be 12 months (to correspond with the normal 12-month licence period), commencing from three months ahead of the expiration of the previous licence and ending on three months before the expiration of the current licence.
    9.9 For practitioners holding a 24-month licence, their first CPD Period is also from 1 May 2005 to 30 September 2006. The CPD attainment requirement is 10 CPD points (with at least six points from core subjects). The second CPD Period will begin on 1 October 2006 and end three months before the expiration of individual licences. The CPD points required will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis. For practitioners whose second CPD Period are fewer than two months, and have fulfilled the CPD attainment during the first Period (i.e. earned no fewer than 10 CPD points with at least six points from core subjects), their CPD attainment requirement for the second CPD Period will be waived. They will still be awarded the CPD Attainment Symbol for that period. The third CPD period (and the periods thereafter) will be 24 months (to correspond with the 24-month licence period), commencing from three months ahead of the expiration of the previous licence and ending on three months before the expiration of the current licence.

    Example 4

    Licence Expiry Date: 30 April 2007
    Licence Validity Period: 24 months
    CPD periods and the respective CPD attainment target:

    CPD Period Duration CPD Points earned from core subjects CPD Points earned from either core or non-core subjects Total CPD Points earned
    1st CPD Period 01.05.2005 to 30.09.2006
    (17 months)    		 6 4 10
    2nd CPD Period 01.10.2006 to 31.01.2007
    (4 months)    		 1 1 2
    3rd CPD Period 01.02.2007 to 31.01.2009
    (24 months)    		 12 8 20


    9.10 EAA may carry out random inspection of practitioners' records to ascertain the accuracy of the information given in the declaration. False declarations may result in disciplinary action.
     


  10. Attendance Requirements


    11. 10.1 While the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications has specified the procedure to be followed by participants in activities approved by the Council (Annex F), other institutions/activity providers may have different house rules. Practitioners must comply with all applicable rules which may include producing proof of identity for registering attendance, or stipulations about absence from the venue beyond an allowed time limit. Breaches may result in a reduction in the CPD points earned or disqualification from the activity concerned.
    10.2 Other misbehaviour, such as talking on a mobile phone during class, may also lead to disqualification. Plagiarism may result in disqualification or disciplinary sanctions.
     


  11. CPD Information and Enquiries


    12. 11.1 These Guidelines are posted on the EAA website (http://www.eaa.org.hk) and updated regularly. Please refer to them from time to time for supplements and updates, as well as for the latest CPD activities.
    11.2 CPD activities may be time-sensitive, as some may be adopted at short notice, or the information so lengthy that it can only be cost-effectively provided via electronic means. Practitioners are advised to consult the EAA website or Professional Development Hotline regularly for the latest CPD news.
    11.3 For questions on the CPD Scheme, please contact EAA through the Professional Development Hotline or by e-mail.

Estate Agents Authority
July 2006


List of Annexes:
  1. E-quiz - Purpose and Terms
  2. Workshop on Standard Forms
  3. Web-based Distance Learning
  4. Skills Upgrading Scheme
  5. Endorsed Training Institutions
  6. Assessment of CPD Learning Activities
  7. Record of CPD Activities Form
  8. Voluntary Declaration of CPD Attainment
  9. Application Form - Endorsement of a CPD Activity
  10. Application Form - Reimbursement of Accreditation Fee for Accredited CPD Activity
  11. Illustrations of CPD Period and CPD Attainment Target for Different Types of Licence