There are four Sub-degree Providing Units (SDPUs) in HKBU, each of which was set up at a different time and under a different mission. The School of Continuing Education (SCE) was first established in 1975 as a self-financing arm of the University providing the much needed continuing education opportunities for the working adults of Hong Kong. In 2008, the University set up the School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) to provide Hong Kong-first full-time Chinese medicine (CM) education at the undergraduate level. To promote CM in the Hong Kong community, SCM also set up a division, now known as Division of Continuing and Professional Education (DCPE), to provide CM continuing education for professionals in the field as well as those who are interested in this field. In 2000, the University obtained from the Government an interest-free loan and a land grant in Shek Mun, Shatin to construct a purpose-built community college, College of International Education (CIE), offering associate degree programmes for school graduates aspiring to tertiary education opportunities. In 2009, the University received a grant from the Film Development Fund of the Government to upgrade its Department of Cinema and Television to the Academy of Film (AF), and started providing, in addition to undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, higher diploma programmes to help train film production professionals for Hong Kong and Greater China at large.

All SDPUs report to the Senate of the University via the Quality Assurance Sub-committees on Sub-degree Programmes (QASCs) and the Quality Assurance Committee (QAC). The QASCs, viz. QASC (QF Levels 1-3) and QASC (QF Level 4) are each chaired by a senior academic, who has the delegated authority from the Senate and QAC to supervise the Quality Assurance (QA) protocols of all sub-degree (SD) programmes.

As all SD awards are HKBU awards, the University, being a self-accrediting institution, treats the QA protocols of these SD programmes seriously, and imposes close control and scrutiny on their operations.

The University has adopted a two-tier QA monitoring system for SD programmes. The Senate exercises direct oversight of all SD programmes at QF Level 4. For SD programmes at QF Level 3 or below, the Senate scrutinises them by delegating authority to the SDPUs under a Senate-approved QA framework (please click here for more information).

The quality audit of HKBU on sub-degree operations (January 2018) has covered all the SDPUs mentioned above.