Marketization attempts by universities in Hong Kong: An appraisal analysis of institutional responses to quality audit evaluations

Abstract

Drawing upon Appraisal Theory as the analytical tool, the study attempts to provide evidence for the marketization of tertiary education by showing how universities in Hong Kong achieve a positive self-presentation with appraisal resources in constructing their responses to quality audit evaluations. The study reveals that a positive self-presentation could materialize through the universities’ use of appraisal resources in pursuing four possible strategies, depending on the favourability of the evaluations: (1) highlighting and emphasizing the audit panels’ positive evaluations, (2) making positive self-evaluation through reformulating the panels’ positive evaluations, (3) including positive evaluations made by a third party, and (4) making positive self-evaluation of their current and future practices and plans. The study discusses the way appraisal resources can be used to achieve the marketization of tertiary education through positive self-evaluation and sheds light on the construction and interpretation of a high-stake but relatively little-researched written genre.