The University of Hong Kong

Department of Law

Academic Year of 2022-2023

Examiner’s Report

[This report will be posted onto intranet after the release of exam results]

Course code: LLAW6297 / Course Title: Macau and Hong Kong

JDOC6297 Comparative Constitutional
Law
Report prepared by: Paulo Cardinal Date: January, 9, 2023

The «Macau and Hong Kong Comparative Constitutional Law» course, was held for the first time
ever.

Bearing in mind that it was a new course, employing a comparative perspective and methodology,
namely using Macau Law that, in many areas is virtually unknown and unstudied with a clear lack of
materials in English, a teaching methodology that places a tonic on dialogue, enquiry, questions,
debate, a non-sacrosanct position of the teacher, furthermore touching several topics that, in our
days, could be deemed sensitive, things could have really gone wrong or, at least, not so well.

However, it is my judgment that the best reasonable expectations were met. The students, generally
speaking, did engage in the topics, did participate in the classes, dis not shy way from certain topics,
did manage to bring technical-juridical perspectives, assessments, opinions, doubts, and so on.

It is undeniable that the fact that the class was with relatively small numbers helped.

The evaluation took in consideration the class participation throughout the course, a paper plus its
public presentation and discussion.

The main difficulties that I sensed in the students were basically felt at the beginning given the fact
that, perhaps, the methodology of teaching and evaluating was a bit uncommon to them. However,
after a couple of classes, it was evident that the vast majority were engaging in proper dialectics, not
shying aways from difficult issues and questions. As can be confirmed by the guest teachers that,
graciously, collaborated with the course in its final classes.

The preparation of the paper, the use of bibliography, and some other issues, presented, for a few,
some challenges but, these were basically overcome by way of having firstly a one-page project of
the paper, in advance, plus a first informal version to be discussed by email on an individual basis,
and discussing and helping the students with bibliography and case law.

The evaluation results, with few exceptions, were indeed satisfactory.

In short, albeit evidently difficult to be totally impartial and/or objective, it is my belief that this
course was helpful to the students in several ways, they reacted with obvious interest and
dedication, it seems obvious that there is a package of advantages to study in comparison Macau
and Hong Kong, thus, I would dare to say, it was a successful course.