# FAQs
**Source**: https://aqa.hkust.edu.hk/faqs
**Parent**: https://aqa.hkust.edu.hk/
### Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
**SFQ System User Guideline ([PDF](https://student-survey.hkust.edu.hk/SFQ/User_Guide_for_SFQ_System.pdf))**
**SFQ System Handbook ([PDF](https://student-survey.hkust.edu.hk/SFQ/Handbook_for_SFQ_System.pdf))**
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**General information about SFQ**
What is SFQ?
Student Feedback Questionnaire (SFQ) is used to collect feedback from students about their learning experience in courses they have taken.
Why do students have to complete SFQs?
Doing SFQs is actually a student's right and privilege. Hence, it is highly recommended that students should take advantage of this right and fill out the SFQ to let the University knows what they think about their courses. Only students can tell the University how effective a course is for their learning.
Can a course instructor find out what a particular student answered in a SFQ?
Responses from students in the same section are mixed in a pool and no personal information are attached to the data. Thus, an instructor will not be able to find out how a student rated or commented him or her. He or she only has access to the feedback from the class as a whole.
Is there a briefing or guide available for the SFQ System?
Yes. A recorded briefing session is available on [AQA website](https://aqa.hkust.edu.hk/sfq-system) and divided into six segments:
1. [Introduction](https://gohkust.sharepoint.com/:v:/t/SEA/EViD1VZOQZ5HkjkVz0pv_sUBHBK0LvL3s7-P_17R2YjREg)
2. [Login and Logout](https://gohkust.sharepoint.com/:v:/t/SEA/EUrN5P_G8ahGt-LiqSWV9QsB_2ATyQjZ1hVAew4tlzHz1A)
3. [For Student](https://gohkust.sharepoint.com/:v:/t/SEA/EQsiEWeR2U1As6xoodyB8nkB4Dfh-4ktfQAo1irrOQgEHw)
4. [For Teaching Personnel](https://gohkust.sharepoint.com/:v:/t/SEA/EZCwhZ7MDMtIiI2h2imSWb0BvtKASpZ6eXq4hy2cgE1XxA)
5. [For Departmental User](https://gohkust.sharepoint.com/:v:/t/SEA/ERbeVEI6RqdDmqIPlU0WNtMBxLGsVDuk0kPYPfqMsglFcA)
6. [Q&A](https://gohkust.sharepoint.com/:v:/t/SEA/EdO1y6HffKNLgWGZRQkMKyIBpv2NcROz9FdLprdueKET6A)
A [User Guide for SFQ System](https://student-survey.hkust.edu.hk/SFQ/User_Guide_for_SFQ_System.pdf) is also provided to support system navigation.
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**For Students**
Why should the evaluation deadline be set before the final examination?
Under the current university regulation, the SFQ survey should be conducted prior to the final examination. This is to prevent the SFQ survey result from being affected by the difficulty level of the examination.
If I mistakenly submitted a wrong evaluation for a course, can I rectify it?
If students want to edit their survey response during survey period, they can go to [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/), click on the survey to edit the responses and re-submit the survey.
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However, if the survey is closed, the data from all students of that course will enter a data pool and be saved anonymously. Hence, it is not possible to find out the survey response students wrongly submitted. If students would like to make additional comments for the courses, they can consider sending the comments to the department concerned or send to AQA at [sfq.survey@ust.hk](mailto:sfq.survey@ust.hk).
Why was I asked to complete the SFQ for a course right after the first lesson?
This might be because the course concerned lasted for only one week. Students are usually given at least one week to submit their evaluations of a course. In this unusual circumstance, the survey period is usually set by the department offering the course. Once the survey period is set, the survey system will automatically send emails to remind students during survey period to encourage them to complete the survey.
Can the course instructors find out what I fill in the SFQ?
All SFQ survey submissions are anonymous. What you fill in the questionnaire is mixed with those of other students in the same course. The instructor will not be able to find out how you rated or commented him or her. He or she only has access to the feedback from the class as a whole.
Do the instructors have access to the SFQ results BEFORE they have assigned grades?
No, instructors have to submit all the final grades before the SFQ report is released to them.
Why do I have to complete the SFQ surveys?
Doing SFQ surveys is actually a student’s right and privilege. Hence, it is highly recommended that students should take advantage of this right and fill out the SFQ to express their opinions on the course and instructor for further enhancement of learning and teaching.
If I miss the SFQ survey deadline, would it be possible to allow me to make a late submission?
Since the SFQ survey is a large-scale operation involving over 2,700 surveys each term, allowing late submissions will create significant delay in releasing SFQ survey results. However, students can send their comments about the course to the departments directly or to AQA, which will then be forwarded to the departments anonymously.
Can I also access the SFQ results?
A summary SFQ report is made available to students through [SFQ Survey Results](https://aqa.hkust.edu.hk/sfq-survey-results).
Can instructors invite students to complete SFQ during class time?
Yes, instructors can conduct in-class SFQ to encourage students' response. For more details, please click [here](https://aqa.hkust.edu.hk/guidelines-sfq#B).
Do instructors need mobile devices to conduct in-class SFQ?
No, only students need mobile devices (laptops, tablets or smart phones) to submit their responses.
How can students submit their responses?
Students can access to SFQ via different means:
1. Login [Canvas](https://canvas.ust.hk/) and go to "SFQ" section;
2. Install HKUST iLearn app ([iOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hkust-ilearn/id954203479) / [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hk.ust.itsc.tt.iLearn&hl=en)) on your smartphone / tablets and run the app.
3. Access [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/) using mobile devices.
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Note: The [Canvas Student App by Instructure](https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/1045977/pages/canvas-apps) does not include SFQ section, so students cannot complete SFQs via this app.
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**For Teaching Personnel**
Do the instructors have access to the SFQ results BEFORE they have assigned grades?
No, instructors have to submit all the final grades before the SFQ report is released to them.
How can instructors know if students are actively responding to their SFQs?
Instructors can check the most updated response rates of the active SFQ surveys for their courses at [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/).
What should instructor do if a student has problems installing or using the HKUST iLearn App on his/her device?
Instructor can ask student to complete SFQ at [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/) using a mobile browser.
Where can instructors find out what SFQs have been set up for the courses they teach?
Instructors should be able to find out from [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/) what SFQs are collecting or about to collect for the courses they teach.
Can instructors view SFQ reports for Teaching Assistants (TAs)?
Course instructors will be able to view the Teaching Personnel Report for the TA who taught the same course section. This access will provide course instructors with better insights into the teaching performance of their TAs.
Are instructors and teaching assistants assessed using the same SFQ template?
No. Instructors are evaluated in Part 1 with 12 questions. Teaching assistants are evaluated in Part 2 (tutorial sections) and Part 3 (laboratory sections), each with 5 questions. You can view the full template [here](https://aqa.hkust.edu.hk/sfq).
Note: Teaching Assistants refer to Teaching Associates (TA), Instructional Assistants (IA), Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) and other teaching support staff (e.g. teaching support staff, technical staff)
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**For Departmental Users (UMs/ Editors)**
Should SFQ surveys be conducted for all course sections?
Currently, all courses are required to be evaluated by students using revised questionnaire, which was approved by the Committee on Teaching and Learning Quality (CTLQ) at its 53rd Meeting on 4 December 2024, prior to the commencement of the course final examination. Exceptions can only be granted if a legitimate reason is provided by the department.
Is it a requirement for seminar and project courses to be evaluated using SFQ?
Like other lecture courses, it should be useful to collect student feedback for seminar and project courses.
What should I do for course sections that do not require an SFQ?
You should omit the survey(s) with justification for the course sections that do not require an SFQ.
How would a lecture course with multiple instructors or teaching assistants/ teaching support staff be evaluated?
For multiple instructors teaching a course section, they will be evaluated in the team-teaching survey mode. Similarly, for multiple teaching assistants (TAs) and teaching support staff (TSS) teaching a course section, they will be evaluated in the team-teaching survey mode.
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Under the team-teaching survey mode, some instructor/TA/TSS questions will be repeated for each instructor/TA/TSS, while other questions will be asked only once per survey. For details, please refer to Appendix A of the [SFQ System Handbook](https://student-survey.hkust.edu.hk/SFQ/Handbook_for_SFQ_System.pdf).
In the SFQ survey exercise, when will the survey results be made available to teaching personnel?
SFQ reports with finalized aggregate statistics (i.e., department, school and university level statistics) are released about 1.5 -2 months after the last day of the term. Provisional reports with no aggregate statistics will be able to view by course instructors 10 days after the survey is closed and final grade is submitted to SIS.
Should teaching personnel be allowed to view their reports if some of the students’ course grades are pending (i.e., “I” grade)?
Assuming that the number of students whose grades are pending is not significant, teaching personnel should be allowed to view their SFQ reports.
Where can teaching personnel find their past and current SFQ reports?
Teaching personnel may retrieve previous SFQ survey reports via [Canvas](https://canvas.ust.hk/), the HKUST learning management system. Reports from Fall 2025-2026 onward will be available via [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk).
Our department wants to access the SFQ report of our teaching personnel for a course offered by another department. What shall we do?
UM shall request a copy of the SFQ report from the department that offered the course.
Why does a teaching personnel appear on the Class Schedule list but not in SIS?
This discrepancy may occur due to a few reasons. In some cases, the teaching personnel’s staff card has not yet been properly linked to the SIS database, which prevents their information from appearing. Alternatively, the individual may be a part-time staff member, whose records are managed differently and may not be immediately reflected in SIS. Lastly, it’s possible that the data has not yet been synchronized between systems, and updates are still pending.
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Please check whether any of the above situations apply. If the issue persists, kindly contact the AQA at [sfq.survey@ust.hk](mailto:sfq.survey@ust.hk) for further assistance.
How long does it take for changes (e.g., Access Rights) to appear in the SFQ System after I submit or edit data?
Updates typically take at least one working day to reflect in the SFQ System due to data synchronization processes.
What should I do if the survey is not showing in the SFQ System?
First, confirm that your course has a teaching personnel assigned in SIS. If not, the SFQ System will not automatically create a survey. After updating the teaching personnel details in SIS, surveys will be created for the courses within two days in the SFQ System. If the survey is still missing, kindly contact the AQA at [sfq.survey@ust.hk](mailto:sfq.survey@ust.hk) for further assistance.
Why is my course's survey status marked as "Omitted"?
1. The SFQ System assigns “Omitted” status to courses without a coordinator. To resolve this, ensure the coordinator is properly assigned in SIS. After updating, please wait at least one working day for synchronization. If the issue remains, kindly contact the AQA at [sfq.survey@ust.hk](mailto:sfq.survey@ust.hk) for further assistance.
2. The SFQ System assigns "Omitted" status to courses with low enrolment, i.e. 1 or 2 enrolment(s).
How can I amend survey details such as the survey period, report group, or survey status?
Unit Managers or Editors can log in to the [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/ ) to update the survey details. For step-by-step instructions, please refer to Sections 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 of the [User Guide for SFQ System](https://student-survey.hkust.edu.hk/SFQ/User_Guide_for_SFQ_System.pdf).
How can I add Organisational Unit for a curriculum?
Unit Managers or Editors can log in to the [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/) to update the OU. For step-by-step instructions, please refer to Sections 3.1 of the [User Guide for SFQ System](https://student-survey.hkust.edu.hk/SFQ/User_Guide_for_SFQ_System.pdf). If the Unit Managers or Editor cannot update the OU, kindly contact the AQA at [sfq.survey@ust.hk](mailto:sfq.survey@ust.hk) for further assistance.
As a Unit Manager, how can I manage the access rights in the SFQ System?
Unit Managers can add, edit, or delete roles with their Organisation Unit in the [SFQ System](https://sfq-survey.ust.hk/ ). For step-by-step instructions, please refer to Sections 3.4 of the [User Guide for SFQ System](https://student-survey.hkust.edu.hk/SFQ/User_Guide_for_SFQ_System.pdf).
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