Hong Kong Government granted the OLI with the self-accrediting status. It recognised the capacity of self-management and quality assurance of the Institution. In February 1997, the Hong Kong Executive Council approved in principle to the upgrade the OLI to a university. In May 1997, the motion for the third reading was agreed by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. The OLI was upgraded to the Open University of Hong Kong and became the seventh statutory university in Hong Kong. Continuous Improvement In October 1998, students of the OUHK were allowed to be included in the Non-means-tested Loan Scheme for Full-time Tertiary Students (NLSFT). In June 1999, the OUHK was conferred the Prize of Excellence for Institutions by the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) for 1999. In October 1999, the Hong Kong Government approved a one-off grant of HK$50 million to develop the University into a Centre of Excellence in Distance and Adult Learning and accepted the OUHK to apply for the grant of the Research Grants Council (RGC). In June 2000, the electronic library of the OUHK won the Stockholm Challenge Award in a global IT contest. In October 2000, the Open University of Hong Kong Centre for Continuing and Community Education was officially renamed as the Li Ka Shing Institute of Professional and Continuing Education to acknowledge the donation of HK$40 million by the Li Ka Shing Foundation in supporting the establishment of the Island Learning Centre. Launch of Full-time Programmes In September 2001, the OUHK firstly launched the full-time associate degree programme. In March 2005, the University introduced the first full-time top-up degree programme. In May 2004, the OUHK partnered with the Vocational Training Council (VTC) to introduce top-up degree programmes. In May 2005, the OUHK started to collaborate with local hospitals for nurse degree education. The University partnered with Cathay Pacific Airways to organise the Professional Diploma in Inflight Service programme. In October 2005, the University partnered with the Hong Kong Police Force for recruit police constables' foundation training. In September 2006, the OUHK officially started to participate in the Hong Kong's centralised joint university admission system (JUPAS), becoming the first higher education institution offering self-financing degree programmes. In the meantime, the OUHK partner with the Hong Kong Baptist Hospital. In June 2007, the OUHK established Centre for Putonghua Education and Testing. In August 2007, the OUHK signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the