Hong Kong Delegation to Canada to promote the New Senior Secondary Academic Structure

February 26th, 2010

The Deputy Secretary for Education of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Dr Catherine Chan, will lead a Hong Kong delegation to Vancouver and Toronto, Canada next Monday (March 1) to promote the new academic structure (NAS) and the international recognition of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) which articulates to major overseas education systems in globalising education.

Another important aim of the visit is to encourage more education exchanges between Canada and Hong Kong to enrich the cultural experiences and develop global outlook of students.

Joining the delegation are the Chairman, Mr Eddie Ng, and Secretary General, Dr Francis Cheung, of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority.

During the visit in Canada, Dr Chan will meet with key academic personnel in education, including professors and teaching professionals coming from Hong Kong as well as community leaders.

Dr Chan will meet the Director of Advanced Placement Programme in Canada, College Board immediately upon her arrival at Vancouver on Monday. The delegation will also visit the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Dr Chan will continue the week-long official visit by journeying to Toronto where she will have meetings with senior representatives of the Toronto District School Board, the Education Quality and Accountability Office, the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre and the Council of Ontario Universities.

She will brief them how all Hong Kong students will be better prepared for whole-person development and life-long learning in order to meet individual needs and to contribute to the globalised world. She will also learn about the institutions’ services provided to students in assessment and university admission, and to address their needs.

During her stay in Toronto, the delegation will pay visits to three other tertiary institutions, namely the York University, the University of Toronto and the Ryerson University, as well as a local secondary school with rich tradition of external involvement and community service.

While promoting student and academic exchanges with these cities, Dr Chan will extend welcome to Canadian students to study in Hong Kong. They can access more details of the NAS on an Overseas Visitors’ Corner designed for overseas students and education institutions in the NAS “334” Web Bulletin.

- 30 -

For more information, please contact:
Stephen Siu, Assistant Director (Public Relations), of the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office at Tel: 416-924-5544, e-mail: Stephen_siu@hketotoronto.gov.hk, or
Elison Chu, Senior Information Officer of the HKETO at(416)924-7374 or email elison_chu@hketotoronto.gov.hk

Chinese version on next page.

Pages: 1 2