In September this year, two students from Shanghai Fudan University's School of Journalism will start the new semester in City University's Department of English and Communication, thanks to an exchange agreement signed by the two universities at CityU on 4 March. The three-year agreement, signed by Professor Lee Chin-chuan, Head of CityU's Department of English and Communication, and Professor Huang Zhixiao, Head of Fudan University's School of Journalism, stipulates that each university will send two undergraduate students to the other for one semester a year. Academic credits will be mutually recognized.

The cultural significance of the exchange programme was emphasized by representatives from both universities. Professor Lee said that the programme would provide good opportunities for CityU students to gain real-life experience at a mainland university. "It is the cultural experience that our students should treasure most," he added.

Fudan's Professor Lu Ye, who is responsible for student affairs, said, "Some of our students think it an academic risk to spend one semester in Hong Kong because of the different education system and the use of English. But I think exposure to a different culture will benefit them a great deal in the future."

Following the ceremony, Professor Huang, a former newspaper editor, gave a talk titled "Newspaper Industry Reforms in China: Situation, Trends and Prospects." Established in 1929, Fudan University's School of Journalism was the first journalism school in China.