Members of CityU's Cultural Synergy programme about to embark on a two-week cultural tour of Australia were given a special send-off by Professor Edmond Ko, Vice-President for Education, and Mr Louis Magee, the Australian Consul General in Hong Kong.

Twenty-two Cultural Synergy programme members will tour Australia between 1 and 12 January. The delegation will visit Brisbane, where the University of Queensland has arranged a series of lectures on aboriginal culture, urban renewal, and the social welfare system. To gain an even better appreciation of Australian culture, students will be staying with local families.

"I hope you all feel as much at home in Australia as we Australians feel in Hong Kong," said Mr Magee.

"It's clearly going to be a very exciting experience for you," said Professor Ko, who then recounted his own experiences as an overseas student more than 30 years ago. "We firmly believe that our-of-classroom learning is a necessary if not critical component of learning." Professor Ko also pointed out that some 1,700 CityU students participated in some form of exchange programme last year, a dramatic increase compared with the 500 CityU exchange students five years ago.

The Cultural Synergy programme was established in 2000 to promote whole person development and broaden the international perspective of CityU students. The programme includes a series of out-of-classroom activities that features a training camp, workshops, and cultural appreciation sessions.