The University of Queensland will hold a convocation event at the Hotel Furama, Connaught Road, Hong Kong on Tuesday March 21 at 7.30pm to acknowledge the achievements of new graduates in the presence of alumni, family and friends.
A total of 36 recent graduates from a broad range of disciplines including engineering, planning, social work, education, arts, commerce, tropical health and information technology will be presented to University Chancellor Sir Llewellyn Edwards at the convocation ceremony.
Queensland Education Minister Dean Wells will speak at the ceremony.
Sir Llewellyn, University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, and University Secretary and Registrar Douglas Porter will also speak at the event, which will be followed by a cocktail reception.
Following the ceremony, Mr Wells and UQ's International Education Director Chris Madden will travel to Shanghai to sign a series of MOUs for a teaching training agreement.
The University's Institute of Continuing & TESOL Education (ICTE-UQ) was successful in its 1999 tender to the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (SMEC) for provision of a Professional Development Training Program for high school English teachers from the Shanghai provincial education system.
The eight-week program in TESOL and Methodology will be held at UQ for between 25 and 50 teachers with SMEC funding travel, program, accommodation and living costs for participants.
The program represents the first ICTE-UQ project from China and is the direct result of meetings with SMEC officials during their November 1998 visit to UQ.
"It provides a springboard from which the Institute, and through it the University, can increase its profile in China," said ICTE-UQ director Christine Bundesen.
"I believe it will be the first of many such professional development programs across a wide variety of disciplines which will be delivered by ICTE-UQ, both in China and Queensland."
In 1996 alumni associations were formed in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. More than 480 graduates are listed on the University's convocation roll for Hong Kong.
Sir Llewellyn said assemblies of alumni, or convocations, were as important to The University of Queensland as they were to its graduates. The University conducted such ceremonies to introduce new graduates to those who had preceded them, in the company of their families and friends.
Sir Llewellyn said the University had many international students during the past 50 years, but in recent years, had witnessed a remarkable growth in the diversity of its student body, particularly in offering places to scholars from the great centres of Asia such as Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
"Knowledge and scholarship are not restricted by national boundaries and we see ourselves as an international institution, very much enhanced by the interaction of staff and students of different cultures," he said.
"This ceremony also signifies the University's willingness to participate positively within the Asian region. We hope that our graduates will take an active role in the University's regional activities and maintain contact with their fellow students.
"Participation in the University's graduate networks enables graduates to develop personal and business friendships and provides opportunities to continue their association with the institution which has played such a vital role in their education."
The University currently has 159 students from Hong Kong, a 21 percent increase since the start of 1999.
For further information: Ms Melinda Seymour, University Protocol Officer, care of the Hotel Furama, Connaught Road, Hong Kong - telephone 2525 5111.
