The Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (February 15) signed an agreement on education exchange and co-operation with the Hangzhou Municipal Education Bureau to strengthen collaboration in education between the two places. In the presence of the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Hangzhou Municipal Committee, Mr Zhang Zhongcan; and the Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Professor Li Lu, the agreement was signed by the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, and the Deputy Secretary of the Hangzhou Municipal Education Bureau, Ms Zheng Limin.
The agreement provides a framework for exchanges and co-operation in education, with the aim of fostering professional collaboration between Hangzhou and Hong Kong. It covers initiatives including organising seminars and experience-sharing sessions on school management for teachers and school personnel to enhance the capacity and standard of education professionals in the two places; promoting exchanges of students through visits, competitions and activities amongst sister schools; and promoting exchanges and co-operation in the fields of talent nurturing, scientific research and social services, with a view to jointly raising the standard of teaching and research.
At the signing ceremony, Mr Yeung said that Hangzhou has always been a hot spot for exchanges for teachers and students of Hong Kong. The modes of exchanges are diverse, including the pairing up of sister schools and organisation of various visits and experience programmes. At present, the number of sister schools in the two places exceeds 70 pairs and various exchange activities have been conducted. There are also over 50 ongoing collaborative research projects jointly conducted by University Grants Committee-funded universities and Zhejiang academies.
　
Mr Yeung said, "Both Hangzhou and Hong Kong have long attached great importance to education and the nurturing of talents. This shared vision has paved the way for the signing of the agreement today."
　
He said he believes that the agreement will help boost professional collaboration between Hong Kong and Hangzhou, promote the development of education, and deepen and broaden co-operation between higher education institutions of the two places.
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