Shanghai delegation makes flying visit

Otago Polytechnic marketing, communications and customer relations general manager Mike Waddell shows visitors from the Shanghai Education Commission (from left) Min Xiong Pan, delegation leader Ye Fang Huang and Yi Wu an art installation by master of fine arts student Della Slattery during a tour of the polytechnic's art annex building. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

A six-person delegation, led by commission deputy secretary-general Ye Fang Huang, met educational and business representatives and toured several facilities including Balmacewen Intermediate, which hopes to set up a student exchange programme, and Columba College, which is the only school in Dunedin to offer Chinese language classes from senior primary through to NCEA levels.

The commission administers 16 tertiary institutions catering for 800,000 students, as well as one million pupils at 4500 primary and secondary schools.

The visit was the first since a memorandum of understanding was signed between the commission, the University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic and the Dunedin City Council almost three years ago.

Polytechnic marketing, communications and customer relations general manager Mike Waddell said several initiatives involving the polytechnic had begun since the memorandum was signed, including a relationship with the Shanghai University of Engineering Science, and a pilot scheme to offer Centre for the Assessment of Prior Learning qualifications through the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce.

University international pro-vice-chancellor Prof Sarah Todd said the memorandum had allowed the university to develop relationships with several Shanghai universities.

Education Dunedin marketing and administration manager Sue Radcliffe said the day had gone well, with the delegation particularly impressed by a kapa haka performance from Balmacewen pupils.

allison.rudd@odt.co.nz