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The Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the New Zealand Ministry of Education today (October 13) signed an Arrangement on Education Co-operation that will help build and strengthen the education relationship between the two places.
The Arrangement is an outcome of the Closer Economic Partnership between New Zealand and Hong Kong, which came into force on January 1 this year to complement the strong trade relationship between the two economies.
"This Arrangement provides the opportunity for New Zealand and the HKSAR to work together and identify areas of common interest," said the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, and New Zealand's Secretary for Education, Ms Karen Sewell, in a joint statement. Both the HKSAR and New Zealand have indicated an interest in the quality assurance aspect of education delivery and raising student achievement levels.
"We will have a platform on which to build our education relationship and promote the development of mutually beneficial co-operation in the fields of education and research," they said.
"It will also help enhance excellence and creativity in teaching, learning and research conducted by educational institutions, and contribute to professional development in the education sector."
Specifically, the Arrangement will help strengthen the partnership and strategic collaboration between the HKSAR and New Zealand to support the internationalisation of education and lifelong learning.
Initiatives may include exchange of teachers, academic staff, experts and students; school-to-school exchanges; transfer of knowledge, ideas and expertise; and joint research programmes between New Zealand and HKSAR institutions.
The main text of the Arrangement is available on the website of the Education Bureau (www.edb.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, October 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:20
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