SED to visit Canada and the US
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     The Secretary for Education (SED), Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, will lead a delegation to pay an official visit to Canada and the United States between March 10 and 17 to promote and provide an update on education in Hong Kong, especially the New Academic Structure and the qualification of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, as well as Hong Kong's role as a regional education hub.

     In the first leg of the visit between March 11 and 13 in Toronto, the delegation will meet with education officials, university council members and presidents, members of the assessment authorities, and school principals' associations. They will also visit the University of Waterloo and a community college.

     In the second leg of the visit between March 13 and 16 in New York, the delegation will meet with education officials as well as senior representatives of universities, the Institute of International Education and World Education Services. They will also visit the Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Cornell Tech in New York City and the Teachers College of Columbia University.

     In addition, Mr Ng will attend a number of gatherings with leaders from the local Hong Kong community and members of the business sector as well as educational professionals and students from Hong Kong and students who are interested in pursuing further studies in Hong Kong.

     Other members of the delegation include the Deputy Secretary for Education, Dr Catherine K K Chan; the Administrative Assistant to the SED, Mr Kenneth Cheng; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) Council, Mr Rock Chen; and the Secretary General of the HKEAA, Dr Tong Chong-sze.

     The delegation will depart from New York on March 16 and return to Hong Kong on March 17.

     During Mr Ng's absence, the Under Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, will be the Acting SED.

Ends/Thursday, March 7, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:01

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