Supported by the State Ministry of Education (MOE), the 12th Interflow Programme for Mainland Academic Links Officers was held from 12 to 18 January 2020 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).   

Officiating guests at the Opening Ceremony included Prof. Wong Suk-ying, Associate Vice-President of CUHK; Mr. Lee Chung Sin, Esmond, JP, Deputy Secretary for Education of the Education Bureau, HKSAR; and Dr. Chen Heng, Director of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of The Central People’s Government in the HKSAR. To further enrich participants’ knowledge in in their respective fields of work, Mr. Esmond Lee, JP and Dr. Christopher Tremewan, Secretary General of the  Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) were invited to give keynote speeches with topics on “An Overview of Tertiary Education in Hong Kong” and “Addressing Global Challenges Together: the Next Phase of University Internationalization” respectively.  

The 7-day programme consisted of a series of lectures and visits, through which participants came to have a better understanding of Hong Kong's tertiary education system, in such areas as academic links and exchange, curriculum development, fund-raising strategies, alumni affairs, campus development and research and knowledge transfer, as well as CUHK’s unique collegial system. Participants also had the opportunity to learn basic Cantonese, business English, table manners and visit other local institutions as well as public organizations to acquire a broader and more complete picture of Hong Kong.  

CUHK has been organizing this annual programme since 2008, with the support from the Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the MOE, the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, as well as the Education Bureau of the HKSAR.  The programme provided participants from Hong Kong and mainland China with a valuable chance to learn from and interact with each other, enhancing mutual understanding and paving the way for further cooperation.