Professor Mike Kyrios welcomed 20 students from Beijing’s Capital Normal University (CNU) in July for a five-week placement at Flinders to study and enjoy social activities, as they learn about Australian culture, language and teaching.

The students and their chaperone are participating in a Chinese Government initiative, the Study Abroad Program, which is similar to Australia’s New Colombo Plan and provides funding for undergraduates to complete a short-term placement at a foreign university.

Visiting students will undertake two topics in intensive format, which will be credited towards their CNU degrees.

Flinders’ program coordinator, Associate Professor Kerry Bissaker (who also coordinates the Master of Education delivered by Flinders in Beijing), says most of the students are majoring in English teaching for pre-school, primary or secondary schools.

The short-term study tour provides them with an excellent opportunity to immerse themselves in the English language and learn about the specific colloquialisms of the language in Australia, together with our approaches to teaching English.

Students will visit local schools during their placement and consider the similarities and differences in education between Beijing and Adelaide.

The tour also provided an employment opportunity for Flinders University Bachelor of Tourism graduate, Georgina Tsorvas, who is busy organising the social and cultural aspects of the program – and greeted the group at their 6am airport arrival.

This is the third incoming short study tour from CNU and more are anticipated in the future, building on Flinders established relationship with the university having delivered the Master of Education program in Beijing for over ten years.