Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1997

cial and cultural organizations in Beijing. A total of 71 second- and third-year students benefited from such training. The p r o g r a mme is an innovative approach to career guidance, an d has been designed i n response to the increasing integration of the local economy with that of the mainland. Through participation in the project, CU students are able to acquire a better unde r s t and i ng of their motherland and know l edge of business operations in mainland cities. Such experience will give them the competitive edge whe n applying for jobs related to China and China trade. The University on its part can also establish closer linkages and partnerships w i t h a c adem i c , c omme r c i al a nd industrial firms o n the mainland through the programme. More to Benefit All participants this year were selected t h r o u gh a s t r i ngent screening exercise. Selection was based on academic performance, organization and communication s k i l l s, p a r t i c i p a t i on i n extracurricular a c t i v i t i e s, a n d proficiency in Putonghua. Most have found the programme highly beneficial. To p r ov i de opportunities for more students to take part in the project nex t year, the University has planned to raise more donations from sponsors to subsidize the project expenses. Th e 1997 p r o g r a mme wa s sponsored by the Hui Yeung Shing Memorial Foundation and Dr. Lee Dak Sum. Experience Sharing Jessie Cheung (business administration) The rewards of her four-week training at Tsinghua University far exceeded Jessie's expectations: 'I had wanted to acquire more academic knowledge about China and learn how to interact with different people, and I gained more than I expected.' The training programme at Tsinghua, Jessie pointed out, was intended to give students an overview of post-Cultural Revolution China in terms of its language, culture, politics, economy, and legal system. Special attention was given to China's economic reforms and state- owned enterprises. And of course there were Putonghua lessons. 'The classes were very intensive and the teachers very dedicated. My Putonghua has also improved.'Interestingly the first thing the students learnt was how to sing the national anthem. Jessie said the experience made her more patriotic. 'I didn't have patriotic feelings for China in the past. But that has changed. Our teachers were mainly professors at Tsinghua and other academic institutions as well as government officials. They were all willing to answer our questions. Listening to them expanded my previous western approach to understanding China.' Jessie (right 1) and classmates during a visit to a Tsinghua professor Chinese UniversityBulletin,Autum n .W i n t e r1997 16