Calendar 2006–07

82 Part 2 • General Information Liaison with the World of Learning The University has since its inception in 1963 striven to cross-fertilize Chinese and Western academic and cultural traditions. To this end, the University has over the years established and maintained partnerships with a large number of institutions around the world, including universities, research institutes, centres of learning, governmental agencies and regional and international associations of higher learning. The University is a member of a number of international education bodies which provide a platform for exploration and development of academic partnerships. Some of them include the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of Southeast Asian Institute of Higher Learning and the International Association of Universities. It is also a member of the prestigiousAssociation of University Presidents of China and it has served as the secretariat since its founding in 1997. A Committee on Academic Links formulates policies for academic linkages to ensure the University’s academic priorities are supported through the linkage partnerships and programmes. Academic linkages and programmes at the University are managed by two offices: the Office of Academic Links and the Office of Academic Links (China). The Office of Academic Links is responsible for the coordination of student exchange programmes and for the University’s relations on the international front. The Office of Academic Links (China) is responsible for mainland and cross- straits relations. Student Exchanges The University’s first student exchange programme was launched in 1965 with the University of California system. Since then student exchange programmes have been established with over 160 institutions in 25 countries. Besides the University of California system, exchange partners include Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania in the USA, University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto in Canada, University College London and University of Aberdeen in the UK, Korea University and Seoul National University in Korea and Tsinghua University and Peking University in China. There are also exchange agreements with universities in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, SouthAfrica, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. During the academic year 2005–06 approximately 450 CUHK students participated in student exchange programmes for one term or one academic year. In addition to this, some 2,000 short-term study and work abroad opportunities were available to CUHK students. CUHK welcomes many international students on exchange each year. The campus is internationalized as local and international students study, live and engage in activities together. Approximately 700 international students came to study at CUHK during 2005–06.