Study Tour For Principals & School Leaders

Since 2008 the Confucius Institute at the University of Adelaide has organised annual Study Tours to China for leaders in primary and secondary schools.

The tours aim to expose principals, deputies and other senior staff to the changing face of contemporary China, and by doing so highlight the importance of providing Australian students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage with the country in the future.

Feedback from Mr Paul Wilson, Principal, Golden Grove High School and participant in 2011 tour:

"Just being able to be immersed in the country for a short period was immensely enriching for me – I learnt so much by keeping my eyes open and simply observing.  It was so good to have the immersion ‘softened’ and supported by being part of this tour group.  Although I am not a great one for wandering around museums and shrines and places of significance I did enjoy all of the visits that the itinerary provided – this gave me a rich perspective on the traditions and proud history of the country and the value the Chinese place on preserving this in the face of the modernisation and enormous change the country is going through.  I know that on this visit I only touched the ‘tip of the iceberg’.  China is an enormous country with many diverse regions and all with their traditions and customs and history.  I want to return to China and see more of it – this trip has whetted my appetite for this."

"The trip has re-affirmed my belief that it is so important in today’s global economy and world to give the young people in our schools a sense of the traditions and culture and differences from other parts of the world away from what they know in Australia.  Cultural understanding and respectful perspectives about other places and other people will continue to be a high priority for the learning of the young people in the schools that I lead.  This learning is facilitated by travel and visits and by the study of languages other than English."