Associate Professor Alison Owens recently visited China at the invitation of Guangxi University to receive an Honorable Professorship and deliver a series of cross-cultural training workshops for students at the Sino-Canadian International College at Guangxi.

Dr Owens, who is Director of CQUniversity's International Education Research Centre, said students at Guangxi undertake two years of English study and content-study in English before moving on into a three-year bachelor degree.

"They achieve a very high level of English competence considering their immersion in a Chinese speaking community," she says.

Assoc Prof Alison Owens delivers a workshop at Guangxi University

While in China, Assoc Prof Owens delivered a workshop for teachers about 'teaching successfully across culture'. She also held a focus group interview with foreign teachers at Guangxi University, seeking their experiences of crossing culture and pedagogical/curricula frameworks.

A total of 400 students viewed the workshops and about 50 teachers attended the teaching workshop.

Along with Professor Qin Chengqian and Dr Clive Graham, Assoc Prof Owens is a co-applicant for an Australian-China Business Council Grant to continue to develop the pedagogical partnership between CQUniversity and Guangxi University through collaborative program development and research.

"Guangxi University is eager to build cross-institutional relationships through student and staff exchange as well as research," she says. "Prof Qin's College can also offer Education graduates teaching work or practicum experience, especially for TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) graduates."

"The recent IERC Visiting Scholar placement of Prof Qin Chengqian was the catalyst for this visit."

Alison's workshops attracted around 400 students 
Guangxi University recognises Alison's input during the workshops