Aseries of agreements were reached at a meeting of the Presidents of the China Central Radio and Television University (CCRTVU), Shanghai Television University and the OUHK held in Shanghai from 9 to 10 April.

Under the agreement, the OUHK will organize a training programme from 10 to 15 August this year in Hong Kong for about 30 academic and administrative staff from radio and television universities on the mainland. Participants will study the theory and practice of open and distance learning as well as the feasibility of its application on the mainland. They will look closely at the OUHK's experience, and in particular, at the development of course materials and the open access and management systems.

In order to strengthen contacts between the OUHK and distance learning institutions on the mainland, CCRTVU and the OUHK will link their on-line newsletters via the Internet. As a result, updated information will be available to readers at both universities. Moreover, starting from June this year, once a month CCRTVU News will allocate a special page carrying information about latest developments at the OUHK.

The OUHK and Shanghai TVU hope to jointly offer a Chinese MBA programme and produce audio-video and multi media course materials. In turn, the OUHK will also investigate the possibility of adopting audio-video course materials from CCRTVU and Shanghai TVU to Hong Kong.

There are already a few on-going research projects between the OUHK and Shanghai TVU. The two universities will further examine the collaborative training of research staff.

The tripartite meeting will meet annually in the future. The next meeting will be held in Hong Kong in 2000.