shanghai campus

Mr Jim Lucey - Principal St Edmund's College

St. Edmund's College formed an agreement with the Xuhui District Education Office to set up the Shanghai campus under a sister school arrangement.

The campus provides residential facilities and is attached to the South West Weiyu Middle School in the Xuhui District of Shanghai. The timing of the program is such that the exchanges partly overlap the summer break in the Chinese school year as well as term breaks in the St. Edmund's school calendar. This allows integration with the host school program as well as facilitates accommodation for the students.

Groups of around 25 students accompanied by teachers undertake a 5-week study program at the campus. The first group completed the program in 2001 and each year has seen a new group of St Edmund's students enriched by the immersion experience.

St. Edmund's College has appointed a Campus Program Coordinator who oversees the daily administration and organization during the exchanges.

A structured program has been implemented where students study the culture, environment and daily life in Shanghai. The program first focuses on the school and home life of the host students at the South West Weiyu Middle School and extends out into the city of Shanghai and into other cities in China. The St Edmund's students join the host school students in classes, attend an array of special lessons and access the computer facilities to complete their course of study. The staff members live in residential facilities on the school campus and have access to the teaching facilities at the school.

A home-stay component is fundamental to the program and allows the students to come to know local students and their families and experience the patterns of their daily lives.

The course of study of the cultural life in Shanghai, undertaken by the students, uses up to date communications technology in its delivery and reporting and integrates with the St. Edmunds College system to provide a continuous link with home.

In 2002, South West Weiyu Middle School opened a reciprocal Ipswich Campus at St Edmund's College. Each year a group of 20 students and accompanying teachers has been warmly welcomed by the school community as they have undertaken a reciprocal program in Australia.