Chinese city leaders in Adelaide for training

Monday, 22 November 2010

Thirty Chinese officials, including city mayors and leading figures in local and national government, will spend this week in Adelaide as part of a unique and highly successful training program.

The Chinese Mayors' Management Training Program aims to encourage trade and investment between South Australia and China, while teaching the mayors about how South Australia manages such challenges as water conservation, renewable energy, urban sprawl and housing for low-income communities.

This is the fourth year that the intensive management program has been run by the University of Adelaide's Institute for International Trade. This year's program will bring to 126 the number of Chinese officials who have been trained so far.

"Our training program is unique in Australia. It has seen some of China's most senior, respected government officials spend time in South Australia, giving them insights into our state and local governments, as well as the private sector," says the head of the program, Jim Redden, from the Institute for International Trade.

"The program has become highly valued both here in Australia and in China. The mayors and government officials we've trained in previous years have spread the word about its benefits, and we've had a great deal of support for this program from the South Australian and Federal Governments.

"China only sends its mayors to three countries for such training - the USA, France and Australia - so it has been quite a coup for the Institute to capture and secure this program for Adelaide," Mr Redden says.

"It's highly likely that some of the senior people being trained in Adelaide this week will become future national leaders in China. They will be well placed to build business links between Australia and China, and they will do so with a greater understanding of South Australia and its people."

The program's intensive educational component includes: Australia's political system, economy and culture; urban planning and design; industry development; management of major infrastructure projects; and energy, the environment and sustainable water systems.

The cultural component of their visit will include a trip to the Adelaide Zoo to see the panda exhibit, as well as sampling from South Australian vineyards.

Mr Redden says the success of the program has led to a further commitment to stage the program until at least 2013.

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