Secretary for Education Michael Suen will lead a Hong Kong delegation to Melbourne November 30 to December 4 to attend the 2008 International Education Leaders' Dialogue.

The conference provides a valuable opportunity for key education leaders from high performing jurisdictions to come together and share their experiences in school reform.

It will focus on the latest policies and strategies proving to be effective, and will concentrate on sustaining progress and positioning jurisdictions for the next phase of reform.

During his stay Mr Suen will call on Bronwyn Pike, Minister for Education of Victoria's Department of Education & Early Childhood Development.

He will meet education and community leaders to brief them on the Hong Kong Government's steadfast commitment to education and to nurturing the younger generation, including the new academic structure for senior secondary education and higher education, and the city's development as a regional education hub.

He will meet University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis and speak at a luncheon meeting hosted by University of Melbourne Provost Professor Peter McPhee.

Visits to primary and secondary schools have been scheduled.

Mr Suen will also deliver a speech at a reception for business and community leaders at Melbourne Town Hall and attend a dinner hosted by the Victoria chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association.

Accompanying Mr Suen will be the Deputy Secretaries for Education, Betty Ip and Dr Catherine Chan, and the Secretary-General of the Hong Kong Examinations & Assessment Authority Dr Francis Cheung.