Future stars: Michael Suen chats with students at Melbourne's Maribyrnong Secondary College which targets youngsters with top sporting potential.

Secretary for Education Michael Suen today visited a specialist secondary school and shared Hong Kong's experience in education reform on the second day of his visit in Melbourne.

He visited Maribyrnong Secondary College which had faced problems associated with under-enrolment but is now operating as a secondary school balancing the academic needs and the sporting goals of students with the potential to be elite athletes.

Mr Suen also toured Federation Square, a cultural precinct combining modern architecture with heritage redevelopment in the city.

He then joined a reception hosted by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Sydney where he discussed the extensive reform process Hong Kong has undertaken, including the introduction of 12 years of free education at the beginning of the current school year, the implementation of the New Senior Secondary academic structure for enhancing teaching and learning, and the development as a regional education hub by attracting outstanding students to study in Hong Kong.

Mr Suen later attended a dinner hosted by the Hong Kong Australia Business Association Victorian Chapter where he met local businessmen with strong Hong Kong connections.