At the invitation of the Chair of the Australian DDOGS Committee, a delegation of deans from the Chinese Joint Council of Deans of Graduate Schools (JCDGS), led by the leader Gao Dai (Vice Dean of Graduate School of Peking University) and the deputy leaders Guo Xiangqun (Executive Vice Dean of Graduate School of Xiamen University) and Pu Lijie (Vice Dean of Graduate School of Nanjing University), attended the Australian DDOGS Conference held in Perth from May 3 to May 15, 2011. Under the leadership of Vice President Guo Xiangqun (Executive Vice President of Graduate School of Xiamen University) and Vice President Pu Lijie (Vice President of Graduate School of Nanjing University), they attended the 2011 conferences of Australian Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies (DDOGS) and Australian Research Training Administrators (ARTA) in Perth. The DDOGS conference is the first of its kind in Australia.

The DDOGS conference is a very important conference in the field of graduate education in Australia. The main topics of this year's DDOGS and ARTA 2011 Conference included: Australia's research talent strategy and postgraduate education in the next decade; issues related to postgraduate quality assessment indicators; cross-disciplinary postgraduate training; and international cooperation in postgraduate education. The deans listened to the presentations and participated in the panel discussions, and gained a better understanding of Australia's research talent strategy, as well as the current situation of Australian postgraduate education, the problems they face and the countermeasures they will take.

On behalf of the Joint Conference, Vice Dean Gao Dai of Graduate School of Peking University and Vice Dean Wang Bingzhong of Graduate School of University of Electronic Science and Technology made presentations in the conference. They introduced the historical development process, current situation and future development trend of postgraduate education in China, as well as the cooperation between China and Australia in postgraduate research training. The presentations of the Chinese delegates received great attention from their foreign counterparts and sparked lively discussions.

After the meeting, the Dean's delegation visited the University of Melbourne and the University of New South Wales. The delegation was received by David Beckett and Mary Wlodek, Associate Deans of the Graduate School of the University of Melbourne, and Laura A. Poole-Warren, Dean of the Graduate School of the University of New South Wales, respectively. In the two universities, the delegation discussed the management of graduate education, internationalization of graduate education, quality assessment of graduate students and other hot issues of common concern in the field of graduate education between China and Australia, especially the issue of dual-degree graduate education between China and Australia was discussed in depth and a consensus was reached to further promote this work.

During the subsequent study visit, the delegation also visited the University of Western Australia, the University of Queensland, James Cook University, Monash University, the University of Sydney and other famous Australian universities. We all learned about the successful experience of foreign postgraduate education while promoting and demonstrating the achievements of Chinese postgraduate education. The exchange visit is of great significance to strengthen further cooperation and communication between China and Australia in the field of degree and postgraduate education, promote the internationalization process of China's postgraduate education and enhance the international influence of China's graduate schools.

Highlights of the delegation activities.

Delegation leader Prof. Gao Dai made a report of the conference on behalf of ACGS

Prof. Wang Bingzhong from University of Electronic Science and Technology gave a report

Group photo of delegation members with Ms. Helene Marsh, head of DDOGS of Australia

Delegation members visit the University of Melbourne

Secretariat of ACGS

May 18th, 2011