Since 2011, the School has been sending two to three students to take part in the Salzburg Academy each year. This year He Qijun, Tam Hio Tong and Zhang Xiao were selected to join the 2015 programme on behalf of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

They joined students from 20 countries on five continents to discover how digital media can tackle issues of both local and global concern. During the three-week programme at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, students participated in skill-enhancing workshops and intense small group discussions; attended expert-led lectures; and ultimately developed case studies, innovative strategies, and media tools with the goal of creating real life impact in their local and global communities.

Tam Hio Tong, third year journalism student, applied for the programme because she was impressed by the projects done by the Salzburg Global and the Salzburg Academy in the past.

According to Tam, working in smaller groups with people from different countries and academic backgrounds was very interesting for her. She hopes to use the different media tools she learnt at the Academy back in her hometown, Macau, where freedom of expression is limited. “Citizens don’t really have the right to express their voice and their opinions. I really want to change that situation in my hometown.”