Students test US video link

The City University of Hong Kong is conducting trials on teaching students through video-conferencing.

Students have been linked via satellite to classes in the United States for seminars and discussions.

The innovation is taking place at a $10 million Integrated Teaching Studio opened in September.

CityU is the first Hong Kong education institution to use video-conferencing in teaching, a spokesman said. It is being tried out by postgraduates.

Students can see and communicate with counterparts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York State.

One disadvantage is the time zone difference, which means classes have to be conducted very early or late.