Writing workshops for creative types City University's department of English is holding creative writing workshops open to the public next month. The first will be held on January 17 at the Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre from 2pm to 3.30pm. It will look at the blood, sweat and tears of fiction. Artist in residence and renowned author Xu Xi will be sharing her experience of writing four published novels. There will be handouts on the art of fiction writing and a brief exercise. On January 24 a workshop on memoir writing will run from 11am to 12.30pm. Xu will talk about writing creative non-fiction. Foreign students love Canada Canada took in a record number of foreign students this year, according to its minister of citizenship and immigration, Chris Alexander. It issued 103,999 study permits from January to September, an 11 per cent increase from the same period in 2013, and a 26 per cent increase from the same period in 2012. China is the largest source of foreign students, with 29,414 from the country in 2013. This compares to 13,758 from India, 7,284 from South Korea, 7,045 from France, and 4,847 from the US. In June this year, Canada announced new regulations to strengthen its reputation as a study destination of choice, improve services for genuine students, and protect its reputation for high-quality education, while reducing the potential for fraud and misuse of the programme. To register, email enevent@cityu.edu.hk Scad fashion show prepares for runway The College of Art and Design (Scad) Hong Kong will host its first fashion show on January 15, showing the collections of some of Scad's most accomplished students. More than 30 standout looks, curated by Professor Michael Fink, dean of its School of Fashion, will be presented. America's Next Top Model judge and runway coach Miss J Alexander will help students to show their designs, and will be offering fashion and runway tips. New university entrance tests eyed A Japanese government advisory body on education has proposed the introduction of new academic skill evaluation tests for university entrance exams, calling on universities to place more importance on essays and interviews with applicants, in addition to the paper tests. The new mechanism is slated for launch on April 1, 2020, after the current national centre test for university exams is abolished. The evaluation tests would be repeated during each year so applicants can attempt to better their results.
