Zhang Qian

zhqcindy@163.com

The Independent Preparatory Academy (IPA) of Shenzhen held its first high table dinner on the evening of July 2. This event was also believed to be the first of its kind in China to be held specifically for high school students, according to the school.

The tradition of high table dinners originated with colleges at Oxford and Cambridge universities. The purpose of the event was to introduce students to proper banquet etiquette and manners, while providing them with an opportunity to mingle and socialize with faculty in a non-academic setting. Following the tradition, students and faculty wore black ties to the event, while the high table guests wore academic gowns.

Before the dinner started, the former VP of the College Board USA, also an education and academic assessment specialist, Wang Xiangbo, shared his experience of both being a first generation immigrant and holding senior positions within the exam industry, offering advice for students on how to excel in their careers.

Starting at 7:30 p.m., attendees were served a seven-course meal including stewed beef ribs with potato purée as a main and chocolate mousse at the end as a dessert. Soda and juice were served in place of alcohol.

IPA students also competed in an academic presentation contest in English that afternoon. Prior to the contest, each student was asked to choose a topic of his or her personal interest, and was given a month to gather information and to prepare a short presentation on the chosen topic.

The students exchanged ideas and shared lessons learned with their peers, wrote and rehearsed their speeches and got feedback from their advisers. The contest was a testimony to both the students’ independent research capabilities and their practical English skills.

It was also on this day that IPA announced its expansion plans. After eight years of incubation at multiple sites, IPA was ready to scale its education programs to a larger campus. The planned IPA International Science College will be located next to China Merchants Shekou Academy in Shekou, Nanshan District. The campus will be capable of accommodating 1,500 students.

Recently the school launched a scholarship program for foreign children who demonstrate a special talent, outstanding academic skills or excellent results on the entrance test. The deadline for the scholarship application is August 1.