A celebration of collaboration

The origins of this collaboration can be traced to exploratory visits to Beijing undertaken in 1994 by Associate Professor Philip Newall from Macquarie University. At the time, audiology services in China faced substantial challenges:

• clinical practice relied heavily on outdated diagnostic methods
• hearing assessments were often conducted in unsuitable environments
• audiology was not formally recognised as an independent profession.

Despite China having approximately 50,000 ENT doctors, there were virtually no formally trained audiologists. At the same time, Chinese leaders recognised the urgent need to modernise hearing healthcare.

Professor Han De Min, Director of the Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology and later Director of Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, played a pivotal role in championing a new vision for audiology education and clinical practice in China.

The collaboration emerged during a period of strengthening Australia–China relations following the 1993 Memorandum of Understanding on health cooperation between the two countries. Early discussions involving Australian Hearing Services, Cochlear Ltd, Macquarie University, Chinese hospitals, universities, and health authorities identified hearing health as an important area for long-term partnership.

From the beginning, the initiative was designed not simply as knowledge transfer, but as a sustainable 'train-the-trainer' model focused on developing local expertise, leadership and long-term educational capacity within China.

In 1996, the Joint China–Australia Training Program in Audiology was formally established through collaboration between:

• Macquarie University
• Australian Hearing Services
• Beijing Institute of Otolaryngology
• Beijing Tong Ren Hospital
• Capital University of Medical Sciences.

The program aimed to support the development of audiology as a profession in China by training a founding cohort of Chinese clinicians to international standards through an intensive eighteen-month education and clinical training program.

The founding cohort included eight Chinese medical doctors and clinicians drawn from leading institutions including Tong Ren Hospital, the Navy General Hospital, the Chinese PLA General Hospital, and the China Rehabilitation Research Centre for Deaf Children. Additional trainees from hospitals, hearing clinics and rehabilitation services also participated in lectures and clinical activities.

The program combined formal lectures, supervised clinical practicum, case-based learning, paediatric audiology, hearing aid fitting, rehabilitation, cochlear implant assessment, educational audiology, and professional ethics. Teaching was delivered in intensive blocks in Beijing by Australian clinicians and educators, with additional clinical placements undertaken in Australia through Australian Hearing Services and affiliated clinics.

Australian contributors included Associate Professor Philip Newall, Lois Higgins, Alison King, Maryanne Golding, Louise Skelt, Sue Potter, Rod Hollow, Martha Follent, and many others who contributed through teaching, mentorship, curriculum development, and clinical supervision.

A critical element of the program was its emphasis on bilingual and culturally responsive teaching. Dr Shi-Ang Xu, a medically trained practitioner from Shanghai who retrained in audiology in Australia, played an essential role in bridging linguistic and cultural gaps throughout the training.

The collaboration also focused on developing Chinese-language teaching materials, clinical resources, and local teaching capability to ensure long-term sustainability.

Over the past three decades, the Australia–China collaboration has demonstrated the value of genuine international partnership built on mutual respect, trust, and shared learning.

Australian clinicians and educators contributed expertise in audiology, paediatric hearing care, cochlear implantation, rehabilitation, and professional education. In turn, Australian partners gained valuable insights from China’s large-scale service delivery, rapid workforce development, clinical innovation, and evolving models of hearing healthcare.

The collaboration extended beyond technical training to include mentorship, cultural exchange, leadership development, and long-term professional relationships.

Cochlear implantation became a particularly important focus of the partnership. Australian expertise in cochlear implant assessment, rehabilitation, and education contributed to the development of local Chinese capability, while Chinese institutions developed extensive implantation and rehabilitation programs at extraordinary scale.

In 2008, Cochlear Ltd supported a dedicated “train-the-trainer” initiative involving Professor Greg Leigh and Australian teachers and clinicians to strengthen oral language outcomes and rehabilitation services for children receiving cochlear implants in China.

Graduates of the original training programs went on to become educators, researchers, supervisors, and clinical leaders themselves, multiplying the impact of the collaboration across China’s growing hearing healthcare system.

The long-term outcomes of the collaboration have been substantial.

What began with a small cohort of clinicians in Beijing has contributed to the establishment of audiology education programs in more than 20 Chinese universities and the development of hearing healthcare services that now operate at internationally recognised standards.

Former trainees from the original programs have assumed leadership positions across clinical, academic, rehabilitation, and policy settings. Dr Wang Shuo completed postgraduate training at Macquarie University before returning to lead audiology education at Capital Medical University. Dr Long Mo later became Director of the China Rehabilitation Research Centre for Deaf Children.

The collaboration also contributed to:

• development of Chinese-language textbooks and clinical resources
• establishment of cochlear implant rehabilitation and outcome tracking systems
• expansion of graduate research programs
• pilot newborn hearing screening initiatives later adopted nationally
• strengthening of clinical supervision and workforce capability.

Annual visits to China by Emeritus Professor Philip Newall from 1996 until the COVID-19 pandemic provided continuity, mentorship, and ongoing support for the development of locally led and academically rigorous audiology programs.

Perhaps most importantly, the collaboration evolved from externally delivered training into a sustainable, locally led model of education, research and clinical care.

While this project celebrates the history of the Australia–China collaboration in hearing health, it is equally focused on the future.

Australia and China now share many common challenges and opportunities, including ageing populations, increasing demand for hearing healthcare, communication accessibility, workforce development and rapidly advancing hearing technologies.

This project brings together pioneers of the original collaboration alongside emerging leaders in audiology, hearing science, rehabilitation, medicine, and education to explore future opportunities for research, clinical innovation and international partnership.

The project reflects a shared commitment to continuing collaboration that improves hearing health outcomes, strengthens professional capability, and supports future generations of clinicians, researchers and consumers.

As part of this project, we are honoured to welcome a delegation of Chinese hearing health leaders, clinicians, researchers and educators to Sydney from 24–28 August 2026.

The visit will include workshops, research discussions, professional forums, university and clinical site visits, and public engagement activities designed to strengthen the longstanding relationships that have underpinned this collaboration for more than 30 years.

The delegation also reflects the enduring legacy of the original partnership established in the 1990s and the continued commitment of Australian and Chinese institutions to collaborative learning and professional exchange.

Throughout the project, a series of public lectures, workshops, networking events, professional forums and community engagement activities will celebrate the history of the collaboration and explore the future of hearing healthcare.

These events aim to bring together clinicians, researchers, educators, students, consumers, industry representatives and members of the broader community to discuss emerging challenges and opportunities in hearing health.

Details of upcoming events, registration information, accessibility supports and program updates will be available throughout the project.

On Tuesday evening of 25 August 2026 there will be a public event at the Lecture Theatre in the Australian Hearing Hub, called: 30 Years Together: China & Australia in Hearing Health.

This collaboration has been made possible through the contributions of universities, hospitals, government agencies, industry organisations, clinicians, educators, researchers and consumers across both Australia and China.

The project acknowledges the important contributions of:

• Macquarie University
• Capital University of Medical Sciences
• Hearing Australia
• Cochlear Ltd
• NextSense
• The Shepherd Centre
• The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
• University of Melbourne.

The collaboration also recognises the contributions of the original cohort of Chinese trainees, Australian teaching faculty, industry supporters, interpreters, clinicians and administrators whose commitment helped establish the foundations for long-term success.