Established by ordinance in 1984 with an autonomous governing council, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts offers professional training up to degree level in the performing arts, theatre technical arts, film and television and Chinese traditional theatre.

    The academy's regional and international profile developed significantly during the year with student performance tours to Guangzhou, Shanghai, Taiwan, Paris, Brussels, Vienna, Utrecht and London. Films produced by the academy's film and television students were screened in France: at the International Short Film Festival in Clermont Ferrand and at the Cannes Film Festival. A student cinematographer was awarded the Kodak East Asia region Cinematography Prize. Besides this, the academy was successful in the Steinway and Sons International Youth Piano Competition in Beijing with six junior music students and its Head of Keyboard winning awards.

    The academy's Extension and Continuing Education for Life (EXCEL) Unit enjoyed a year of rapid growth. From its inception in May 2001 up to the end of 2002, the unit enrolled 3 500 participants in over 200 courses across the spectrum of disciplines taught at the academy.

    In April, the academy's website was re-launched, offering a range of innovative features including a virtual tour of teaching and performing facilities, an online talent search database, costume hire catalogue and a multimedia gallery of students' projects and productions.