What is CHATS?

The CHATS (which stands for China, Hong Kong, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore) Forum was inaugurated in 2005 when the Principals of the following five schools agreed to host an annual gathering of science talents on a rotation basis:

• Nankai High School, PRC
  
• St Paul’s Co-educational College, Hong Kong
  
• The Hutchins School, Australia
  
• Stella Matutina Girls High School, Taiwan
  
• Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore

Through this program, we hope to provide a platform for collaborative learning in Science and Technology through the interaction and sharing of research ideas amongst students of diverse cultural backgrounds. The forum will also serve to demonstrate the success of Science education through experimental project work carried out by student participants of the various countries. Students involved in this programme are selected among high achievers in the area of school-based science research.

This year, Hwa Chong Institution will be hosting the CHATS Youth Science Forum from 13 to 17 April in Singapore. The theme of the forum is “Nature and Technology in Harmony”.

CHATS Online Community

As a new initiative for CHATS Youth Science Forum 2009 this year, we are setting up an online community in the form of a blog where all participants from the schools involved can do sharing online. Content includes:

• Progress and update on research
  
• Difficulties faced
  
• Solutions explored and used
  
• What could have been improved and further extensions
  
• Interesting experiences during the process of research and preparation for the research
  
• Sharing on Science research by the students in general
  
• Sharing on the theme on "Nature and Technology in Harmony"
  
• Sharing between different schools
  
• Other interesting news related to the event

The rationale for this is to encourage communication and sharing amongst various schools. We would also like to create greater awareness about this event amongst our partner schools who are not directly participating in this event.