Melbourne Study Tour Unveils Cultural Insights for Sustainable City Branding
In today’s interwoven world, a global perspective is always essential for developing effective communication solutions. PolyU’s Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies (CBS) has been realising this international outlook in its programmes.
Recently, a team of six students from CBS’s Master of Arts in Bilingual Corporate Communication (MABCC) and four academic staff returned from an enriching 10-day research trip to Melbourne, where they explored a project titled Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies in Social Media for Sustainable City Branding.
The guided tour was facilitated by CBS’s academics, namely Prof. Cindy S.B. NGAI, Prof. YU Wenting, Mr. Jackin WONG and Ms. JIANG Rui Freya, who provided valuable academic and logistical support throughout the journey. Conducted in partnership with Visit Victoria, the project examines how social media can amplify Melbourne's sustainability narrative for global audiences, particularly in China, while assessing stakeholder perceptions through surveys, interviews, and discourse analysis.
The group engaged with leading institutions, including Victoria University and Monash University, where faculty members shared ground-breaking research on sustainable tourism and academia-government collaborations that shape Melbourne's city branding. Students gained first-hand exposure to how research translates into policy and innovative tourism practices.
Furthermore, interviews with cultural industry leaders, namely Ms. Yolanda FINCH, Head of Tourism at Melbourne Museum, and Ms. Melissa RAY, Head of Marketing at National Gallery of Victoria, revealed how arts and culture institutions contribute to sustainability and tourism. The team also connected with a green tour operator and a sustainable architecture expert.
Among the highlights was the excursion to Yarra Valley, where the team studied sustainable winemaking practices and gathered tourist perspectives on Melbourne’s eco-conscious appeal. The trip culminated in a meeting with Visit Victoria’s leadership, including Mr. Nigel ALDONS, Head of Global Markets & Commercial, and Ms. Sissi WANG, Manager for Greater China Markets, who provided expert insights on engaging international audiences through social media.
The students found the experience transformative. “Through a combination of workshops, discussions, and interviews, I was inspired to think critically about urban development and brand management,” remarked MABCC student XIA Yaoyin.
Her classmate, Sophia HAN Lu, deepened the understanding of qualitative methodology and noted, “I learned that qualitative research isn’t about harvesting answers, but incubating questions. This transformed me into a more thoughtful observer and patient listener, allowing me to sense the authentic pulse of Melbourne through its diverse storytelling.”
Another MABCC student, DUAN Yifei, reflected on the research journey, saying, “It taught me that creating a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for interviewees, especially in a foreign setting, is crucial. As I conducted more interviews, I grew to appreciate the effectiveness of informal approaches, noticing that participants often shared more during relaxed conversations.”
Spotting possibilities for sustainable development in tourism planning, the participating student Jeanne YANG Chunyan added, “We truly recognised the efforts Melbourne makes as a tourist city and understood what ‘a world in every step and scene’ means.”
This immersive study tour laid the groundwork for future collaborations with Visit Victoria and Melbourne’s academic and cultural institutions. More importantly, CBS’s participants had a glimpse of the global practicalities of sustainable city branding.
