A hundred new teachers from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region embarked on a study tour to the Chinese mainland on Tuesday — the first such tour.

Coming from secondary, primary and special schools, they were led by Michelle Li, Hong Kong's permanent secretary for education.

South China Normal University in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, was commissioned to organize the four-day tour, which includes school visits, thematic seminars and visits to enterprises and cultural sites.

The tour aims to enable teachers to learn about the latest developments in the country, thereby strengthening their ability to cultivate students' sense of national identity, according to a statement from the SAR government.

Li said at a launching ceremony at South China Normal University that she hoped all the teachers would cherish the learning opportunity and deepen their understanding of the educational, social and cultural developments on the mainland, and also think about the opportunities and role of Hong Kong in the country's progress.

She also encouraged the teachers to lead students to understand Hong Kong's role and build a broader stage for the country, for Hong Kong and themselves.

The university has carried out sound cooperation and interaction with the educational sector of Hong Kong for a long time. Thirty new teachers from Guangzhou also participated in the program, said Wang Enke, president of the university.

The university hopes to step up information sharing among teachers, raise their professional capacity and facilitate synergy in their development, he said.