The University of Newcastle, Australia

Two senior members of the Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) are in Newcastle to select second and third year Bachelor of Communication students from the University of Newcastle to work at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The University is the only tertiary institution in New South Wales selected to send students to work with the international media contingent at the Olympics. The students will work as 'flash quote' reporters, gathering information from competitors and providing it quickly and accurately to journalists.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nicholas Saunders, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with BOCOG last year to secure the arrangement.

Thirty positions are available for students enrolled in journalism and/or public relations studies in the School of Design, Communication and Information Technology in the Faculty of Science and Information Technology. Ten of the 30 students selected to work at the Olympics will stay on after the Games to work in similar roles at the Paralympics.

BOCOG officials will tomorrow oversee testing of 44 students vying to win a placement at the world's most prestigious sporting event. The students will be interviewed, tested for audio-visual comprehension and recollection, and give oral presentations that evaluate communication skills.

The Olympic Games will be held this year from August 8 to 21 and the Paralympics from September 6 to 17.

Watch the story on SBS Television's World News Tonight

PICTURE OPPORTUNITY:
Members of BOCOG will be available for a picture with the students vying to be selected. WHEN: Tuesday 19 February 2008
WHERE: Purdue Room, next to the Great Hall, the University of Newcastle, Newcastle campus, at Callaghan
TIME: 11am SHARP