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2026 CAN Oceania — Our second successful CAN Oceania tour!

by |Published

We're proud to share that the second edition of the WLSA CAN Oceania Tour was a resounding success. Building on last year's inaugural tour, we returned to the region with a full itinerary across Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, spotlighting the value of global education and the holistic approach behind US college admissions through our CAN (College Admissions Network).
This year's tour drew stronger attendance and deeper collaboration across schools than the first. With WLSA CAN set to expand to a new continent next year, this second Oceania tour leaves behind an established regional network and a shared vision for future collaboration — proof that curiosity and understanding turn cultural differences into a shared narrative.

About CAN

Since 2013, the College Admissions Network has built a global bridge between leading secondary schools and universities — giving students, parents, counselors and educators genuine insight into US university life, while offering universities a clearer picture of secondary education worldwide. Through conferences, forums and tours, CAN continues to deepen cross-cultural understanding on both sides.

Closed-Door Meetings and EducationUSA

At each stop, closed-door meetings brought together local principals, education leaders and policymakers for candid discussion on how the Australian and New Zealand education systems compare to their US counterpart — insight that directly informs how admissions officers read applicants from the region.

Sydney - Melbourne - Auckland

The tour opened in Sydney, hosted by Redlands School, drawing more than 250 attendees from 11 schools. Sean Corcoran (Redlands) and Stuart McPherson (Sydney Grammar) led the closed-door roundtable, followed by a University Admissions Panel moderated by WLSA chair Douglas Christiansen of Vanderbilt University, and a CAN Fair featuring USC, the University of Chicago and Brown University.

"You can study anything, do anything — everything is open to you in those four years. And an Aussie accent is popular, let me tell you. You'll stand out just for how you sound."

Mr. James Nondorf

Vice President for Enrollment and Student Advancement and Dean of College Admissions and Financial Aid, The University of Chicago

From there, the tour moved to Melbourne, where Wesley College welcomed over 200 delegates, students and parents for another round of closed-door sessions, panel discussions and the CAN Fair format. EducationUSA joined this stop to spotlight resources for local students applying to US universities, alongside candid, practical guidance from senior admissions officers.

"Don't try to be someone you're not. Allow your authenticity to shine and genuinely be yourself. Better a misplaced comma with personality, than a perfect essay without one."

Logan Powell

Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions, Brown University

The tour closed in Auckland, where the Aotea Centre drew the biggest turnout, opening with a cultural performance before an afternoon of panel discussions on New Zealand's education landscape. Patrick Gale, Principal of King's College, co-moderated the closed-door session, rounding out the tour on a reflective note about the future of global education.

"Applying for university is most certainly a family discussion, but ultimately it is the decision of the student about what their future holds."

Douglas Christiansen

Vice Provost for University Enrollment Affairs and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Vanderbilt University

Sydney | 25 July

The first stop of the tour was hosted at Redlands School in Sydney, with teachers, students, parents and administrators from 11 local institutions in attendance.

Melbourne | July 27

The second stop was hosted at Wesley College in Melbourne.

Auckland | July 29

The final stop of the tour was hosted at Aotea Centre in Auckland.

Part 01

Panel Discussion

Admission Representatives Share Insights on 7 Key US College Application Topics

The panel discussion focused on core topics of US undergraduate application. University representatives shared diverse perspectives based on their institutional practices, broke down admission logic and provided practical application guidance for students and families.

Part 02

University Fair

Connect Directly with Admission Officers for First-Hand Information

Part 03

Closed-Door Roundtables

Bridging Perspectives to Build Cross‑System Admissions Insight

Participating Institutions

  • Boston University
  • Brown University
  • Northwestern University
  • Rice University
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Southern California
  • Vanderbilt University
  • College Board

Want to keep up with future CAN events and WLSA programs? Reach out to us at globalprogram@wlsash.org.cn for the latest updates — we look forward to seeing you soon!