Established by ordinance in 1984 with an autonomous governing council, the Academy for Performing Arts (APA) offers professional training in dance, drama, music, film and television, theatre technical arts and Chinese traditional theatre.

During the year, Professor Kevin Thompson, Director of the Academy sealed key alliance agreements with several peer international institutions, such as Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, Vienna Hochschule, and Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts to promote exchanges between the institutions.

During the year, the APA prepared to launch two academic programmes at master's degree level: Master of Fine Arts (Dance) and Master of Music. The first students on the programmes are expected in the 2006-2007 academic year.

In 2005, the Academy's Extension and Continuing Education for Life (EXCEL) Unit enrolled nearly 7 000 participants in 332 courses across the arts spectrum.