2006 Media Releases
Friday, 10 November 2006
La Trobe hosts INU Council meeting - seeking better global understanding
Twenty-five delegates – including five University Vice-Chancellors, Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents – from Europe, the USA, Asia and Australia will meet in Melbourne for four days from this Saturday, 11 November, when La Trobe University hosts the Annual Council meeting of the International Network of Universities.
The eight-nation 13-member International Network of Universities (INU) is led by La Trobe University and has boosted greatly Australian student, staff and research interaction with the rest of the world.
La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian Stoddart, who is hosting the meeting, says joint international research is becoming one of the principal features of the INU, and the Council meeting will reaffirm that.
The meeting will also launch the INU ‘Henry Fong Awards for Global Citizenship’, with a ceremony for the inaugural winners.
Winner of the Staff Award is La Trobe University’s Professor Hans Westerbeek, Head of the School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management in the Faculty of Law and Management. (See separate media release.) The winner of the Student Award will be announced at the meeting.
The awards are sponsored by prominent Hong Kong business leader and philanthropist, Dr Henry Fong Yun-Wah, widely known for his support of education and culture.
‘Through his generous donation, the INU can take another important step towards fulfilling its mission of fostering global understanding and cooperation between developed and less developed nations,’ says Professor Stoddart.
The INU has also developed a rare and innovative shadowing program for senior and middle level administrative staff, being piloted this year, to strengthen global links between universities.
With little rigorous research to date assessing in detail the benefits of learning abroad, another agenda item is a joint project with James Madison University, US, titled: ‘Lessons Learned in Assessing International Learning.’
Funded by the American Council on Education, this study is being carried out by James Madison’s International Beliefs and Values Institute (IBAVI).
For further information - INU Secretariat:
Jo Watts, Tel: 03 9479 5015, Email: j.watts@latrobe.edu.au or Gunilla Carlecrantz, Tel: 03 9479 3267, Email: g.carlecrantz@latrobe.edu.au
See also: http://www.inunis.net/index.htm
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/bulletin/news11.html