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US provosts visit Monash

26 October 2005

Four provosts representing the Association of American Universities (AAU) visited Monash last week in an effort to strengthen links between Australia and the US.

Visiting provosts (from left): Dr Erickson, Dr Davis, Dr Knapp and Dr Freund.

The delegation included Dr Debbie Freund from Syracuse University, Dr George Davis from the University of Arizona in Tucson, Dr Rod Erickson from Pennsylvania State University and Dr Steven Knapp from Johns Hopkins University.

The provosts hold a position roughly equivalent to Australian senior deputy vice-chancellors, with a strong research focus. They are the most senior academics, after their university president.

Last week's tour, led by Monash's senior adviser on special initiatives, Professor David Copolov, included visits to the Australian Synchrotron and the Australian Stem Cell Centre and meetings with the Vice Chancellor's Group and the Vice-Chancellor's Group -- International. Meetings with other Group of Eight universities were scheduled in the preceding and following days.

Senior Monash staff were keen to show the delegation the calibre of the research at the university, with the provosts meeting academics working on world-leading research.

Founded in 1900, the AAU is an association of leading research universities in the US and Canada. There are currently 61 members. It is a similar body to the Australian Group of Eight.