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Monash University > News and Events > Monash Memo
Ancora Imparo, March 2006
1 March 2006
One of the things that sets Monash apart is its international strategy. This manifests itself partly in the large number of international students who choose to study at Monash University in Australia, partly in the research and educational partnerships and exchanges we have with many of the world's leading universities and partly through the international approach we are attempting to infuse through our teaching.
These strategies are by no means unique. Indeed, most leading international universities would claim a similar emphasis on these approaches, although Monash University has probably been the most active in these respects. But given that we are a research-intensive university, what is really special is the extent to which Monash has developed a physical presence offshore. Our international focus is recognised in Monash Directions 2025 as an important emphasis for Monash into the future.
Our undergraduate campuses in Malaysia and South Africa are thriving, but it will be some years before they are mature enough to assume positions as leading research-intensive universities at the pinnacle of the higher education system in their respective countries. Meanwhile, they require considerable support from our faculties and administrative divisions in Australia.
Until the campuses in South Africa and Malaysia are mature and self-sustaining, it would be premature to plan any further international undergraduate campuses. It is very important, though, that we do not lose our momentum.
We must take advantage of our global positioning, which we feel will become more and more important for our research success and for the opportunities it provides for our students and graduates. Both the South Asia and the North Asia Steering Groups have identified significant opportunities for Monash to take advantage of the economic growth, investment in research and development and human capital of India and China. Moreover, large multinationals are investing in research and development in these two 'Asian tigers' in contrast with the very low investment by business and industry in research in Australia.
Monash needs to escape the shackles imposed by the forlorn state of public funding of universities in Australia if we are to achieve our goal to become one of the best universities in the world.
Together with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Edwina Cornish, the Dean of Engineering, Professor Tam Sridhar, the Dean of Science, Professor Rob Norris, and the Vice-President Technology of BHP-Billiton, Dr Megan Clark, I recently visited a number of research institutions and government authorities in India. The delegation was inspired by the opportunities presented by the human talent and the industry investment in research and development in that country. We followed up initial research by Professor Tam Sridhar, the Dean of Engineering and the Chair of the South Asia Steering Group.
We are planning to establish a joint research academy with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) in Mumbai. This academy would enhance collaborative research, attract outstanding scientists, train the brightest research higher degree students jointly badged by IITB and Monash University and attract substantial investment in research from industry. BHP-Billiton has already committed significant funding to this proposed initiative, and both the Indian and Australian governments have indicated their support. The initial focus would be likely to be in areas relating to engineering and geosciences.
Of course, Monash University already has many collaborative activities in India and China. The Arts faculty works closely with the University of Calcutta and, in February, co-hosted a most successful conference on globalisation and post-colonial writing in February. The Monash Asia Institute works closely with the Jawarhal Nehru University in Delhi, and the Education faculty has joint teaching and research programs with the University of Pune. In China, our Faculty of Business and Economics has joint programs in health services management and human resource management with Tsinghua University, the Peking Union Medical College and the medical school of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (previously known as the Shanghai Second Medical University). Our Engineering faculty has research and teaching links with several Chinese universities. There are many other such activities, but the proposals for a joint research institute in India and a joint research laboratory in China are new approaches which will take research and research training links to a new level.
Shortly after the visit to India, a delegation from the Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences visited Monash University to advance discussions already in train about a joint research laboratory in China with the School of Biological Sciences and the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories. A subsequent visit to Monash by the Chinese Minister for Education and Technology confirmed the great enthusiasm by China to collaborate with Monash in biomedical science, and the joint laboratory will be a great way to take this collaboration forward.
Both initiatives will, of course, need to have careful business planning and go through our formal approval processes. However, they do demonstrate the way in which we can take advantage of the outstanding reputation already achieved by our researchers internationally to become a significant part of the research activity of India and China. This will complement our offshore activities in Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe.
Professor Richard Larkins
Vice-Chancellor
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