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New Monash Europe centre of excellence launched

2 August 2006

His Excellency Mr Bruno Julien, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Australia and New Zealand, speaks at the launch.

Monash will become a hub for Europe academics and researchers through the establishment of the Monash European and EU Centre at the university's Clayton campus.

The new centre -- launched on Monday at Federation Square by His Excellency Mr Bruno Julien, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Australia and New Zealand -- replaces the existing Centre for European Studies within the Faculty of Arts.

Monash was last year successful in securing one of the three competitive grants offered by the European Commission for the creation of three centres of excellence in Australia and has received $1.1 million in funding from the commission.

The Monash European and EU Centre joins the Australian National University's National Europe Centre, and a third Europe Centre that is a collaborative network involving all members of the Innovative Research Universities -- La Trobe (Vic), Macquarie (NSW), Newcastle (NSW), Murdoch (WA), Flinders (SA) and Griffith (QLD).

The Interim Director of the Monash European and EU Centre, Dr Natalie Doyle, said the new centre would be undertaking a cross-disciplinary approach to European Union studies and would involve the faculties of Law, Business and Economics, and Arts.

"The centre will be integral to Monash's European involvement," Dr Doyle said. "It will expand the university's links with Europe and build on its existing involvement with the region."

A key initiative of the centre at Monash is the introduction of a Masters of European Integration degree in 2007.

The course will complement the vocational orientations of current undergraduate Monash students and encourage professional alumni to return to Monash to acquire a postgraduate qualification that adds value to their existing qualifications and professional experience.

Dr Doyle said students would be encouraged to spend a semester in Europe and undertake a study tour of EU institutions.

"The Masters of European Integration degree is designed to promote an understanding of contemporary European issues and policies from a variety of perspectives, and to encourage dialogue between Australia and Europe," she said.

The Monash European and EU Centre, co-funded by the European Union and Monash University, is one of 22 centres created around the world by the European Commission since 1998.

The centres -- based in the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia -- are seen as key components of the European Union's Lisbon Agenda that encourages education and science as building blocks for national economies and societies.

At the launch of the Monash European and EU Centre, from left, Associate Professor Marko Pavlyshyn, Head, Monash School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Professor Stephanie Fahey; Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins; His Excellency Mr Bruno Julien, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Australia and New Zealand; Dr Natalie Doyle, the centre's Interim Director; and Professor Merran Evans, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Planning).