10 January 2005
Monash University has been awarded approximately $1.1million by the European Commission to establish a European Union Centre.
The centre's activities will aim to further knowledge of the EU as an entity, including the history and objectives of European integration; the European Union's role on the world stage and European law.
The centre will be based in the Faculty of Arts, but will involve staff from the faculties of Law and Business and Economics.
The centre is funded for three-and-a-half years and is due to start operating in mid-2006. A full professor will be appointed as director with Dr Natalie Doyle, from the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, as interim director.
Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Stephen Parker said the centre would become a regional focus of academic excellence that would benefit from Monash's incomparable institutional commitment, experience and networks in Europe.
"It will facilitate, and become a focus for, Europe and EU-related research across the extensive faculty and campus network of Monash University," Professor Parker said.
"The Monash EU Centre will actively target opinion leaders in business, government, alumni and the media through regular briefings, annual conferences, newsletters and a comprehensive website."
An interdisciplinary Masters degree in European Integration will be the flagship of the Centre's teaching offerings, complemented by a new undergraduate major in European and EU studies.
This was the second round of funding for EU Centres to be established in Australia. Previously the Australian National University hosted the only centre.
For further information contact Ms Penny Fannin, Media Communications on +61 3 9905 5828 or 0417 125 700.
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