6 February 2006
Monash University has strengthened its commitment to international development with the appointment of Professor Stephanie Fahey as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International).
Professor Fahey, who starts at the university today, 6 February, will work with staff across the university to set the strategic direction for Monash's international engagement in research and education.
"Monash is the leading university in Australia in internationalisation," Professor Fahey said. "Many years ago the university set the pace in educating overseas students in Australia and taking Australian education to the Asia Pacific region. In our changing global environment, the challenge for Monash is to identify sustainable paths that deliver global opportunities with a focus on excellence for both our students and staff.
"One of our long-term goals, for instance, is to ensure that every graduate from Monash is 'globally literate' -- that they feel comfortable to work anywhere in the world. One of the ways to provide these opportunities and develop these skills is to consolidate our international network through increased staff and student mobility."
Professor Fahey said Monash had led the way in developing its international network by establishing campuses in Malaysia and South Africa and centres in Prato and London. The future would involve consolidating those campuses, developing the centres and establishing international partnerships in research collaborations and international education, she said.
"One of the immediate priorities is to strengthen our research partnerships with the top Chinese institutions. They are very serious about excellence in research and education as signalled by their unprecedented levels of investment.
"For Monash to establish research platforms with university partners in China would be of particular benefit. New research opportunities also exist in North East Asia more generally and India. Our engagement with developing nations in Latin America, South East Asia and the Pacific are also a priority. However, this will be mainly in the form of capacity building."
Before joining Monash, Professor Fahey was Director of the Research Institute for Asia Pacific and Acting Assistant Pro Vice-Chancellor (International -- Asia Pacific) at the University of Sydney. Between 1983 and 1998, Professor Fahey was based in Melbourne, predominantly at Victoria University of Technology, where she held positions including Professor and head of department, Asian and International studies, and Director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Studies. Professor Fahey is a member of several boards including the Foreign Affairs Council, the national board of the Australian China Business Council and the Australian Korea Foundation.
For more information or to arrange interviews contact Diane Squires, Media Communications, on 9905 9315 or 0417 603 400. Photographs of Professor Fahey are available.
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