1 August 2006
Monash University 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 Monash European and EU Centre was launched yesterday in Melbourne by His Excellency Mr Bruno Julien, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Australia and New Zealand.
The new centre, co-funded by the European Union and Monash University, was one of two new Europe Centres launched this week by the European Union. 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 the university has received $1.1 million in funding.
A key initiative of the new centre is the introduction of a Masters of European Integration degree in 2007.
The Monash centre is one of 22 to be created around the world by the European Commission since 1998. The centres, based in the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia, are seen as key components of the EU's Lisbon Agenda in encouraging education and science as building blocks for national economies and societies.
The interim director of the Monash European and EU Centre Dr Natalie Doyle said the Monash centre would take 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.
"The Masters of European Integration 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. Students will be encouraged to spend a semester in Europe and undertake a study tour of EU institutions," she said.
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).
For further information, contact Amanda Crichton, Monash European and EU Centre on +61 3 9905 4661, or Karen Stichtenoth, Media Communications on +61 3 9905 1253.
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