Monash Magazine

Charting new directions

With a new campus being built in South Africa, a Monash Centre in King's College London and a thriving campus in Malaysia, Monash University's global vision has taken on a high degree of substance.

By David Bruce

Early this year, Monash gained approval to establish a campus in Johannesburg, South Africa, becoming the first Australian university to be registered to operate in South Africa as a private higher education institution.

The Monash campus is being developed on a 100-hectare site at Roodepoort, a suburb in a growth corridor 20 kilometres northwest of central Johannesburg. Construction of the campus is well under way, and it will feature lecture theatres, tutorial and computer rooms, retail outlets and student sports and recreation areas.

The first students will enrol in 2001 in undergraduate courses in arts, business and commerce, business systems, computing and information technology.

An artist's impression of the new Monash South Africa campus, in a growth corridor of Johannesburg.

The Monash Centre in central London follows an agreement made late last year with King's College London, a founding college of the 170-year-old University of London. The centre will be the focus of Monash's activities in the United Kingdom and Europe and, like the campuses in Malaysia and South Africa, will be a key component in providing students and staff with a gateway to the wider world of teaching, learning and research.

Vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson said South Africa represented a major step towards achieving the vision of a global Monash.

"The development of offshore campuses is central to the vision of offering all Monash students a gateway to the world," Professor Robinson said."We are looking forward to participating fully in the South African higher education sector and cooperating with existing universities, schools and the broader community.

Widens horizons

"Our long-term commitment to the region is demonstrated by the construction of a large, modern university campus and our plans to develop a strong research program relevant to southern Africa.

"There will be increased opportunities for Monash staff and students to widen their horizons by providing a new and different working, learning, teaching, research and living environment.

Vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson: offshore campuses are central to the Monash vision.

"There will also be opportunities to establish points of access and delivery for students at sites in rural and remote southern Africa, and areas where there is presently insufficient access to tertiary education."

Monash established its first offshore campus in Malaysia in 1998 and opened its centre at King's College at the start of this year.

Professor Robinson said South Africa, Malaysia and London provided opportunities for developing relations and partnerships with major educational institutions in Africa, Asia and Europe and in other parts of the world.

Key Monash people have been appointed to lead the international operations. Professor John Anderson, formerly campus director at Berwick and Gippsland, is pro vice-chancellor South Africa. Professor Richard White, formerly dean of the Faculty of Education, is pro vice-chancellor London.

In early 2000, Professor Bob Bignall, formerly head of the School of Computing and Information Technology at Gippsland, began his term as pro vice-chancellor Malaysia.

For further information on Monash University South Africa, go to www.monash.ac.za or call student liaison officer Ms Caryn Ralston on +27 11 463 7281, or toll-free within South Africa 0800 00 5715.