Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Study in Australia, 2011

Media Release 1/2010 (27/04/10):

Time has come for students (undergraduate and post-graduate) to start thinking about further studies in 2011. The Canberra Vanuatu Students Association (CVSA) wishes to strongly encourage all potential ni-Vanuatus to take up the challenge of furthering their studies in any Australian Tertiary institution. Our Government has engaged in consistent and sustained policy reforms in Education, and as such the Association encourages potential students to think about sharpening their skills and capacity to meet the policy challenges of our time.

CVSA continues to call upon the Government to institute and negotiate flexible policies and increase opportunities that will encourage all public and private citizens of Vanuatu to further improve their education beyond the region. Better and more skilled workforce will help to improve a sustained economic productivity.

Potential students are thinking about studies in Australia, this information release may guide you to make an important decision you have been contemplating all along.

If you are particularly interested in studying policy issues and specializing in one of the three key areas of International Development Economics, Environmental Management and Development or Policy and Governance there is no better place to go than to be a student at the best Policy School outside of USA or Europe – the Crawford School of Economics and Government, ANU. Those who are interested in the areas of Business and Economics or doing an MBA, ANU also offers these courses – plus a wide range of other fields including Medicine, Law and many more.

Next door to ANU we have the University of Canberra which offers a range of programs in Science, Arts, Business and Government, Education, Health, IT and Law. Further information on these institutions could be obtained from their respective websites (ANU: http://www.anu.edu.au/, UC: http://www.canberra.edu.au/home/, and CIT: http://www.cit.act.edu.au/ ). For ANU, specific info on the Crawford School of Economics and Government can be obtained from: http://www.crawford.anu.edu.au/.

The study environment at ANU (notably at the Crawford School where the majority of the current Postgrad and Master students are studying) can be very demanding and challenging. But that is to be expected from one of the top 20 policy schools in the world.

Should you make that wise and final decision to take the trip to Canberra to study at the above mentioned institutions, the CVSA would be willing to assist as much as possible in disseminating information and assisting as best as possible in helping students to settle into Canberra.

The Association has elected a new President (Howard Aru) and Secretary (Stanley Trief) to replace the outgoing President (Mr. Johnny Koanapo) and Secretary (Mr. Jerryson Lapi) who are on their way to graduating in July this year. The CVSA is indebted to them for their vision in establishing and pushing this new fledgling Association forward till 11 April 2010 when they handed over responsibilities.

For further information you can email the President and Secretary at: cvsa.act@gmail.com.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

ANU Vice Chancellor announces his retirement

ANU Vice-Chancellor Ian Chubb told University Council today (Friday 4th June 2010) that he will retire in 12-months' time, after more than a decade leading the national university.

Making the announcement, ANU Chancellor Gareth Evans said he and other Council members were saddened by the news, but recognised that ANU was in an extremely healthy state due to the work of the Vice-Chancellor.

"Professor Chubb has invigorated ANU, made the most of its exceptional research strengths, and extended those riches to all students, making the educational experience at ANU a truly unique one," Professor Evans said.

"He has fulfilled the high expectations of the ANU founders, to make ANU a place to "advance the cause of learning and research ... and take its rightful place among the great universities of the world," and has enriched the relationship with the Commonwealth, making ANU a national
institution of which all Australians can be proud.

"Professor Chubb has made an exceptional contribution to the strength and standing of ANU, and to higher education in this nation. He has been a leading defender of the vital role Australian universities play in sustaining our healthy democracy and the role of ANU in promoting high-level public debate.

"By leading ANU so successfully through a time of change and uncertainty in Australian higher education, Professor Chubb leaves a remarkable legacy.

"He has driven a period of extraordinary growth in the university's finances, student and staff numbers, infrastructure and on and near campus accommodation.

“Professor Chubb has also led ANU through some difficult times: most notably Canberra's devastating 2003 bushfires that all but laid waste to the Mt Stromlo Observatory; the 2007 hail storm which caused extensive damage to ANU; and the Global Financial Crisis that left so many
universities in dire circumstances around the world but saw ANU emerge in a strong position.

"Professor Chubb has led this great institution with determination, assurance and compassion, and his work will leave a lasting imprint both on ANU and the nation. "When it comes to university leaders, anywhere in the world, Ian Chubb is as good as it gets. He will be a very hard act to follow, "Professor Evans said.

Media assistance: Catriona Jackson 0417 142 238

Click here to read the fact sheet about the Professor’s term.