April is the busiest month. In the past two weeks the University has been heavily involved in two significant international events in Asia. 

In Bangkok, the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education held its annual conference. APAIE is becoming the principal forum for higher education and research development in the Asia Pacific region. It also draws strong attendance from the USA and Europe, with numerous universities attending to participate in the transformation of Asia.

I attended the conference as an invited keynote speaker and a participant in the Presidents’ Forum, and there is a strong case for the University to consider a deeper engagement in future.

Immediately before APAIE I travelled to China with the Vice-Chancellor to take part in the BOAO Forum in Hainan Province. BOAO is China’s equivalent of Davos in terms of global engagement, and it is now expanding to be an Asian forum for leaders in politics, government and business. 

The value of our participation in such events cannot be overestimated. It sends a clear signal about our commitment to international engagement, particularly in China and the Asia Pacific region.

Our attendance gives the University a seat at the table with thought leaders from around the world – and significantly, Dr Spence had the rare honour for a university president of being invited to take part as a panellist at the forum. Our involvement in the new education and research section also gives us an opportunity to assume a position of leadership and to obtain early intelligence on policy directions and shifts. 

Furthermore, BOAO gave us a range of new contacts from government, business and academia, some of whom we hope to see soon as visitors to the University. And finally, it provided us with a major media opportunity that highlighted the University globally – and cost nothing.


Read John Hearn's perspectives on China in the China Studies Centre's online magazine, China Express.

Vice-Chancellor Michael Spence has signed an agreement on behalf of Australia’s leading research universities that will bring a sharp increase in the number of Brazilian students coming to Australia.

Dr Spence led a Group of Eight delegation to Chile and Brazil for meetings with university leaders and education officials, to strengthen links with a region that is fast becoming an important education partner for Australia.

In Brasilia, Dr Spence signed two MoUs with the Brazilian Government that will result in a significant increase in the number of Brazilian students undertaking higher education courses in Australia.

Dr Spence said: “Australia's links with South America have flourished in the last decade and we are keen to explore new areas of cooperation and engagement. We are interested in building long-term relationships, and it is important for us to focus on partnerships that bring mutual benefits and broaden our research base."

Ms Sandra Meiras from the International Portfolio, who took part in the delegation, said it was important for Australia to look at the long-term strategic opportunities in Brazil and Chile. She said there was considerable interest across South America in partnering with Australian universities in double degrees, student exchange and research collaborations. 

In Chile the delegates met representatives from the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research and members of the Chilean university rectors' group, CRUCH.

Since 2008 the Go8 has had an agreement in place with the Chilean Government under its US$600m Chilean Bicentennial Scholarship Fund for Human Capital Development. The large majority of Chilean scholarship students coming to Australia now choose to enrol in Go8 universities.

In Brazil the primary focus of the visit was meetings with the Ministry of Education (CAPES) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. These two government agencies have been charged with administering a $2 billion scholarships program which aims to send 100,000 Brazilian students to the world's best universities and thus increase Brazil's capacity in the knowledge economy.

* Ms Sandra Meiras, Director of International Services in the International Portfolio and a member of the Go8 delegation, has been elected to the Board of the Australia-Latin America Business Council.

Two South American marine biologists have spent two weeks in NSW under AusAID's Australian Leadership Awards Fellowship Program.

Professor Eduardo Jaramillo from the Universidad Austral de Chile and Professor Omar Defeo from the Universidad de la Republica de Uruguay were in Australia to study coastal resource management and conservation.

Professor Anton McLachlan in the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor International, who hosted the fellows, said one of the highlights of the visit was an interdisciplinary workshop looking at beaches from the physical, ecological, conservation and management perspectives. The workshop involved 30 participants from universities around Australia and government departments.

The two fellows also took part in an intensive field trip for first hand observation of beach face processes and morphodynamic types, led by Dr Andy Short.

Professor McLachlan said the visit would help with the formation of research networks and enhance the effectiveness of coastal resource management in both Australia and South America.

It is also hoped that it will lead to student exchanges and applications for further research grants, as well as a joint paper on beach management strategies and a book chapter on the ecology of barrier beaches.

One of the University’s most important global networks has added its first South American partner.

The University of Campinas in Brazil – popularly known as Unicamp – became the 19th member of the Worldwide Universities Network last month. The agreement was signed by the Rector of Unicamp, Professor Fernando Costa, and the WUN Chief Executive, Professor John Hearn.

WUN general manger Nicholas Haskins, who is based at Sydney, said Unicamp was regarded as one of the leading research universities in South America, and has a distinct profile among Brazilian universities as a leader in technology, health sciences, natural sciences, human sciences and the arts. It has produced more than 50 patents each year for the past decade.

Founded in 1966, the university has benefited from the state of Sao Paulo’s substantial investment in education. Undergraduate programs at Unicamp are provided free of charge for all students by the state.

The university has more than 31,000 students and around 2000 academic staff.

Professor Hearn, who met senior Unicamp staff on his visit to the campus, said: "We are eager to have researchers and administrators of the calibre found at Unicamp involved in all activities of the WUN.

“The addition of Unicamp gives us truly global coverage and a presence on every continent.”

Three delegates from the University of Battambang (UBB) in Cambodia have visited the University of Sydney Business School as part of a project focusing on female entrepreneurship.

The visitors were the President, Dr Visalsok Touch, the Vice-President, Mrs Emtotim Sieng, and the assistant to the President and coordinator of the Female Entrepreneurship Program Ms Sivchou Teng.

The visit involved a full-time program that focused on capacity building related to teaching and learning and research at a tertiary level. It formed part of an AusAID Public Sector Linkages Program project focusing on building female entrepreneurship for small to medium enterprises in ASEAN, in particular Cambodia and Vietnam.

The Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor International assisted with the grant application and other advice, and the Cambodian visitors were welcomed to the University by Professor Anton McLachlan, the Director of International Development.

The program is being coordinated by Associate Professors Marylouise Caldwell and Paul Henry, and Dr Richard Seymour.

Founded in 2007, UBB has more than 6000 students across five faculties. One of its aims is to generate practical research solutions for people living in the rural areas of north-west Cambodia.

The aim of the UBB visit was to identify the next steps in strengthening the relationship between UBB and the business school. There are plans for postgraduate business students to undertake intensive immersion programs for 2-3 weeks at UBB, working with UBB business students and Battambang businesses to generate locally appropriate solutions to business problems. There are also future plans for UBB students to undertake postgraduate studies in International Business and Entrepreneurship at Sydney.

The visit also provided opportunities to initiate relationships between UBB and other faculties at the University of Sydney. The visitors met senior faculty members from Sydney Medical School and Health Sciences to discuss plans for developing a medical school at UBB, starting with nursing and physiotherapy programs. Brenda Kranz from the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor International discussed funding and logistical options for staff mobility and postgraduate study at Sydney.

The Faculty of Agriculture discussed a possible grant application to conduct a base-line survey regarding the impact of parasitic wasps in reducing a mealy bug infestation in the Battambang region.

Simon Barrie, ITL, and Rob Ellis, E-learning, also provided extensive advice on various aspects of teaching and learning.

The discipline of International Business in the University’s Business School held a one and half day conference in April on innovation, internationalisation and entrepreneurship in India.

The conference looked at how outsiders, particularly Western firms, can leverage India’s potential for their own global competitiveness. Speakers from the US, Europe and Asia gave presentations on relevant themes.

Professor Anton McLachlan, Director of International Services in the Office of the DVC International, gave a welcome address with Professor Sid Gray from the Business School. Professor McLachlan said India and Australia both stood to gain from stronger links in business and education.

The event was sponsored by the Emerging Market Internationalisation Research Group in the University of Sydney Business School, and the Institute of Global Management Studies at Temple University.

The University of Sydney and the Chinese University of Hong Kong have signed a Short Term Faculty Exchange MOU.

The agreement was made when a University delegation visited Hong Kong in March. Under the MOU, the exchange faculty will participate in a week-long visit to conduct guest lectures, master classes, seminars, academic meetings and other exchange activities.

The Faculty of Law is planning to engage in exchange activity starting in 2013.

Staff from the Office of the DVCI recently attended the annual State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs meeting in Jinan, Shandong, to meet representatives from government agencies across China interested in short courses provided by the University’s International Leaders program.

Seventeen organisations showed an interest in continuing to more detailed discussions, providing opportunities for engagement between the University’s academic leaders and their Chinese counterparts.

Preparations are also under way to host two student groups from the Chinese University of Hong Kong on programs focused on International Law and Environmental Sustainability. These programs provide participants with an insight into the student experience in Australia. Students are able to attend lectures by university academics, participate in networking sessions and cultural visits and complete assessment tasks that are recognised by their home institution.

Visit by EU Commisisoner

The EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, visited Australia in March. Her visit was to the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis where the Director, Professor Simon Ringer, provided her with an overview of the Centre's activities and partnerships.

Professor John Hearn, the DVC International, was also invited to speak about the higher education partnerships between Australia and Europe at a European Australian Business Council luncheon in honour of the Commissioner.


FEAST Information Session on European funding opportunities

On Friday March 30, the Forum for European-Australia Science and Technology Cooperation's executive director, Dr Rado Faletic, presented two sessions for interested staff: FP7: the world's largest research funding program, which focused on the thematic areas of ICT, KBBE (biotech) and energy, and Europe for early-career researchers.

The Endeavour Awards program is the Australian Government’s internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship scheme providing opportunities for citizens of the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe and the Americas to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia.

Awards are also available for Australians to undertake study, research and professional development abroad.

Currently around 500-600 awards are available each year. Applicants who have already commenced study in Australia are ineligible.

The following award types are offered:

(1) Endeavour Postgraduate Awards

Provide financial support for international students to undertake a Master’s (2 years, up to $118,500) or PhD (4 years, up to $228,500) by coursework or research.  Tuition fees are paid to a maximum of $12,500 per semester.  Health and travel insurance are provided. 

(2) Endeavour Research Fellowships

Provide financial support (including a monthly stipend, travel allowance and establishment allowance) for postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows to undertake short-term research (4-6 months) towards a Master’s, PhD (enrolled at an institution in their home country) or postdoctoral research. Up to $23,500 is available under this award, with health and travel insurance provided. No tuition fees are payable.  Host institutions receive a $1,500 payment.

(3) Endeavour Executive Awards

Provide professional development opportunities (1-4 months) for high achievers in business, industry, education or government from participating countries. The Awards focus on building skills and knowledge through a host work environment rather than through formal enrolment in a study program at a host institution and are not intended to fund direct academic research. 

Up to $18,500 is available under this award (including a monthly stipend, travel allowance and establishment allowance).

Guidelines for the Endeavour Awards are available here: 

An overview of all award types is available here: 

Applications are made online by the individual and require proof of confirmation of admission and/or confirmation of nomination, proof of English language proficiency, evidence of academic achievement and transcripts, referee reports, CV, employment record and proof of citizenship. Please refer to the guidelines for each individual award type.

Applicants will be notified of the outcomes by November 2012 by email and will be required to accept the award offer online within 14 days. A contractor has been engaged to provide post-selection support services to all award holders to assist with visas, health, travel, insurance, accommodation, security, payment of allowance etc.

Award holders must commence their award after 1 January 2013 and not later than 30 November 2013.  Applicants who have already commenced their program are ineligible.  Postgraduate Award holders generally come on a 574 visa and Executive Award and Research Fellows generally come on a 416 visa.