European Consortium Down Under
Monday, April 21, 2008
From 13-19th April 2008, Swinburne hosted a high level visit from the members of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities both at Sarawak and Melbourne.
As well as holding their annual general meeting, the ECIU members attended a wide range of events including a Panel Discussion on internationalisation and innovation. The four panellists included our own Erol Harvey speaking on University/ Industry Engagement (front row, 2nd from right); Anne Flierman (President of Twente Uni, front row, 2nd from left) on European/ Twente Perspective on Internationalisation; Finn Kjaederstrom (Rector of Aalborg Uni, front row, far right) on the Role of the European Universities in a Globalised World; and Dennis Murray (Executive Director, International Education Association of Australia, front row, far left) on Engagement with the International Education Professional Community.Â
The session was chaired by John Beynon. As well as the executives from Europe, including vice-chancellors, presidents, rectors and their deputies as well as other senior staff, the audience included several VIPs: Tim Murphy, Senior Advisor on Innovation to Kim Carr, federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science & Research (back row, 3rd from left); Terry Cutler, Chair of the Australian Government’s current Review of the National Innovation System (back row, far left); Jane Niall, Deputy Secretary for Business Development, Department of Innovation, Industry & Regional Development, State Government of Victoria (second row, 2nd from left); and Clive Davenport, CEO of the Small Technologies Cluster here in Melbourne (back row, far right). The following day Erol Harvey, Ajay Kapoor and John Beynon attended the workshop on University-Industry Engagement, and the ECIU visitors were shown three of the University’s Tier 1 research centres, including the Centre for Micro-Photonics by James Chon.Â
We received very positive feedback for the whole week of events and can consider that, despite our geographical location, we are firmly accepted as a key partner in ECIU.