From the Vice-Chancellor’s desk

To many backpackers and holidaymakers, Asia is a geographically close but in every other way distant destination of smoking food stalls, quiet white beaches, long bus rides and smiling people.

"Asia seems close
in every way —
except, perhaps, geographically"

At ANU, our perception is different. With many of the world’s leading experts on the region, a large number of its leading students electing to study on our campus and increasingly close links with leading universities, Asia seems close in every way — except, perhaps, geographically.

I recently visited Singapore to finalise an honours science joint degree program with the National University of Singapore, enabling us to offer an extraordinary new program to some of the world’s best undergraduate science students. By exposing some of our best students to different teaching methods — and different teachers — in another prestigious national university, we hope not only to expand the education and opportunities for our students, but also to forge even stronger links between Australia and Asia.

The 2004 ANU Quality Review reinforced the unique position of the University, because of both its expertise and its relative proximity to Asia. It was suggested that we could serve as a portal to the region for the rest of the academic world. This is a bold, but not unrealistic recommendation that we will work towards in the years ahead.

The question now is whether we can better use our expertise and proximity to Asia to forge a stronger international position for our nation. It’s a question we look forward to answering.

Professor Ian Chubb AO
Vice-Chancellor and President

Also in ANU Reporter Summer 2004/05:

Rethinking Pompeii

Parched earth policy

Testing China's road mettle

News

World's first floating museum