Today we've announced a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Melbourne that will encourage closer ties through programs of collaboration and exchange in areas of mutual interest and benefit to both institutions.

The arrangement will enable the universities to develop joint endeavours in research, research training, teaching, scholarship, external funding bids, consulting, and international outreach.

For our students, that means enhanced educational opportunities. And our staff can look forward to further research collaborations with Melbourne – where the combination can add real value to what could otherwise be done.

Our international ties, developed over the 62 years since ANU was established, are also important. Some will be on show in Sydney tonight, with the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd addressing delegates to the East Asia Forum Dialogue hosted by the Crawford School of Economics and Government.

That dialogue brings together distinguished political and intellectual leaders from around the region and around Australia to consider the Way Forward on Economic and Political Security.

ANU has a depth of expertise on Asia and the Pacific that is equalled by no other institution in the English-speaking world. We're immensely proud of that but we would not be fulfilling the national mandate we have if we didn't set the standard for discussion of regional issues and issues like climate change that impact on our region.

It is through partnerships like the one with Melbourne and the one with the International Alliance of Research Universities, and the ties that grow over time through sustained high-quality education and research output, that ANU can fulfil the wishes of our founders.

Professor Ian Chubb AC

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