Deans to gather in Darwin for annual talks 

 
 

Deans of arts, social sciences and humanities from Australian and New Zealand universities will gather on Charles Darwin University’s Casuarina campus next week for their annual conference.

The Australasian Council of the Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH) Conference and AGM will be held from 26-28 September and will address a number of critical issues affecting this sector of university teaching and research.

CDU’s Faculty of Law, Business and Arts will host the conference which will open with DASSH President Professor Faith Trent’s report.

The three-day program will showcase CDU’s arts, social sciences and humanities programs and expertise on a national stage.

CDU’s Dean of Law, Business and Arts, Adrian Walter, will be one of three speakers at the opening break-away session titled Professional, globally oriented education and training - the dual and the multi-sector university. He will be joined by Associate Professor David McCallum, Victoria University and Ms Christine Robertson, RMIT, to explore this theme.

The Head of the School of Australian Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Professor Wendy Brady will draw on her vast research knowledge during her presentation and will be joined by Ms Valda Wallace, James Cook University, at the second break-away session titled Indigenous participation and relevance.

Dr Richard Curtis and Dr George Frazis, joined by Dr Diana Green, Flinders University, and Dr Eric Bouvet, Flinders University, will present their respective areas of cultural expertise as a part of the Centre of Applied Social Research Project Innovative approaches to the provision of languages other than English in Australian higher education.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Garnett PSM will close the opening day’s program with a reception for the DASSH delegates and invited key stakeholders at the Chinese Gardens.

Other key themes for the conference include funding for the arts, identifying issues for deans of arts in New Zealand, and the nature and roles of arts degrees in contemporary society.

DASSH leads and promotes the arts, social sciences and humanities nationally and internationally, and represents the deans of relevant faculties in universities and higher education institutions across Australia and New Zealand.

To view the full program visit www.dassh.edu.au/conference.html.