An initiative by two lecturers from Charles Sturt University (CSU) has led to new opportunities for scholarly research and academic development exchanges between Russia and Australia through the Commonwealth government’s prestigious Endeavour Awards Scheme.

 

Mr Errol Chopping and Dr David Tien from the CSU School of Computing and Mathematics in Bathurst, initiated visits to the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Far East National University in Vladivostok in Far East Russia in January and September 2009, with reciprocal follow-up visits to CSU by Russian academics in November 2009.

 

The low-key diplomatic liaison established to foster these visits has led to new institutional links and a new scholarly relationship between Australia and Russia.

 

Two months ago, Her Excellency Ms Margaret Twomey, the Ambassador of Australia to Russia, who met the visiting academics from CSU, asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) to contact Mr Errol Chopping. 

 

“Since then we have held several briefing sessions with this department and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). They have now notified us that our work with the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Far East National University has been a major factor in their decision to add the Russian Federation to Australia’s Endeavour Awards Scheme,” Mr Errol Chopping said.

 

The Endeavour Awards is the Australian Government's internationally competitive, merit-based scholarship program. They will now enable Australian citizens to undertake study, research or professional development in Russia, and for Russian citizens to do the same in Australia.

 

Mr Chopping and Dr Tien have also been invited to jointly run the First Russia and Pacific Conference on Computer Technology and Applications  at the Russian Academy of Sciences (Far Eastern Branch) in Vladivostok from 6 to 9 September 2010.