How universties, including Charles Sturt University (CSU), engage their communities, and how effective they have been, is the focus of a public lecture to be presented in Albury.

 

Leading political and intellectual figure Dr Barry Jones, AO, will speak on ’Universities, Communities and the Future of Knowledge Development in Australia’, starting at 3pm on Tuesday 4 December.

 

“Dr Jones is one of Australia’s best known and most influential intellectuals over a number of decades, and has always had a passionate commitment to knowledge development,” said Head of the Albury-Wodonga Campus, Professor Gail Whiteford.

 

Dr Jones is Australia’s longest serving federal Minister for Science between 1983 and 1990, and has represented Australia at international forums such as the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the Organisation for Economically Developed Countries and the World Heritage Committee.

 

He is the author of a number of best-selling books and member of all four Australian academic academies, and is currently a Professorial Fellow in Melbourne.

 

Professor Whiteford said communities and local partnerships are already a vital part of teaching, learning and research at CSU. “We need these partnerships to adequately prepare our students for the rigours and challenges of maintaining careers in inland Australia,” she said.