MAI Seminars, Conferences, Visitors and Events
Google Apps for the Australia India Research Network Collaboration
Thursday 4 November 2010, 12:00-2:00pm
H235, Monash University, Caulfield campus
The MAI with Monash Google Apps Team will be holding a briefing session on how to utilise Google Apps tools for research sharing and collaboration. The Australia India Research Network project will be used as the example of such collaboration. All are cordially invited to attend this seminar to find out how to benefit from utilising Google Apps tools for running research projects in a stimulating, participatory fashion that will help to build a virtual bridge between researchers from different countries.
A special guest of the seminar is Ms Anita Nayar, the Indian Consul General (Melbourne).
Seminar Agenda
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Meeting in Bombay (creation of research clusters)
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New Initiative (creation of research network)
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Why Google Apps
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Security matters (e.g. document sharing)
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Google Apps for the Australia India Research Network (specifics)
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Further actions
RSVP (essential for catering purposes) to MAI.Enquiries@adm.monash.edu.au with “Google Apps for Research Collaboration” in the subject line.
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Cambodia Roundtable 2010
Hosted by Monash Asia Institute and Centre of Southeast Asian Studies
Friday 29 October 2010, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Room HB 36 (basement), Building H
Caulfield campus, Monash University
The Cambodia Round Table has been initiated by Monash Asia Institute and the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies of Monash University as a platform to gather together postgraduate students and researchers conducting research on any field of Cambodian studies in order that they can present updates of their work and exchange research ideas with colleagues. The Roundtable is open to the general public.
Details: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/mai/cseas/cambodia/index.php
Enquiries and registration
Ambassador Julio A. Jeldres (Conference Convenor)
Adjunct Research Fellow/Doctoral Candidate
Monash Asia Institute, Monash University
julio.jeldres@monash.edu, +61-3-99035051
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Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History & Centre for Southeast Asian Studies
Joint Lunchtime Seminar
The symbolism of the Buddha’s footprints in Thailand: Political, religious and spiritual meanings
Speaker: Dr Claudio Cicuzza – Webster University Thailand
Monday, 4 October 2010 at 1.00pm
S 617, Menzies Building, Clayton Campus
Numerous cultures considered footprints as something more than a simple mark left by a departed person and showing his or her past presence on that very spot: these signs – especially when belonging to religious leaders – can evoke memories, feelings, and even spiritual inspiration, giving the impression that the person whose foot negative image is impressed on a stone is still there as a real living presence. There are examples of “holy footprints” in western countries, but also in India, related to Hind?, Buddhist, and Jaina traditions, and in South-East Asia, mainly connected with the Buddha. Buddhist tradition has elaborated a number of complex symbolical images that have been inserted on the feet of the Buddha: the most refined and copious list (one hundred and eight signs), at the present stage of knowledge, seems to be unique to the Theravadin tradition as transmitted in Pali. That is, while other Buddhist traditions in India certainly believed that the feet, and often the hands, of a Buddha were marked by auspicious signs, they drew up shorter lists, and did not fix the number at one hundred and eight or attempt to depict such a large number in art or iconography. The signs or symbols themselves are not originally or exclusively Buddhist. As marks of good fortune, royalty, and power, they were meaningful within the broad spectrum of what we can call “Indian religion." Some of the symbols have a history of well over two thousand years, and they belong to a value system that has been shared by broader religious, secular, and political society.
Claudio Cicuzza (PhD in Indology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”) is Faculty member of Webster University, based in Thailand. His research is focused on Buddhism and Pali literature of South-East Asia, and he works on manuscripts of Buddhist texts written in Central Thailand.
This brown-bag seminar is jointly hosted by the Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History and the Monash Centre for Southeast Asian Studies. Please contact Sven Schottmann (sven.schottmann@monash.edu) for further information.
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Celebrating Asian Scholarship: Giuseppe Tucci
Postgraduate Workshop on Wednesday 29 September and Thursday 30 September 2010
Symposium on Friday 1 October 2010, 10am to 5pm
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Public symposium and Ramadan Iftar
Friday 20 August 2010, 5.30–8.00 pm
Monash University Building H, Level 8
900 Dandenong Rd, Caulfield East 3145
Melway Ref: 68 F1
Political Islam and the West - the dynamics of transformation
Monash Asia Institute, and the Centre for Islam and the Modern World (Monash University)
Centre for the Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies (University of Western Sydney) and
National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies (University of Melbourne)
cordially invite you to a symposium on the occasion of the launch of Irfan Ahmad’s book:
Islamism and democracy in India: the transformation of Jamaat-e-Islami (Princeton University Press)
SPEAKERS
- Prof Bryan S Turner, Director, Centre for the Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies, University of Western Sydney, and
Director, Committee on Religion, Graduate Centre, City University New York - Prof Abdullah Saeed, Director, The National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, University of Melbourne
- Prof Gary Bouma, UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations – Asia Pacific
Chair: Prof Marika Vicziany Director, Monash Asia Institute
A buffet vegetarian dinner with fish, soft drinks and juice will be served between 5.30 and 6.30pm. Prayer facilities available. The symposium will begin at 6.30pm sharp.
Copies of Islam and Democracy in India will be available at a discounted price.
DOWNLOAD Brochure for seminar and book launch.
RSVP by noon Wednesday 18 August 2010 to : sven.schottmann@monash.edu
Travelling to Monash University Caulfield campus: http://www.monash.edu.au/campuses/caulfield/travelling.html
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PhD Confirmation Seminar
Friday 2 July 2010 10:00 am to noon (Please note that this is the new date)
Room H5.95, Building H
Monash University Caulfield campus
Educational provisions for girls in Rural India under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
Harman Kullar, PhD candidate, Monash Asia Institute
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), meaning ‘education for all’, is an Indian Government program which aims to improve primary level education. SSA was started in 2001 under the auspices of the national Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). Improvement is sought in both the quality and extent of education - one aim being to achieve universal attendance to the end of primary school by 2010. Another is that the education received must be ‘useful and relevant’. It is the expected that universal literacy will be attained once these aims are achieved.
Improving education in India has been a long and arduous process and, as everywhere, harder in rural areas. Girls’ education in rural regions is a major challenge and the SSA recognises this. But has the program made a difference. Given the complexity of regional variations in India, National aggregates are insufficient to understand the relevant issues: hence this study undertakes a close analysis of three Indian states: Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Rajasthan.
Harman Kullar is originally from India. She studied at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi before coming to Australia for postgraduate education. She completed a MEd at Latrobe University with a thesis on “Education provisions for the Mentally Retarded in Northern India”. She then taught for almost two years in a Victorian state school. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the Monash Asia Institute, Monash University on an Australian Post Graduate Award on issue of girl’s education in rural India. In October 2009 Harman received one of the inaugural Prime Minister's Australia Asia Endeavour Awards and will studying girls’ education in rural China later in 2010 while based in Beijing. The PM’s award enables her to extend her Indian focus into a comparative framework.
Enquiries: MAI.Enquiries@adm.monash.edu.au with ‘Rural Indian girls’ education’ in the subject heading of the email.
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Forum
Buddhism Today – One Founder, Many Paths
Sunday 27 June 2010 from 9:00am to 6:00pm
Monash University Caulfield Campus Room H116
The Buddhist Council of Victoria is coordinating this forum in partnership with the Monash Asia Institute and the UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations - Asia Pacific, Monash University. Further information, including the program and list of speakers, is available at www.arts.monash.edu.au/psi/buddhism-today/
Bookings essential:
Please contact Peggy Page, 98576899 or 0412 590 624
Email: pkpage@optusnet.org.au
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Seminar
Monash European and EU Centre and Monash Asia Institute
invite you to attend a presentation by
Ms Sharmini Sherrard
Research Fellow, Monash Asia Institute
Friday 7 May 2010, 2 pm to 4 pm
Room HB39, Building H
Monash University, (Caulfield Campus)
900 Dandenong Road, Caulfield East
Working with civil society in Kosovo: Challenges for the EU framework
The European Union and other international organisations have increasingly adopted the framework of engaging with civil society organisations in former conflict zones in the areas of governance and stabilisation. However, there are a number of challenges when working with transitional societies coming out of long-term conflict. What are these challenges and is the European Union on the right course?
Sharmini Sherrard is the Course Coordinator for the new Master of International Crisis Management at the Monash Asia Institute, Monash University. She has previously worked with the United Nations peacekeeping operations in East Timor and Kosovo in various roles including managing the UN volunteer programme for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and with the Independent Electoral Commission in East Timor. Prior to working with the UN she worked for the Australian Council for Overseas Development Human Rights Office in Melbourne and the National Consortium of South Asian Studies.
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PhD Confirmation Seminar
Work Experience of International Students in Australia: A Study of the State of Victoria
Danny Ming Kiat Ong
PhD Candidate, Monash Asia Institute
Friday 16 April 2010, 10:00 am
Room H5.95, Building H
Monash University Caulfield campus
The aim of the study is to investigate the work experiences of international students during their overseas education in Australia. Although paid and voluntary work has become an increasingly significant part of international students’ lives in Australia, there is an ongoing absence of policies and strategies by Australian government agencies and universities to prevent any forms of workplace exploitation of international students and address their working needs
The association between international students and their desire to undertake either paid or voluntary employment can manifest in two ways. Firstly, many international students are becoming involved in part-time employment due to the increasing costs of education and living expenses, and unfavorable exchange rates. Secondly, the term “student experience” has been strategically used by the Australian government agencies and universities to promote the higher education system through the cultivation of students to achieve employer-desirable graduate attributes. Recognising that prospective employers are looking for graduates with work experience, in addition to their academic achievements, it is increasing sensible for international students to undertake some forms of paid or unpaid work to achieve these desirable attributes and experience.
This study proposes a mixed approach consisting of an Australia-wide survey of some 200 international student-workers from different education sectors. This will be complimented by a series of semi-structured interviews with 20 to 30 international students about their working experiences. The other spectrum will involve semi-structured interviews with non-student stakeholders including government agencies representatives and university staff to shed more light into the work experiences of international students.
Danny Ong is originally from Singapore and graduated from Monash College in 2002 and Monash University (Victoria, Australia) with a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and Bachelor of Business (Management) in 2005. In 2006, he completed his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) with a thesis on the Study-Work-Life Balance of International Students in Australia. His is currently pursuing his PhD at Monash Asia Institute, Monash University on an Australian Postgraduate Award with a research topic on the working experiences of international students.
He was the President of the Monash University International Student Services (MUISS) in 2005, and has consulted with governments, universities and professional organisations. He actively presents at conferences regarding the experience and welfare of international students in Australia. Professionally, he is currently working as an international projects coordinator at the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University.
In September 2009, he authored his first book titled “The International Students’ Handbook: Living and Studying in Australia”. It is the first book written by an ex-international student for other students in Australia. It covers the whole span of international student experiences from their initial decision-making process to select a host country to making the right post-graduation decisions.
Enquiries: MAI.Enquiries@adm.monash.edu.au with ‘International Students in Australia' in the subject heading of the email.
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Confirmation seminar for PhD Upgrade
Friday 19 February 2010, 10:00 am
Room H595, Level 5, Building H
Monash University Caulfield campus
The Establishment of the Disability Council of Cambodia: A Case Study in Development and Disability in a Weak State
Catherine Lewis, Master of Development and Governance candidate, Monash Asia Institute
This research aims to examine the interactions between state, INGOs and donors in providing services to people with disability. In particular, it seeks to research how neo-liberal policy, the lack of technical capacity of the state and issues around INGOs as service providers affect these interactions and the provision of services.
The field data was gathered in Phnom Penh in June 2004. Interviews were supplemented by literature to develop an analysis of the political and aid environment in Cambodia in the 1990s. They provide a fine-grained study of the circumstances and processes which led to the establishment of the DAC.
The research points to the need for INGOs to accept that they are operating in a political environment, and tailor their understanding and skills to that environment if they are to serve their beneficiaries interact effectively with states and donors.
Enquiries: MAI.Enquiries@adm.monash.edu.au with ‘Disability Council of Cambodia’ in the subject heading of the email.
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Other seminars hosted by Asian Business and Economic Research Unit (ABERU), a Monash University research unit that works closely with the Monash Asia Institute.
Other Monash Asia Institute Seminars held in 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002