Asia Pacific Week

31 January to 4 February 2005
Christina Flynn, ANU library

Postgraduate researchers met at the Australian National University in Canberra on 31 January to 4 February 2005 for Asia Pacific Week. Asia Pacific Week was launched by Fiona Buffinton, chief executive officer of Australian Education International (Department of Education, Science and Training) which funds the main sponsor of the event, the International Centre of Excellence in Asia-Pacific Studies (ICEAPS) at the ANU. ICEAPS is funded out of a four-year grant from the Commonwealth of Australia and is designed to raise the profile of Asia Pacific studies in Australia.

Asia Pacific Week featured a program of collaborative events, intensive courses and workshops, book launches, film screenings, cultural performances and social events. In addition there were a number of public lectures and other public events.

More than 100 academics guided 218 honours students and postgraduate researchers, from 16 countries, through the week-long programs. Participants presented papers on their research and gained practical advice on enhancing research skills from senior scholars in the field of Asia and Pacific studies. Scholarships have been provided for Australia-based honours and postgraduate students. Asia Pacific specialists from the ANU Library provided tours and gave presentations on the highlights of the East Asian, Pacific, South Asian and Southeast Asian collections in the RG Menzies building. Similar sessions were provided by Asian Collections staff from the National Library of Australia.

Participants had access to the considerable research and teaching resources at the ANU and the National Library of Australia. The Menzies Building which houses the Asia Pacific collection had over 400 visitors per day during the conference and extended the opening hours to give participants more access to the collections.

The rich program of activities and events provided an opportunity for scholars to come together from all over the world and showcased Australia as a thriving centre for Asia and Pacific studies.

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